Chapter 4—Management and accountability
Human resources management
Successful short- and long-term management of human resources continued to be a major responsibility of the agency. Key results during the year included:
- negotiating and implementing the Old Parliament House Enterprise Agreement (the agency’s first enterprise agreement) in line with the government’s employment framework and agreement-making arrangements
- implementing a suite of policies and procedures to support terms and conditions of employment provided for in the enterprise agreement
- transitioning the payroll to accommodate the provisions of the agreement
- implementing human resources metrics reporting to assist the Executive Management Group to monitor and manage workforce planning, and to supply information for APS-wide reports such as the State of the Service Report
- offering access to the Cultural Management Development Program and the Advanced Workplace Skills Program as a development and networking opportunity across cultural institutions within the region
- accommodating the mandatory training requirements of the Performance Development Scheme and enterprise agreement productivity provisions
- implementing the Workplace Consultative Committee as required by the enterprise agreement, including the election of employee representatives; the committee met in February and May 2010
- testing an electronic time management system that will streamline administrative functions associated with payroll for a number of sections within the agency.
Staffing
At 30 June 2010, the agency’s staffing level was 94 employees (66 ongoing, 19 non-ongoing and nine casual), with a full-time equivalent structure of 76.82. These figures do not include the position of Director, whose remuneration is determined by the minister with advice from the Remuneration
The agency again used temporary transfers and non-ongoing contracts to meet its short-term staffing and skills needs. A structural reorganisation of the Interpretation and Programs Branch included the establishment of two sections—Visitor Experience, and Learning and Interpretation— specifically to facilitate the enhancement of the public experience at the museum. In addition, the former Facilities and Capital Projects sections in the Corporate and Heritage Branch were amalgamated.
Detailed staffing information is provided in Appendix E (page 143).
Terms and conditions
The agency negotiated and implemented the Old Parliament House Enterprise Agreement 2009–11. The agreement commenced on 6 November 2009 and will conclude on 30 June 2011 in line with the requirements of the Australian Government Employees Bargaining Framework. The commencement of the enterprise agreement displaced all conditions previously specified for employees from APS level 1 to Executive level 2 through a general
The enterprise agreement provided for a 2.75 per cent salary increase upon commencement of the agreement and a further 2.25 per cent increase on 1 July 2010 if all mandatory requirements of the performance management system and productivity efficiencies are met.
It also provided the following entitlements:
- flexible working arrangements, including access to flextime (APS levels 1–6) and time off in lieu (Executive levels), part-time work arrangements and job sharing
- year-end shutdown
- salary progression linked to the performance development scheme requirement of ‘meets or exceeds expectations’
- an additional two weeks paid maternity/ adoption leave
- increased financial study support
- implementation of the Workplace Consultative Committee to improve consultation between management and employees within the agency.
Two Senior Executive Service officers were employed under individual
No performance pay provisions were in place for agency employees.
Senior executive remuneration
Remuneration for the Director is determined by the minister, with advice from the Remuneration Tribunal, under the Public Service Act. In 2009–10, remuneration for the Senior Executive Service was determined in line with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet guidelines. The remuneration of both Senior Executive Service officers was negotiated between the individual officer and the Director. The conditions were prescribed
Details of salary ranges are in Appendix E (page 143).
Staff turnover
The agency had an annual staff turnover of 13.64 per cent, most of which was due to age retirement.
Of the eight ongoing staff who left the agency, four retired, two resigned to accept positions external to the APS and two transferred to other APS agencies.
Learning and development
The agency introduced the Learning and Development Framework and the Corporate Learning Plan, which underpin the Performance Development Scheme, and supported the mandatory training requirements of the scheme. All employees (other than casual employees not covered by the scheme) are
- risk and fraud management
- occupational health and safety
- the APS Values and Code of Conduct
- finance
- heritage awareness.
In 2009–10, an online induction program for employees new to the agency was developed and implemented. The program promoted the APS Values and Code of Conduct, and included overviews of all section managers in the two branches of the agency and their responsibilities. It also included mandatory policies and guidelines, building layout and emergency services, social inclusion and information on health initiatives and performance management within the agency.
A range of programs were offered to and attended by employees as part of the Corporate Learning Plan. These included:
- writing for the APS (36 participants)
- manual task training (25 participants)
- time management (17 participants)
- cultural awareness training (44 staff participants, along with 31 volunteers)
- occupational health and safety training (54 participants).
Career counselling was attended by 19 employees. The purpose of this was to offer career advice and strategies for progression within the APS. Study support for tertiary education was also provided to three employees.
One staff member completed the Cultural Management Development Program and one completed the Advanced Workplace Skills Program. These programs are aimed at developing management and leadership skills within cultural institutions.
A number of staff also undertook training in specialised areas relevant to their specific roles within the agency, including through attendance at the following conferences and seminars:
- ‘Gender, Politics and Biography’, a symposium jointly sponsored by the museum and the National Centre of Biography, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
- ‘Curriculum: a national conversation’, the Australian Curriculum Studies Association biennial conference
- ‘Women, Parliament and Image’, the fifth Women in Parliament conference
- ‘Artists Interpreting History’, a Museums Australia conference
- ‘It’s a Kids’ Thing: Curating, Designing and Programming for Children’, a seminar of Museums Australia (Victoria)
- conferences held by
- the Australia and New Zealand Communication Association
- the Australian Human Resources Institute
- the Australian Institute of Management Marketing Forum
- Dare to Lead
- the History Teachers’ Association of Victoria
- the National History Teachers’ Association of Australia
- the Oral History Association of Australia
- Social Education Victoria
- the (United States) National Association for Interpretation
- sessions of the Introduction to Government Procurement Seminar, the Career Directions Workshop, and Master Class: Online Community Engagement for the Public Sector.
As noted in the report on performance, agency staff also convened and delivered the Collection Management unit for cultural heritage students at the University of Canberra in the first semester of 2010.
Commonwealth Disability Strategy
The agency maintained and enhanced measures for disabled access in 2009–10, including by:
- improving lighting and handrails in visitor toilet areas in Kings Hall
- implementing the ACT Companion Card system, which allows free entry for the companion or carer of a person with a disability who requires assistance
- installation of a ‘hearing loop’ in the Members Dining Room area for the benefit of the hearing-impaired
- commencing the redevelopment of the front entrance to the building, with improved disabled access.
Table 10 (page 62) summarises the agency’s performance against the relevant requirements of the Commonwealth Disability Strategy.
| Performance indicator | Performance measure | Performance in 2009–10 | Goals and actions for 2010–11 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providers have established mechanisms for quality improvement and assurance. | Evidence of quality improvement and assurance systems in operation. | Planning and development of all relevant projects involved consideration of disability needs, requirements and standards, and the inclusion in the development of a large number of disability-specific measures. | Completion of redevelopment of front entrance, with improved disabled
access. Accommodating the needs of diverse audiences, identities and proficiencies through increased community learning activities. |
| Providers have an established service charter that specifies the roles
of the provider and consumer and service standards which address accessibility
for people with disabilities.
|
Established service charter that adequately reflects the needs of people with disabilities in operation. | The service charter was completed and operational. It was located on the agency’s website, accompanied by visitor feedback form, at moadoph.gov.au/about/. | Ongoing evaluation of charter’s effectiveness. |
| Complaints/grievance mechanisms, including access to external mechanisms,
in place to address any concerns raised about performance.
|
Established complaints/ grievance mechanisms, including access to external mechanisms, in operation. | Client feedback forms were operational, including provision for online
feedback at moadoph.gov.au/about/. Evaluation and incorporation of feedback was ongoing. |
Ongoing evaluation and incorporation of feedback. |