Chapter 3—Management and accountability
Human resources management
The success of Old Parliament House and the Museum of Australian Democracy is achieved through the efforts and commitment of its people. The agency values its staff and volunteers and recognises the importance of their personal and professional development.
Staff profile
At 30 June 2013, the agency employed 96 staff, including the Director and two Deputy Directors. Of these, 64 were female and 32 were male; and 68 were ongoing, 11 were non-ongoing and 17 were casual. The full-time equivalent number of employees for the year was 72.2 (excluding casuals), in line with the Portfolio Budget Statements. Ten new employees were engaged on an ongoing basis, representing 14.7 per cent of ongoing staff.
The voluntary turnover of staff equated to the departure of nine ongoing employees (13.3 per cent of ongoing staff). The turnover included four transfers and five resignations.
Detailed staffing information is provided in Appendix A.
Terms and conditions
The terms and conditions for all non-Senior Executive Service staff were governed by the agency’s Enterprise Agreement 2011–14, which is available at moadoph.gov.au/about/employment/.
The agreement commenced on 1 July 2011 and will expire on 30 June 2014. It complies with the Fair Work Act 2009, the Public Service Act, the National Employment Standards and the Australian Public Service Bargaining Framework.
No performance pay provisions were in place for employees. Details of salary ranges for all staff are provided in Appendix A.
Learning and career development
In 2012–13, the agency implemented a new learning and development (L&D) framework aligned with the priorities and outcomes of the Strategic Plan 2013–16, enduring commitments and individual performance agreements.
The principal objectives of the framework are to:
- maintain a coherent approach to L&D, with clearly defined responsibilities for implementing L&D and greater accountability for outcomes
- strengthen linkages between L&D activities and the agency’s business strategy and goals, and demonstrate the value of L&D to business needs.
An online L&D module was introduced to streamline the approval and record-keeping process for all L&D activities while maintaining records of employees’ attendance. This has proven to be a more efficient and accurate approach to collecting and analysing data for succession and workforce planning.
During the year, 95 per cent of staff attended the mandatory training sessions on security, heritage, finance and risk management. The agency provided a range of workshops for all staff on preventing workplace harassment and bullying and promoting the principles of respect.
Workforce planning and recruitment
The agency developed its first Workforce Plan in 2012–13. The plan covers the period 2012–16, and has the objective of shaping the structure and diversity of the workforce to ensure there is sufficient and sustainable capability and capacity to be responsive to organisational objectives now and in the future, and to cultivate operational and career sustainability.
In 2012–13, the agency maintained its standard of completing all recruitment and selection processes within a target time of six weeks, and implemented regular training for selection panel members.
Privacy
Following a review of privacy management procedures in 2011–12, a new Privacy Policy and Manual for staff were developed and introduced in 2012–13. The documents set out the appropriate arrangements for collecting, using and storing personal and sensitive information.
Reconciliation Action Plan
Old Parliament House has in place a Reconciliation Action Plan, developed in association with, and approved by, Reconciliation Australia. This document is intended to ensure that the organisation builds better organisational understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories.
The plan can be accessed at moadoph.gov.au/about/corporate-documents/.
During 2012–13:
- The working group which oversees the plan’s ongoing implementation met twice.
- The agency continued its longstanding commitment to, and practice of, consulting Indigenous groups on relevant issues, including program content and exhibition development.
- The agency commemorated National Reconciliation Week and invited staff from onsite tenants Reconciliation Australia and the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association to attend functions.
- Reconciliation Australia endorsed the agency’s Acknowledgement of Country guidelines, which were developed and distributed to staff.
- All employment vacancies were advertised through Indigenous Jobs Australia, and the information pack for potential job applicants specifically stated that the organisation ‘welcomes applications from the diverse Australian community, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people with disability, people of all ages and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds’.