Managing people

Our vision

That the department has the people it needs to build and sustain a strong, positive and successful organisation that enriches Australia through the well-managed entry and settlement of people.

Our people

At 30 June 2008, the department employed 7106 ongoing and non-ongoing staff, with 2978 staff in National Office, 3973 in the state and territory offices and 155 Australia-based staff providing services overseas (including 18 Airline Liaison Officers). The department also employed an additional 1000 locally-engaged employees (LEEs) in overseas locations, administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on our behalf.

The department has a younger age profile than the Australian Public Service average and a higher percentage of female staff.

During 2007–08, the department had a retention rate of approximately 90 per cent and our staff survey results indicate that our employees are overwhelmingly committed to our organisational purpose.

Staff survey

During 2007–08, the department received the results of the 2007 DIAC Staff Survey, conducted by Hinds Workforce Research following a competitive tender process.

Supporting the department‘s strategic themes of well trained and supported staff, an open and accountable organisation, and fair and reasonable dealing with clients, the survey enabled staff to express their opinions and provide input on their work environment.

The major aims of the staff survey were to:

• identify and report the level of staff motivation and performance using the Employee Motivation and Performance Indicator methodology
• map and report on the department‘s culture
• benchmark the department‘s employee motivation and performance against other Australian public sector organisations.

The results were broadly consistent with public sector norms, except in two areas—the department had a significantly higher level of employee commitment, and a lower level of satisfaction with communication from leaders in the Senior Executive Service.

The culture was found to be predominantly a motivating one and was broadly homogenous across the department.

In response to the results of the 2007 DIAC Staff Survey every branch prepared and reported on action plans, which were designed to address staff concerns and areas the staff survey results indicated that performance could be improved.

Workforce composition

At 30 June 2008, the department had 8106 employees, including locally engaged employees administered by DFAT on the department‘s behalf, representing an increase of 5.5 per cent from 2006–07. However, following the implementation of the Financial Health Check recommendations, the department experienced a decrease in staffing numbers in May to June 2008. Details of the staffing profile are shown in tables 94 to 98.

Table 94: Staffing levels by location (headcount)

Location	As at 30 June 2007	As at 30 June 20081
National Office	2 881	2 978
New South Wales	1 329	1 386
Victoria	917	974
Queensland	410	437
South Australia	415	466
Western Australia	429	406
Tasmania	128	142
Northern Territory	55	59
Australian Capital Territory and regional offices	91	103
Overseas (Australia-based staff)	147	137
Airline Liaison Officers	16	18
Sub-total	6 818	7 106
Overseas2 (locally engaged employees)	869	1 000
Total	7 687	8 106

1. Staffing figures as at 30 June 2008 exclude staff on temporary transfer to other APS agencies.
2. Overseas staff administered by DFAT on our behalf as at 27 June 2008 (figures as at 30 June 2008 are currently unavailable). The number includes 969 DFAT LEEs and 31 Austrade LEEs (10 in Auckland and 21 in Dubai).

Table 95: Staffing levels by classification as at 30 June 2008

	Ongoing as at 30 June 2008						Non-ongoing1 as at 30 June 2008						Overall result2
	Full-time			Part-time			Full-time			Part-time
Classification	Male	Female	Result	Male	Female	Result	Male	Female	Result	Male	Female	Result
Cadets		1	1										1
Graduate	16	29	45										45
APS Level 1	3	1	4				2	14	16	13	19	32	52
APS Level 2	5	5	10		2	2	19	31	50	10	6	16	78
APS Level 3	176	346	522	13	92	105	113	254	367	3	35	38	1 032
APS Level 4	471	784	1 255	6	151	157	20	33	53	6	5	11	1 476
APS Level 5	398	645	1 043	17	139	156	6	14	20	1		1	1 220
APS Level 6	492	717	1 209	20	153	173	1	6	7	1		1	1 390
Exec Level 1	503	545	1 048	9	103	112	3	3	6	4	3	7	1 173
Exec Level 2	192	175	367		14	14	2		2	1	1	2	385
Medical Officer 2	3	1	4	3	3	6							10
Medical Officer 3	1	1	2										2
Medical Officer 4	1	1	2										2
Public Affairs Officer 1	1	3	4										4
Public Affairs Officer 2	9	5	14				1		1				15
Public Affairs Officer 3	5	8	13		1	1							14
Senior Public Affairs Officer	1	2	3										3
Legal Officer	11	12	23		1	1							24
Senior Legal Officer	14	22	36	2	9	11	1		1				48
Principal Legal Officer	5	8	13		2	2							15
SES Band 1	50	39	89		4	4				1		1	94
SES Band 2	12	5	17										17
SES Band 3	2	3	5										5
Secretary	1		1										1
Total	2 372	3 358	5 730	70	674	744	168	355	523	40	69	109	7 106

1. Non-ongoing figures also include irregular/intermittent staff.
2. Overall results exclude Locally Engaged Employees.

Note: Figures include people acting on the above dates, including two acting deputy secretaries (SES Band 3). Ordinarily the department has three deputy secretaries, one female and two male.
Note: Includes people acting as at June 2008.

Table 96: Staffing levels by classification as at 30 June 2007

	Ongoing as at 30 June 2007						Non-ongoing1 as at 30 June 2007						Overall result2
	Full-time			Part-time			Full-time			Part-time
Classification	Male	Female	Result	Male	Female	Result	Male	Female	Result	Male	Female	Result
Cadets	1		1										1
Graduate	20	58	78										78
APS Level 1	2	2	4				5	7	12	10	9	19	35
APS Level 2	4	4	8		1	1	6	9	15	8	4	12	36
APS Level 3	248	469	717	10	68	78	58	122	180	1	7	8	983
APS Level 4	438	802	1 240	9	122	131	10	40	50	1	1	2	1 423
APS Level 5	399	618	1 017	9	133	142	6	12	18	1		1	1 178
APS Level 6	517	660	1 177	16	137	153	6	9	15	1	1	2	1 347
Exec Level 1	488	523	1 011	8	93	101	3	7	10	5	4	9	1 131
Exec Level 2	189	155	344		13	13	1		1	4	1	5	363
Medical Officer 2	3		3	2	2	4							7
Medical Officer 3		1	1	1		1							2
Medical Officer 4	1	1	2										2
Public Affairs Officer 1		2	2										2
Public Affairs Officer 2	6	5	11					2	2				13
Public Affairs Officer 3	7	8	15										15
Senior Public Affairs Officer	1	2	3										3
Legal Officer	9	19	28		1	1							29
Senior Legal Officer	11	24	35	1	8	9							44
Principal Legal Officer	6	10	16		1	1							17
SES Band 1	45	37	82		2	2							84
SES Band 2	14	7	21										21
SES Band 3	2	1	3										3
Secretary	1		1										1
Total	2 412	3 408	5 820	56	581	637	95	208	303	31	27	58	6 818

1. Non-ongoing figures also include irregular/intermittent staff.
2. Overall results exclude Locally Engaged Employees.

Note: Figures include people acting as at June 2007.

Table 97: Senior Executive Service as at 30 June 2007

Actual classification	Male	Female	Total
SES Band 1	45	39	84
SES Band 2	14	7	21
SES Band 3	2	1	3
Total	61	47	108

Note: Figures include people acting on the above dates.

Table 98: Senior Executive Service as at 30 June 2008

Actual classification	Male	Female	Total
SES Band 1	51	43	94
SES Band 2	12	5	17
SES Band 3	2	3	5
Total	65	51	116

Note: Figures include people acting on the above dates, including two acting deputy secretaries (SES Band 3). Ordinarily the department has three deputy secretaries, one female and two male.

People management initiatives

Workforce planning

In 2007–08, business units developed operational workforce plans as part of the department‘s business planning process. The DIAC Workforce Plan 2007–08 was also developed to establish stronger linkages between business, budget and workforce planning, and to support the achievement of business outcomes and sustainability. It considered the workforce implications of known changes to the business environment to forecast the department‘s workforce needs over a three-year period. The plan contained a risk assessment of workforce issues and proposed a range of strategies to mitigate identified risks. As a result, the department:

• continued to improve HR systems and reporting to develop a better evidence-based understanding of the factors driving various workforce issues within the department and to evaluate the effectiveness of HR strategies
• clarified people management priorities, which informed the development of the DIAC People Plan 2008–10
• produced a comprehensive workforce environmental scan, which considered the internal and external factors likely to affect the department‘s demand for, and supply of, staff
• adopted a three-year planning period (updated annually) for future strategic plans
• commenced development of several targeted strategies, for attraction and retention, succession management, and mobility
• undertook scenario planning to develop a common understanding of environmental factors and constraints that will impact on the department‘s business in the next three years; a shared view on a best, likely and worst case scenario based on a combination of these factors; and an assessment of risks and opportunities for the department under each scenario. The outcomes of this process contributed key input into the implementation of several efficiency reviews and business plans across the department.

Workplace diversity plan

The department launched its new Workplace Diversity Plan 2008–10 on 19 July 2008. The purpose of the plan is to increase the attraction, recruitment and retention of people with disabilities, Indigenous Australians, mature-aged employees and people who will contribute to the cultural and linguistic diversity of the department‘s workforce.

The process of developing the initiatives in the plan was based on a realistic and practical approach which recognises that strengthening the department‘s performance allows the organisation to not only meet legislative responsibilities, but to benefit from more competitive management practices and improved service to clients.

Recruitment policy

The new DIAC Recruitment Policy was launched in June 2008. It will enable the department to adopt a more rigorous, efficient and timely approach to recruitment, including those processes involving bulk selection. Major changes in the policy include new requirements for selection committees, such as an independent committee member; the need to use at least two approved selection methodologies with high predictive validity; consistent procedures for using orders of merit and bulk rounds; and processes for ensuring good candidate care. Banks of behaviourally-based questions, training for independent committee members, a guide to the new policy, and guidance on designing work sample tests have been provided to support selection committees.

Caring for our Colleagues policy

Caring for our Colleagues was launched in May 2008. The policy is designed to create a culture within our organisation of caring for employees who are suffering from and/or caring for people with life-threatening illnesses. The policy has been provided to managers and HR managers nationally to ensure consistent approaches in situations requiring sensitive and confidential handling in times of need. It has also been provided to other departmental secretaries and the Australian Public Service Commission for their use in adopting our policy as an APS-wide best practice model.

Learning and development

The Learning and Development Branch (previously the National Training Branch) continued to administer the College of Immigration specialist training programs in response to recommendations in the Palmer and Comrie reports. The branch also provided a range of general capability and leadership development programs including the ‘people our business’ induction program, graduate development program, overseas training course, executive leadership program, fundamentals of supervision program and code of conduct training. A leadership development course for high-potential executive level staff was also piloted.

A range of e-learning products and virtual classroom technology have been introduced to provide distance education in corporate and specialist areas for both onshore and overseas officers. The virtual classroom technology enables a number of posts and state offices to participate in classroom-style training from their home locations.

All training delivered by the branch, including College of Immigration programs, has been evaluated to ensure effectiveness and continuous improvement. The branch has also assisted business areasthroughout the department to build their capacity in training evaluation.

Work has begun on the development of a new strategy to respond to the department‘s learning and development requirements in a changing immigration policy and operational environment. The new strategy will provide an integrated framework for enhancing the skills and capability of staff and supporting the department‘s commitment to ensuring that its staff are ‘well trained and supported’.

College of Immigration

The College of Immigration continued its focus on the development and delivery of role-based and accredited training programs for staff in key operational roles. Training for existing compliance, detention and investigations officers has largely been completed and pilot training courses for airport and seaport entry officers, removals officers and case managers were delivered with support from Border Security Division and Compliance and Case Management Division. Work has also commenced to integrate these pilot courses into the training program.

The college also worked in partnership with the Citizenship, Settlement and Multicultural Affairs Division and Migration and Temporary Entry Division to deliver role-based training to citizenship decision makers, 457 monitoring officers and community liaison officers.

People committees

People Management Committee

The People Management Committee (PMC) contributes to organisational effectiveness by strengthening the department‘s understanding of strategic human resource management. The committee‘s membership comprises senior line managers, human resources and training professionals and two external members. The committee meets three times a year.

The PMC has responsibility for recommending priorities to the secretary to ensure that planning and policies on human resources issues are consistent with government objectives and the department‘s business directions, and providing advice to the executive on:

• leading the change agenda with focus on people support, capability and training, leadership and culture
• ensuring a consistent approach to people management and workforce planning across the department
• setting and overseeing the department‘s strategic people management as an integral part of regular business and departmental planning processes.

The primary achievement of the PMC in the past 12 months has been the implementation of the HR Guiding Framework and Key Priorities 2006–07. This document provided the strategic framework and priorities that guided HR activity and the work of the People Management Committee during 2007–08.

The PMC has also contributed to the development of the DIAC People Plan 2008–10, which identifies HR outcomes and outputs to be achieved within the department over the next three years, the Performance Management Framework, the DIAC Workforce Plan 2007–08, the HR Information Plan, the Workplace Diversity Plan 2008–10, the Caring for Our Colleagues policy, the DIAC Recruitment Policy, and the learning and development requirements of the department.

National Staff Consultative Forum

The National Staff Consultative Forum (NSCF) is constituted under the terms of the department‘s Collective Agreement 2007–2010. The NSCF is the department‘s peak consultative body of union, employee and management representatives on strategic issues affecting employees.

It provides an opportunity to consult on matters such as conditions of employment, and the implications of legislative, funding, organisational, technological and procedural changes for employees. The NSCF meets at least three times per year with additional meetings convened when necessary.

Values and Standards Committee

The Values and Standards Committee was established in December 2005 and to date has conducted sixteen meetings. The committee is chaired by a deputy secretary and membership of the committee comprises a selection of division and branch heads from departmental business areas and four external members who provide a whole-of-government and community perspective. As an advisory committee, its role is to assist the department to ensure that the APS Values are embedded in the work of the department.

Over the past 12 months, the committee has taken an interest in a number of business initiatives that have been developed or implemented in the department. These include the progress of the program of training and development undertaken through the College of Immigration and the Learning and Development Branch; keeping the focus on ethical behaviour to sustain the momentum to generate cultural change; encouraging proactive responses by the department to the staff survey findings; the development of the DIAC Recruitment Policy; and the development of strategies to ensure continued high performance for compliance officers, including through improved recruitment practices.

Health and safety committees

In line with legislative requirements to consult with staff and their representatives on OHS issues, the department convenes health and safety committees in all national, state and territory offices each quarter.

Key OHS issues are referred to the National OHS Committee, which met four times during 2007–08.

Ethical Standards

The Immigration Dilemmas: Ethics, APS Values and Leadership (IDEAL) program is an initiative of the Values and Standards Committee and was developed by the Values and Standards Branch. Implemented across the department in November 2006, IDEAL is an agency-level initiative to encourage ethical decision making. Primarily, IDEAL presents hypothetical ethical dilemmas derived from real-life scenarios, and provides staff the opportunity to discuss them in a safe environment.

Further scenarios have been developed in response to results from the 2007 DIAC Staff Survey and formal independent evaluation of the tool. By regularly developing new scenarios, the department hopes to maintain staff engagement with IDEAL and assist all staff, especially managers, to model positive leadership behaviours. The department has also promoted IDEAL as part of training across the department, for example, as a component of the Overseas Training Course, Values and Conduct Training and induction training.

Values and conduct

The Values and Conduct Section (VCS) is responsible for the prevention, detection and investigation of allegations of fraud and criminal behaviour, and breaches of the APS Values and Code of Conduct by departmental employees. In 2007–08, the VCS received 220 allegations relating to the conduct of the department‘s employees.

The VCS is also responsible for the development and implementation of a number of policies related to the APS Values and Code of Conduct in accordance with the Public Service Act 1999 and related legislative framework, as well as the provision of advice and assistance to departmental employees.

The department delivered Values and Code of Conduct induction and refresher training to approximately 3186 employees during 2007–08. Training was also provided to employees participating in the Overseas Training, Airport Liaison Officer and Fundamentals of Supervision courses. Specifically tailored Values and Code of Conduct training was also provided to locally engaged employees at overseas posts.

Workplace relations arrangements

Collective Agreement 2007–2010

The department‘s Collective Agreement 2007–2010, made under section 328 of the Workplace Relations Act 1996, was lodged with the Office of the Employment Advocate on 28 March 2007 and nominally expires on 28 March 2010.

The collective agreement provides flexibility around hours of work and service delivery, and an improved performance management system to facilitate regular feedback, assessment and earlier intervention on underperformance. Consistent with APS remuneration policy, the collective agreement provides for salary increases (annualised at 4.3 per cent per annum) in return for productivity improvements.

Appendix 1 provides details of the department‘s classifications and salary rates. Table 99 outlines salary ranges for employees by APS classification.

Senior Executive Service remuneration

Senior Executive Service (SES) remuneration and conditions of employment are determined by the secretary in accordance with subsection 24(1) of the Public Service Act. All SES employees are required to have individual agreements, which typically provide for salary, superannuation, performance-based pay, access to a motor vehicle or equivalent cash out, and other applicable allowances.

Individual agreements

A breakdown of employees on individual agreements is shown in Table 100.

Tables 101, 102 and 103 provide a breakdown of employees by classification, the average payment and range of payment, and the aggregated amount of performance payments.

Table 99: Salary ranges for employees as at 30 June 2008

Classification1	Range of salaries2
APS Level 1	$21 269–$39 315
APS Level 2	$40 118–$44 626
APS Level 3	$40 118–$49 662
APS Level 4	$47 292–$60 370
APS Level 5	$53 500–$75 000
APS Level 6	$62 880–$75 000
EXEC Level 1	$78 574–$105 335
EXEC Level 23	$83 360–$205 000
SES Band 1	$125 000–$162 552
SES Band 2 / SES Band 3	$153 700–$214 000

1. Classifications such as Medical Officers, Public Affairs Officers and Legal Officers have been reported under the relevant APS Classification in accordance with the Public Service Classification Rules 2000.
2. Salary ranges reflect our Collective Agreement and employees on individual agreements.
3. The Executive Level 2 classification category also includes salaries for the relevant Medical Officer classification as per the Public Service Classification Rules 2000.

Table 100: Number of departmental staff on individual agreements as at 30 June 2008 (nominal)

Classification	On an AWA	On a subsection 24(1) agreement	Total
APS Level 3	37	1	38
APS Level 4	8	2	10
APS Level 5	24	4	28
APS Level 6	27	4	31
Exec Level 1	119	11	130
Exec Level 2	169	16	185
SES1	82	5	87
Total	466	43	509

1. Does not include the secretary.

Table 101: Employees by classification who received performance pay (nominal)

Classification	Number of employees who received performance pay1
APS Level 3	18
APS Level 4	13
APS Level 5	22
APS Level 6	26
Exec Level 1	63
Exec Level 2	144
SES Band 1	79
SES Band 2 / SES Band 3	19
Total	384

1. Numbers relate to employees who were paid performance bonuses for the appraisal period 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008.

Table 102: Aggregated amount of performance payments by classification level (nominal)

Classification	Aggregated amount of performance pay1
APS Level 3	$41 898
APS Level 4	$39 564
APS Level 5	$103 641
APS Level 6	$120 640
Exec Level 1	$464 929
Exec Level 2	$1 284 888
SES Band 1	$891 927
SES Band 2 / SES Band 3	$326 181
Total	$3 273 667

1. Payments relate to employees who were paid performance bonuses for the appraisal period 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008.

Table 103: Average bonus payment and range of payments by classification level (nominal)

Classification	Average payment	Range of payments
APS Level 3	$1 995	$369–$3 689
APS Level 4	$1 978	$868–$3 011
APS Level 5	$3 048	$369–$13 000
APS Level 6	$3 892	$1 250–$7 500
Exec Level 1	$7 380	$1 071–$14 850
Exec Level 2	$8 923	$930–$20 640
SES Band 1	$11 290	$3 565–$21 945
SES Band 2 / SES Band 3	$17 167	$6 205–$32 100

Other non-salary benefits

The range of benefits, other than base salary, provided to employees under the department‘s collective agreement and individual agreements include:

• community language allowance of up to $1580.60 per annum dependent on employee‘s qualifications, and where there is an identifiable and continuing operational need for the employee‘s language skills
• first aid officer allowance of up to $581.44 per annum to appointed first aid officers dependent on their current qualifications
• volunteer allowance of $293.54 per annum to employees with recognised responsibilities as a Health and Safety Representative, Harassment Contact Officer or Emergency Control Volunteer
• Departmental Liaison Officer allowance of $15 241.50 per annum to employees performing duties of a Departmental Liaison Officer
• leave flexibilities, such as purchased annual leave, half pay annual leave, ceremonial leave, family leave, sick and personal leave, defence reserve leave, emergency duty with state emergency services leave, jury leave and compassionate leave.

Rewards and recognition

Recognition of staff in the form of positive feedback and celebration of achievement is an important part of the department‘s culture and business practice. The department‘s Reward and Recognition Scheme provides a framework to recognise and reward employees for the achievement of corporate goals, providing both cash and non-cash rewards and recognition.

Individual and team achievements are also recognised through a number of internal and external awards. These awards include the secretary‘s citations, Australia Day awards, Award for Client Service Excellence (ACSE), and external awards such as the Order of Australia and the Public Service Medal. Australia Day awards within the department recognise outstanding achievements of officers in the improvement of the quality of departmental services, working environment and management. The monthly secretary‘s ACSE recognises a member of staff or a team for service excellence on the basis of positive client feedback.

Health and safety

Occupational Health and Safety

The department is committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for staff, contractors and visitors. This commitment is reflected in the new DIAC Occupational Health and Safety Agreement 2007–2009 which was endorsed by the secretary on 9 April 2007.

This agreement was developed inconsultation with staff and theirrepresentatives as required under section 16 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991 (the OHS Act).

Health and safety management arrangements

On 15 March 2007, amendments made to the OHS Act came into effect. These amendments require employers to develop, in consultation with their employees, health and safety management arrangements (HSMA) that will apply at their workplace.

Employers have been allowed an 18-month transitional period (from the date of effect of amendments) to develop and implement arrangements.

During 2007–08, consultation on the HSMA was conducted with all staff and stakeholders. It is expected that the HSMA will be operational by September 2008 in line with legislative requirements.

Injury Prevention and Management Plan

In line with its commitment to reducing work related injury and illness and promoting health and safety, the department has adopted a three-year planning cycle for strategically managing health and safety in the workplace. The Injury Prevention and Management Plan 2006–09 adopts OHS performance targets issued by the Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission and supported by all Australian governments, the Australian Council of Trade Unions and employer associations. The plan received executive endorsement in 2007 and work under the plan is continuing to achieve its broad range of targets.

Health, safety and wellbeing

To promote health, safety and wellbeing, the department provided employees and contractors with a range of services and activities including:

• a national influenza vaccination program with over 2000 staff vaccinated
• national DIAC health and safety awards held for the first time in October 2007
• rehabilitation services with the aim of reducing the human and financial costs of work related and non-work related injury and illness
• eyesight testing for screen-based activities
• Employee Assistance Program and counselling services
• ergonomic workstation assessments and ergonomic office furniture
• first aid kit refreshers and training.

Health and safety outcomes

The department experienced a decrease in lost time injuries and prescribed incapacity during 2007–08. Early intervention and rehabilitation strategies continue to be successful in reducing 30 day incapacities, thereby decreasing the total number of weeks lost.

Health and safety representatives

In accordance with section 24 of the OHS Act, designated work groups have been established or are in the process of being established where the department has expanded into new office locations. The health and safety representative selection process for designated work groups have been reviewed as part of the HSMA development process. The new arrangements will become effective when the HSMA is implemented.

OHS training

OHS training was provided as part of induction training for all staff in state and territory offices and National Office. Specialised OHS and rehabilitation training was also provided as a component of various role-based training in the department.

Section 29 (Provisional Improvement) Notices

There was one Provisional Improvement Notice issued under section 29 of the OHS Act pertaining to the department‘s Sydney office on Lee Street. Following consultations between management and the issuer, this notice was withdrawn by the issuer within the prescribed seven day period.

Section 45 (Workplace Not Be Disturbed) Directions

There was one direction issued under section 45 of the OHS Act pertaining to five immigration response vessels owned by the department. The ‘do not disturb’ direction was made in response to the ongoing Comcare investigation into the loss of the Malu Sara.

Section 46 (Prohibition) Notices

There were no Prohibition Notices issued under section 46 of the OHS Act.

Section 47 (Improvement) Notices

There were no Improvement Notices issued under section 47 of the OHS Act.

Section 68 (Notification and Reporting of Accidents and Dangerous) Occurrences

‘Notifiable fatality’ refers to any work related death of any employee, contractor or member of the public. The department had no notifiable fatalities in 2007–08.

A ‘dangerous occurrence’ is an incident with the potential to cause serious personal injury (requiring emergency medical treatment) or death. The department reported 98 dangerous occurrences to Comcare during 2007–08. It is the department‘s view that the decrease in reported dangerous occurrences can be attributed to improvements in the classification of incidents by the department prior to notification to Comcare. In previous years, a large number of incidents had been notified following incorrect classification:

• An ‘incapacity’ is an incident resulting in the inability to engage in work and/or an inability to work at the same level as undertaken immediately before the injury.
• ‘Lost time injuries’ represent the number of incidents resulting in one or more working days incapacity within each financial year.
• A ‘prescribed incapacity’ represents the number incidents resulting in 30 or more successive working days incapacity within each financial year.
• ‘Weeks lost’ represent the total number of weeks of incapacities within the financial year.

Mechanism of injury

The department, in consultation with Comcare, identifies actions, events and exposures that cause serious injury and disease. The mechanism of injury descriptors are based on the national type of occurrence classification system and assist with identifying injury trends and setting injury prevention performance targets.

Workers‘ compensation premiums

The primary ‘drivers’ of our compensation premium are claim frequency and time lost. Time lost is the biggest driver in costs in total. During 2007–08, the department‘s premium increased in terms of total dollar premium and as a percentage of payroll.

Table 104: Three-year summary of occurrences

	2005–06	2006–07	2007‘08
Notifiable fatalities	6	1	0
Dangerous occurrences	304	410	98

Table 105: Three-year summary of incapacity

	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08
Lost time injuries	109	123	55
Prescribed incapacity	28	23.35	44
Weeks lost1	1 577 (24.85)	1 592 (23.33)	1 589.34 (22.37)
Total number of staff	6 345	6 818	7 106

1. Weeks lost (total number of staff as at 30 June x 100).

Table 106: Three-year summary of mechanism of injury

Accepted claims	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08
Falls, trips and slips	36	33	17
Hitting objects	7	4	6
Being hit by moving objects	6	10	4
Sound and pressure	1	0	0
Body stressing	63	46	40
Heat, electricity and other environmental	1	0	0
Biological factors	0	0	0
Mental stress	5	8	2
Other or unspecified	26	21	0
Totals	145	122	69
Total number of staff	6 345	6 818	7 106

Table 107: Three-year summary of Comcare premiums

	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08
Premium	$4 728 063	$5 525 030	$8 468 976
Percentage of payroll	1.39%	1.93%	1.82%
APS-wide average percentage of payroll	1.77%	1.77%	1.55%

Commonwealth disability strategy

The department‘s new Workplace Diversity Plan 2008–2010 includes a strategy for the employment of people with disabilities. This strategy was developed in accordance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. The strategy demonstrates the department‘s commitment to the elimination of disability discrimination. In particular, the plan addresses ways in which the department can attract, recruit and retain people with disabilities.

The department ensures its workplace environment complies with OHS legislation and provides additional services beyond those requirements. Following are some of the specific initiatives for people with disabilities:

• all buildings are wheelchair accessible
• toilets for people with disabilities are available in every office
• shower facilities for people with disabilities are available in National Office
• adjustments to the workplace include custom-made height-adjustable workstations, ergonomic equipment and aids
• emergency procedures specifically address requirements of people with mobility impairments
• a register of technologies available to assist staff with disabilities or injuries is maintained (technologies currently in use include voice-activated software, Zoomtext vision assistance software, specialised phones for hearing-impaired people or for use with hearing aids and a variety of adapted keyboards)
• facilitating contact between staff members with intellectual and/or psychological disabilities and a workplace support person through appropriate agencies
• providing access to a rehabilitation case manager for any staff member who is experiencing health issues that impact on their ability to function at optimal capacity in the work environment—the case manager works with the staff member, managers and appropriate support agencies to help the officer‘s ongoing participation and contribution in the workforce
• features in the department‘s National Office building help sight and hearing-impaired people in elevators as well as facilities for hearing-impaired people in conference rooms, all of which have passed independent evaluation and certification
• option to work flexible hours.