National Library of Australia
Annual Report 2001-2002
 Public Accountability
Information Technology Issues
Contents
Director General's Review
Corporate Overview
Report on Operations
Financial Statements
Appendices
Resources
  
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Corporate Overview

Corporate Management Issues

People management

Workforce planning

During the year the Library established a Workforce Planning Committee, comprising senior representatives from all divisions, to oversee future workforce planning initiatives. The following initiatives were commenced:

  • development of a new performance management framework
  • participation in a graduate recruitment program
  • participation in staff development programs in association with other Commonwealth agencies, and
  • revised recruitment strategies

Industrial democracy: Certified and Workplace Agreements

The Library's Consultative Committee met five times during the year. The Consultative Committee is a forum for consultation and discussion between management, staff and unions.

The Library completed preliminary negotiations with relevant employee associations under section 170LJ of the Workplace Relations Act 1996 for a new Certified Agreement for 2002-04. The Agreement will make a significant contribution to:

  • increasing organisational efficiency and effectiveness
  • improving services to customers
  • enhancing the quality of the working lives of employees, and
  • achieving the objectives and key priorities set out in the Library's strategic directions statement 

Proposed productivity improvements relate to:

  • a new performance management framework with strengthened links between individual performance and remuneration
  • better use of office and public space, and
  • implementation of cost efficiencies and operational improvements arising from an internal benchmarking review

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Remuneration including non-salary benefits

In accordance with the Principle Executive Office arrangements, the National Library Council determines the Director-General's remuneration.

At 30 June, all eight Senior Executive Service (SES) and 44 of the non-SES staff were covered by Australian Workplace Agreements, and the remaining 445 staff were covered by the 2000-02 Certified Agreement.

The remuneration for SES and non-SES staff covered by an Australian Workplace Agreement is determined by the Director-General after consultation between the employee and the respective Division Head. The salary ranges for classifications below the SES level are set out below.

Classification
Salary range
No. of employees
APS1
00$9303 - $27 204
06
APS2
$30 787 - $34 141
95
APS3
$35 067 - $40 461
71
APS4
$39 083 - $44 500
55
APS5
$43 592 - $47 055
83
APS6
$47 082 - $58 000
84
Exec. Level 1
$60 216 - $73 000
61
Exec. Level 2
$69 401 - $88 846
34

Staff also have access to a range of non-salary benefits, including flexible working hours, uncapped personal leave for caring purposes, and additional recreation leave for staff required to work Tuesday to Saturday. In addition, SES staff have an entitlement to a vehicle and mobile phone.

Fraud risk assessment and fraud control plan

The Library has a current Fraud Risk Assessment and Fraud Control Plan. These were prepared by the internal audit contractor and endorsed by the Audit Committee in December. The Library also has in place appropriate fraud prevention, detection, investigation, reporting and data collection procedures and processes which, together with the Fraud Risk Assessment and Fraud Control Plan, meet the specific needs of the Library and comply with the Commonwealth Fraud Control Guidelines.

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Establishment and maintenance of appropriate ethical standards

A new program of fraud awareness training was conducted this year. The program was based on the Library's Fraud Management Policy, the Australian Public Service Code of Conduct, the Australian Public Service Values, and the Library's Fraud Control Plan. Arrangements have been made for fraud awareness training to be continued, with specialised courses being developed where required.

Disability Action Plan

The Library continued its commitment to achieving improved access to its building and services by people with disabilities as set out in its Disability Action Plan, which assists the Library in meeting its obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act (Commonwealth) 1992. The plan aims to ensure that people with a disability are not unfairly disadvantaged as clients of the Library, or in any aspect of the Library's employment or working environment.

In particular, the Library:

  • responded to customer requests to improve the ways it meets the needs of people with disabilities
  • participated in the Roundtable on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities
  • convened a Forum on Library Services for People with Disabilities, to develop a national agenda to improve access to library services
  • held training sessions for staff, run by the ACT Deafness Resource Centre, to raise awareness of the needs of people with disabilities
  • released a Web access policy and principles document, which outlines the Library's commitment to provide access to visually impaired users
  • ensured the Library's web site allows visually impaired people to use special software to access the Library's online resources
  • reviewed the Certified Agreement, Staff Selection Guidelines and Staff Training Program to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (Commonwealth) 1992.

The Library's Disability Action Plan 2002-04 is currently under review, and a revised document will be released during the first quarter of 2002-03.

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Workplace diversity program

At 30 June, 70 per cent of Library staff were female and at least 20 per cent were from a culturally and linguistically diverse background. The Library contracted seven Indigenous staff for the Bringing Them Home Project.

Occupational Health and Safety

The Occupational Health and Safety Committee met four times and discussed a range of issues relating to health and safety principles and practices. Training in Occupational Health and Safety was provided to over 100 employees, and individual workplace assessments were provided for 115 employees by occupational therapists. The Library also completed an organisation-wide Occupational Health and Safety hazard identification and risk assessment. 

Asset management

Asset Management Committee

In recognition of the need to achieve ongoing improvement in the planning and management of assets, the Library established an Asset Management Committee with the role of monitoring progress against the Asset Management Strategic Plan 2002-05 and the annual Asset Acquisition and Asset Disposal Plans.

Collection asset

The Library's Collection, valued at $1.520 billion, is the major asset on which many of the Library's services are based. The high-value items within the Collection are valued individually, and the remainder of the collections are valued using sampling techniques. The Library revalues the Collection every three years.

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Land and buildings

The Library's land and buildings are valued at $133.22m. The major components of these assets are managed through the Long-Term Strategic Management Plan for the Building Asset. The Plan provides a full condition appraisal and life-cycle cost analysis of the total building asset and includes a 15-year forward maintenance program. This Plan is reviewed and updated every three years.

Plant and equipment

The remaining material assets are controlled using an Asset Register. Total value of plant, equipment and intangible assets is $14.06m. The Library has adopted an integrated life-cycle management policy for these assets.

Energy consumption and environment protection

The Library continued its efforts in energy consumption and environment protection, and in keeping with Government policy is currently implementing an Environmental Management System.

Competitive tendering and contracting

The Library continued its program of utilising outsourcing options in cases where this is demonstrated to be cost-beneficial. No changes to the functions outsourced occurred during the year. 

Purchasing policies

The Library re-examined its procurement policies and practices in light of the release in February of the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines, and has subsequently updated and expanded its Procurement Guidelines. A series of workshops and briefing sessions has been conducted on use of the revised Procurement Guidelines.

All new contracts for outsourced functions provide the opportunity for the Auditor-General to have access to the contractor's premises.

There were no contracts recorded as exempt from the Purchasing and Disposal Gazette.

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Discretionary grants

The Library operates two discretionary grant programs:

The Library, in cooperation with the Commonwealth Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, and the National Archives of Australia, offers Community Heritage Grants to assist Australian community organisations to preserve significant documentary heritage collections.

The Library awards a limited number of fellowships to enable established scholars and writers to work for periods of three to six months on material in the Library's collections.

Cooperation on corporate management issues within the Communications, Information Technology and the Arts portfolio

The Library continued to chair the Corporate Management Forum, comprising senior executives with corporate management responsibilities from 10 agencies within the Communications, Information Technology and Arts portfolio, and two other agencies. The forum considers common issues in the areas of personnel management, financial management, infrastructure management, corporate planning, information technology and public programs with a view to achieving economies-of-scale and best practice.

Some key outcomes of the Forum include:

  • consideration of options for the provision of shared services
  • continuation of joint management training programs, and
  • a joint approach to fraud control policy and fraud awareness training

 Public Accountability
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Information Technology Issues


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