|
IGIS Annual Report 1997-98 |
MANAGEMENT OF THE OFFICE
194. As a very small agency, my office relies on the assistance of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) for assistance in handling personnel and administrative matters and providing general support. This support is provided on the basis that we are a portfolio agency, we are physically collocated with PM&C, and there are insufficient economies to justify an alternative approach.
195. The other major provider of support is DSD, which has set up and maintains a secure computer network in my office. I am grateful for the continued support of DSD.
Staffing and Resources
196. The most significant change during the year was the departure of Mr Ron McLeod on 18 February 1998, and my appointment as Inspector-General, which took effect the following day.
197. In other staffing changes, Ms Jane Trevor returned to the office in August 1997, after an extended period of approved leave, precipitating the return of Ms Robyn Fenwick to PM&C after 12 months with OIGIS. I would like to thank Ms Fenwick for her assistance to my office.
198. The SES Band One position which became vacant in February 1997 was left, and remains, unfilled. Mr Neville Bryan has been acting at the Senior Officer Grade B level since October 1997, in recognition of the additional duties he now performs in the absence of an Assistant Inspector-General.
199. My staffing budget has remained static now for several years. I believe resources at this level are adequate to meet my responsibilities providing the workload demands on my office remain at a normal level.
Composition of the office
200. During 1997-98, positions in OIGIS were filled as follows:
Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security
Mr Ron McLeod AM (until 18 February 1998)
Mr Bill Blick PSM (from 19 February 1998)
Assistant Inspector-General (SES Band 1)
vacant
Principal Investigation Officer (Senior Officer Grade B)
Mr Neville Bryan (acting from 16 October 1997)
Senior Investigation Officers (Senior Officer Grade C)
Ms Robyn Fenwick (until 8 August 1997)
Ms Jane Trevor (from 11 August 1997)
Mr Neville Bryan (until 15 October 1997)
Personal Assistant to the Inspector-General (ASO 5)
Ms Sandy Thomas
Administrative Assistant/Office Manager (ASO 4)
Ms Robyn Kelly
Performance Pay
201. No staff members were allocated performance pay during the 1997-98 reporting period.
Workplace Agreements
202. The Workplace Relations Act 1996 established a framework in which agencies are required to directly negotiate agreements on pay and conditions matters with their staff, as opposed to previous systems of collective agreement making which had application across the Australian Public Service.
203. There are two means by which agreements can be entered into, namely Certified Agreements (CAs) which cover large groupings of employees doing similar work, and Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) which are effectively individual employment contracts.
204. Given the small size of my office, I decided that AWAs presented the best option for agreement making. This decision was supported by my staff.
205. At the conclusion of the reporting period, all members of staff had negotiated an AWA with me. These have now been lodged with the Employment Advocate for registration and endorsement.
206. Although the specifics of each AWA must be kept confidential for privacy reasons, I can report that in return for a modest salary increase and more flexible employment conditions, the office will adopt a number of offsetting efficiencies including a new, broadbanded classification structure, a structured performance appraisal/feedback scheme which will be linked to incremental progression, and more streamlined leave arrangements.
Industrial Democracy
207. The small size of the office lends itself to a 'collegiate' style approach to dealing with workplace issues. 'Whole of agency' meetings are held on a regular basis and all staff have direct access to me on a daily basis.
Social Justice: Access and Equity
208. The Inspector-General oversees the activities of Australia's intelligence community to ensure that each agency acts legally, with propriety, and with appropriate regard to human rights. Respect for these fundamental principles fosters an awareness and appreciation of social justice issues.
Workplace Diversity
209. All agencies are responsible for developing a workplace diversity plan and reporting progress on workplace diversity issues to the Public Service Commissioner. Given the small size of my office, there is little scope to develop agency-specific workplace diversity strategies which are meaningful and I propose adapting PM&C's workplace diversity plan to the needs of my office.
Occupational Health and Safety
210. The office is covered by the PM&C Occupational Health and Safety Plan. No incidents occurred during 1997-98 which needed to be reported.
Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Plan
211. The office developed its own Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Plan in May 1997 to ensure the continued operation of the office in the event of a catastrophic disaster. This plan is reviewed periodically to ensure its currency.
Communications Strategy
212. The office established a first, tentative, presence on the Internet during the reporting period. The address for this office is http://www.igis.gov.au. The site is presently under construction but will feature our information brochure Can the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security help you?, an archive of annual reports, and other items of public interest.
Year 2000 Compliance
213. As previously mentioned, the office operates a secure Local Area Network which is maintained by DSD. All computer equipment supplied to the office by DSD is Year 2000 compliant.
Fraud Control
214. The office has adopted the Fraud Control Plan of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Training and Development
215. During the year staff attended a number of courses or information sessions on financial management issues, accrual accounting, and using updated or new computer software.
216. I place considerable weight on making relevant training opportunities available to staff. I will therefore be encouraging staff to make greater use of these opportunities as they arise.
Internal and External Scrutiny
217. The office continues to meet all requirements for internal and external scrutiny of its finances and administration.
218. The office has again received an unqualified audit report from the Australian National Audit Office in relation to its financial statements.
219. During the year, both I and my predecessor represented the office at hearings of the Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee, which considered the Office's estimates.
Consultancy Services
220. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu provided assistance with the preparation of the financial statements in this report.
221. The office engaged one consultant in 1997-98 at a cost of $2000.
Advertising and Market Research
222. The office incurred no expenditure on general advertising during the reporting period.
223. No market research and no advertising campaigns were undertaken by the office during the reporting period.
Freedom of Information
224. This office is an exempt agency for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 1982.