Department of the Legislative Assembly, Northern Territory Government

Department of Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport – Output Groups

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WRITTEN QUESTIONS
11th Assembly


16/04/2010

144. Department of Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport – Output Groups

Mr Chandler to MINISTER for Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage; and
Minister for Parks and Wildlife


QUESTION
      In relation to your portfolio areas within the Department of Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport would you kindly respond to the following questions by output group in each department:


      HR Unit Questions:
        1. How many personnel are employed to perform Human Resources functions within the Department? At what position level are they employed?
          2. How many personnel are employed to perform or assist in the Payroll functions within the Department? At what position level are they employed?

          3. How many instances have occurred where the department has made errors in respect to payments to or allowances for members of the department? Can you please these instances?

          4. What interdepartmental charges are applied to managing the payroll? Is there a differential in cost for different position levels, if so what are these differences in cost?

          5. How are costs determined between departments in relation to payroll costs, including transfers and relocation of staff?

          6. What is the budget of the Human Resources functional area of the Department?

          7. What is the breakdown of the Human Resources budget to employee payments, travel, accommodation and training?

          8. Do the same staffs manage executive contracts as manage non-executive staff members? If not, how many in manage executive contracts and what are their position levels, and how many manage non-executive contract staff and what are their levels?

          9. How many complaints have been made in the Department in relation to workplace bullying and harassment?

          10. How much has been spent to date on advertising employee positions, and can you provide a breakdown of these costs?

          11. What is the attrition rate of staff in the human resources area of the department?

          12. What is the current state of employment in the Human resources department, that is, are all position filled, if not are there any positions with staff on higher duties, if so how many, at what level and for how long, and are their positions vacant, if so how many, at what level and for how long?

          Relocation Costs:
            13. In 2009, how much has been spent on relocation cost for commencement of employment and either completion or termination of employment (removalists, airfares, accommodation and allowances) in the Department.

            14. Please provide a breakdown per business unit.

            15. How much is budgeted for relocation and other appointment and termination expenses in 2009/10.

            Marketing:
              16. How much was spent by the Department in 2009 on advertising and marketing programs (and up to 1 April 2010).

              17. What was each of those programs and what was the cost of each of those programs?

              Worker Turnover:
                18. As of 1 April 2010, what is the current staffing of the department, by level?

                19. How many of these positions were substantively filled and how many were filled by persons acting in positions or are temporary appointments?

                20. What was the rate of turnover of staff in the department in 2009?

                21. What is the rate per level?

                22. How many vacant positions are there in the Department as a whole?

                23. How long, in total days, have permanent positions been vacant in the department?

                24. In relation to all vacant positions, what is the breakdown of recruitment actions by:
                  (a) selection process commenced; and

                  (b) selection process (including position advertising) not commenced.
                  25. How many staff are currently employed on a temporary contract?

                  26. In the period 1 January 2008 to 1 April 2010, how many positions have been advertised by “expression of interest”?

                  27. In the period 1 January 2008 to 1 April 2010, how many temporary contracts have been extended, broken down by the number of times extended?

                  28. How many times has the department sought permission from the Commissioner to extend a contract beyond a third extension?

                  29. If permission has been sought, what recruitment action has taken place?

                  30. Per position level, what is the average length of time taken for recruitment from advertising to successful applicant?

                  31. What is the number of positions that have been filled by the recruitment of an existing public servant, and how many from the general public?

                  32. In 2009, how many positions have been reclassified in the department? What are the level of those positions?

                  33. How many permanent unattached employees do you have in your agency? What levels are they?

                  34. How much has been spent on training and skilling unattached employees? What was the training provided?

                  35. How many unattached employees have successfully gained nominal positions within the agency or gained employment in another agency in 2009.

                  36. How many have resigned?

                  37. What is the average cost of recruiting staff to the department?

                  38. How much is allocated on average, to each staff member for training and improvement?

                  39. What is the average length of stay of staff in the department? Please break this down by position level.

                  Leave Liabilities:
                    40. What is the policy of the department of carry over recreation leave, in particular, how many weeks are allowed to be carried over between years?

                    41. As of 1 April 2010, how many staff have more than this amount carried over, and what is the cost of this leave being held?

                    42. In relation to NTPS staff as of 1 April 2010:

                      (a) what is the total amount of accrued leave in the department, broken down by long service leave and recreation leave. What is the financial value of that leave;

                      (b) what is the highest individual amount of accrued leave at each position level;

                      (c) what is the current total of sick leave entitlement of employees in the department; and

                      (d) how many days sick leave were taken in 2009?
                    43. In relation to Contract (ECO1 and above) staff as of 1 April 2010:

                      (a) what is the total amount of accrued leave in the department, broken down by long service leave and recreation leave? What is the financial value of that leave;

                      (b) what is the highest individual amount of accrued leave at each employee level;

                      (c) what is the current total of sick leave entitlement of employees in the department; and

                      (d) how many days sick leave were taken in 2009, at each employee level?
                    44. How many people received workers compensation 2009, at what position level and geographic location and how long for each person?

                    45. As at today, how many workers are currently on workers compensation? At what level and is there an expected return date?

                    46. In 2009 how many workers are or were on sick leave or extended leave (excluding recreation leave), longer than 3 weeks, at what level, and for what reason? Are there any still on extended leave?

                    47. Do you have any personnel under the old Commonwealth superannuation scheme and if so, what is the liability? What are the optimal retirement ages for such staff based on superannuation benefit definitions, what are ages of those people, and what are their position levels in the public service? If there are nurses, teachers or police in the CSS, how many are there, at what level and what are their ages?

                    48. Do they still have nt public servants who were employed in the 80’s and eligible for return flight to Adelaide every 2 years? How many and at what level?

                    Entry Level Recruitment:
                      49. In relation to Apprentices and Graduates, in 2009:

                        (a) how many graduates started with the department;

                        (b) how many have completed the year;

                        (c) how many how won nominal positions;

                        (d) how many have left the NTG, and what was the time each stayed within the NTG before leaving; and

                        (e) how much sick leave has been taken on average by graduates and apprentices?
                      50. In relation to Indigenous Employees, in 2009:

                        (a) how many employees do you have in your department that recognise themselves as indigenous;

                        (b) what are the levels of their positions held;

                        (c) how many at each level;

                        (d) how many are tenured and at what level;

                        (e) how many are temporary and at what levels;

                        (f) how many are acting up in positions and at what level;

                        (g) how many have completed the year;

                        (h) how many have left the NTG; and

                        (i) how much sick leave was taken, on average?

                      Allowances:
                        51. In regard to employee entitlements, for 2009:

                          (a) In addition to salary how much was paid in employee allowances;

                          (b) what are these allowances, to what level do they apply and what is the annual estimated cost; and

                          (c) do allowances these attract the 9% Superannuation Guarantee Levy, and if so, which allowances?

                        NTPS Code of Conduct:
                          52. How many credit cards have been issued to department staff?

                          53. How many repayment transactions (and the value) for personal items and services are outstanding?

                          54. How many reports of the improper use of Information Technology have been made?

                          55. How many reports resulted in formal disciplinary action?

                          Insurance:
                            56. How much was spent on insurance expenses in 2009, further broken down by worker and employee insurances, physical plant and equipment insurances and other insurances?

                            57. What areas of the department are self-insured? What areas are commercially insured? If there are areas that are commercially insured, who provides this insurance, when is it due for renewal and what is the cost of this insurance provision and does it attract any thresholds under which insurance is not provided or any payments on item replacement?
                              Climate Change:
                                58. How many tonnes of CO2 did the department emit in 2009?

                                59. How many tonnes of CO2 did the department emit in 2008?

                                60. What programs and strategies were introduced to reduce CO2 emissions across the department in 2009?

                                61. Has a target for departmental CO2 emissions been set for the coming financial year –
                                  (a) If yes, what % reduction is that from 2009; and

                                  (b) If no, why has a target not been set.
                                Vehicles:
                                  62. How much was spent on vehicles by the Department in 2009?

                                  63. How many vehicles does the Department have responsibility for?

                                  64. What is the change, if any, in these vehicle numbers from 2008?

                                  65. What proportion of those vehicles meet the emission standard of 5.5 out of 10 under the Commonwealth Government’s Green Vehicle Guide?

                                  66. How many vehicles are home garaged?

                                  67. What is the policy in relation to home garaging vehicles?

                                  68. What position levels have vehicles attached or are allowed to home garage?
                                    Travel and Accommodation:
                                      69. How much was spent on travel in 2009, broken down by intrastate, interstate and international fares, accommodation and other expenses?

                                      Utilities:
                                        70. What was the cost of power and water to the department in 2009?

                                        71. What is the projected cost for power and water to the department in 2010?
                                          Public Events:
                                            72. List the public events/conferences/forums that were sponsored by the department from 1 January 2009 to 1 April 2010 and what are projected for 2010/11?

                                            73. What is the level of sponsorship provided in terms of financial support or in kind support?
                                              Advertising:
                                                75. What is the department’s budget for advertising for the 09/10 reporting year?

                                                75. How much is year to date expenditure? Please breakdown into newspaper, radio and TV?

                                                76. What advertising campaigns have been undertaken or will be undertaken by the department in 2009/10?

                                                77. In 2009 how many consultancies were let in the year, at what cost, how many were NT firms and how many interstate and what was the value of those intra-territory and those interstate?
                                              ______________________________________________________________

                                            ANSWER


                                            Answered on 16/06/2010
                                            Last updated: 04 Aug 2016