Recommendation 1

The committee recommends that the funding and administration of the Department of Parliamentary Services be overseen by the Senate Appropriations and Staffing Committee and the House Appropriations and Administration Committee meeting jointly for that purpose, and that standing orders be amended as necessary. (10.12)

The Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) supports an appropriate level of scrutiny and advocacy for its role within the parliamentary system. There are currently four main layers of Parliamentary accountability for DPS.

Most significantly the Presiding Officers have a direct line of accountability to them from the Secretary.

Not applicable for action by DPS

Implementation of this recommendation through the proposed amendment of standing orders is a matter for the Senate and House of Representatives to determine.

However, senior DPS officers to appear as requested before the Committee, the Joint House Committee as well as the Senate House Committee.

Whilst standing orders have not been amended senior DPS officers have attended meetings of the Senate Appropriations and Staffing Committee, in addition to our regular appearances before the House Appropriations and Administration Committee.

In addition, the Parliamentary Library is overseen by the Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library.

Recommendation 2

The committee recommends that the Department of Parliamentary Services implements appropriate training programs for managers in relation to bullying and harassment and ensures that adequate processes are in place so that all employees are confident in reporting bullying and harassment. (10.19)

DPS supports this recommendation.

In 2012 DPS focused on a corporate compliance training program to educate managers and staff on appropriate workplace behaviour through the following courses:

Bullying and Harassment;

Parliamentary Service Values & Code of Conduct;

Fraud and Ethics; and

Work Health and Safety Awareness.

Staff are required to attend these courses every two years. During 2011-12, there were 339 attendances recorded for these courses.

In November 2012, DPS also conducted a pilot course on the management of workplace behaviour which was compulsory for all Parliamentary Executive Level 2 Directors.

By July 2013 it is proposed that a suite of information and support tools for staff and managers that articulates roles and responsibilities will be available for all staff.

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Work Health and Safety Awareness training includes a component on respect, courtesy and the prevention of workplace bullying and harassment.

Training dates for the first half of 2015 are 18 February, 23 April and 21 May. Similarly, the WHS for DPS Supervisors course contains similar information, and training is scheduled for 14 April and 11 June.

Being Professional in the Parliamentary Service training also includes components on appropriate workplace behaviour and the prevention of workplace bullying and harassment. Training dates for the first half of 2015 are 17 February, 2 April, 22 April and 10 June. A total of 33 officers attended these three sessions with another 6 so far registered to attend the session being conducted on the 10 June.

Promoting Appropriate Behaviours @ DPS, and the Prevention of Workplace Bullying and Harassment publications are available on the DPS Staff Portal under ‘Respectful and Inclusive Workplace’.

Recommendation 3

The committee recommends that the Department of Parliamentary Services develop a bullying register to record information about bullying such as details of the incident, where it happened and what action that has been taken so that any trends can be quickly and easily identified. (10.20)

DPS supports this recommendation.

In July 2011, DPS established a Human Resource Register (Register) in which HR staff record workplace issues.

DPS currently uses the Register as both a reporting mechanism and as a preliminary stage of its case management process to help ensure that all workplace matters are recorded and actioned through to an appropriate conclusion for the complainant and respondent.

From March 2013 the DPS Executive will review regular reports on bullying and harassment complaints, disputes and pending workplace investigations.

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HR Services has established a register of reported complaints and resolutions which have been escalated to them for investigation.

All such complaints are investigated on receipt.

Recommendation 4

The committee recommends that if areas with systemic bullying issues are identified, that the Department of Parliamentary Services undertake a pre-emptive investigation of the area rather than wait until formal complaints are received. (10.21)

DPS supports this recommendation.

DPS recognises that it is vital to address inappropriate behaviour as soon as it is identified. In accordance with the 2011 Comcare Bullying Prevention Audit, all DPS section managers have conducted formal Bullying Risk Assessments to identify whether trends or hotspots exist.

In late 2012 DPS commenced a program to revamp and re-energise its Harassment Contact Officer (HCO) Network.

All HCOs are required to report to HR Services any contact with staff regarding inappropriate behaviour.

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Further to the above actions detailed above, DPS investigates all allegations. DPS is about to commence a refresh of awareness training.

Recommendation 5

The committee recommends that the Department of Parliamentary Services approach Comcare to undertake a further audit, including a survey of all staff, before the end of 2013 to measure improvements, if any, in the management of bullying and inappropriate workplace behavior in the Department of Parliamentary Services. (10.22)

DPS supports this recommendation.

DPS has commenced preliminary discussions with Comcare to conduct a supplementary audit (including survey) similar to the bullying and harassment audit undertaken in late 2011.

DPS anticipates that Comcare will conduct this audit and survey in late 2013. The survey will provide valuable feedback on the impact of strategies rolled out in 2012-13.

DPS is the only Commonwealth premium paying agency that has accreditation to JAS-ANZ standards. As a result, Comcare will use the DPS WHS Management System as a case study for distribution to the wider Commonwealth.

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Comcare revisited the Department in October 2013 to review progress against the original eleven recommendations from the 2011 Bullying Prevention Audit.

Comcare indicated it was pleased with progress and more importantly made no further recommendations or exercised any formal powers under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.

DPS continues to work closely with Comcare and remains accredited against the SafetyMAP Work Health and Safety Management System Audit Tool to Joint Accreditation Australia and New Zealand (JAS-ANZ) standards.

DPS participated in the 2014 APSC Census which includes questions on bullying and harassment. DPS will participate in the 2015 Census.

Recommendation 6

The committee recommends that the Department of Parliamentary Services ensure that all recruitment processes are open, transparent and based on merit. (10.26)

DPS supports this recommendation.

The Parliamentary Service Act 1999 and the Parliamentary Service Determination 2003/2 provide the legislative framework for staff selection and engagement in the Parliamentary Service.

To ensure that all recruitment processes are open, transparent and based on merit DPS will review its policies and guidelines in the first half of 2013. From early 2013, DPS will also introduce a formal process for all members of selection committees to declare perceived and actual conflicts of interest prior to short- listing applications.

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Governance Paper 4.28 – People Management Policy – Conflicts of Interest was updated in March 2013 requiring all members of a selection committee to declare conflicts of interest prior to the shortlisting of applications.

Governance Paper 4.6 – People Management Policy – Recruitment and Merit Selection was updated in September 2014 to provide greater detail around the merit principle (Clause 9.6 & 9.7), oversight of all recruitment activities (Clause 8.3) and for Recruitment to assess disclosed Conflicts of Interest.

Governance Papers 4.28 and 4.6 are currently under review due to the introduction of the eRecruit system in September 2014.

Recommendation 7

The committee recommends that the Department of Parliamentary Services ensures that all staff involved in the conduct of selection processes receive adequate training and that a review of recruitment processes and tools be undertaken to ensure that they are relevant and appropriate. (10.27)

DPS supports this recommendation.

A key component of the DPS corporate training agenda is Selection Advisory Committee (SAC) training. This training covers the application of the merit selection and the rigour required when making employment decisions.

DPS will also ensure that only trained staff can participate in a Selection Advisory Committee.

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To date, one on one training has been provided by Recruitment as required, due to the lack of participant registrations for the Selection Advisory Committee training available to staff through the DPS Corporate Training Calendar.

The course content is currently under review to align with the review of Governance Papers 4.28 and 4.6 and the introduction of the eRecruit system in September 2014.

Staff are encouraged to attend the ‘Getting that Selection Right’ one day APSC course.

Recommendation 8

The committee recommends that the Department of Parliamentary Services investigate the use of systems, including electronic recruitment, to better manage recruitment and ensure efficient processes. (10.28)

DPS supports this recommendation.

DPS notes the benefits of an electronic recruitment system and has commenced work on a comprehensive e-HR project to encompass electronic systems. It is expected this project will automate several HR manual processes to realise working efficiencies and assist staff in workflow processes and decision making.

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The e-recruitment system was implemented in July 2014 providing the Department transparency, accountability and a greater level of efficient and reporting capability.

Recommendation 9

The committee recommends that the Department of Parliamentary Services approaches the Merit Protection Commissioner to establish independent selection advisory committees for forthcoming recruitment processes. (10.29)

DPS supports this recommendation.

DPS has commenced discussions with the Merit Protection Commissioner (MPC) on possible assistance with forthcoming recruitment processes, and developing strategies to be used across the Department to promote merit-based principles.

The Department will continue to work with the MPC over the coming months with the aim of implementing this recommendation by 30 June 2013.

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Following discussions with the MPC, DPS has a practice of having an external member on all SES selection panels and non SES panels.

Recommendation 10

The committee recommends that the Department of Parliamentary Services review rates of personal leave in order to identify any underlying causes of the high levels of personal leave taken in the department. (10.32)

DPS supports this recommendation.

Personal leave is an important entitlement for staff. Unplanned personal leave is often needed, not only due to illness, but for caring and other responsibilities. Data does show however, that rates of unplanned leave are above average in DPS.

DPS recognises that failure to manage and address unplanned absence places other employees under unnecessary pressure.

DPS will establish an Absenteeism Review Group comprising staff, managers and union representatives to assess the nature of unplanned staff absences.

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DPS has worked actively with staff and union representatives across the organisation to better analyse the extent and causes of unplanned leave.

In August 2013 the Department established a Workplace Absenteeism Review Group which represented all areas of DPS. The group was established to operate until June 2014.

The group undertook research to determine underlying factors of unscheduled leave and developed questions used in the 2014 DPS Staff Census.

DPS has also established an Absenteeism Toolkit which is available on the intranet, to assist managers in managing unplanned leave within their teams.

With the implementation of SAP, accurate reporting on levels of unplanned absences will be available to managers from June 2015.

Recommendation 11

The committee recommends that the Department of Parliamentary Services undertake a work health and safety audit within Hansard services to identify any factors contributing to overuse injuries. (10.33)

DPS supports this recommendation.

DPS has a number of staff in Hansard who have had workplace restrictions for many years. In 2011, there were eight (8) long-term cases in Hansard. As a result, DPS undertook a much more coordinated and proactive approach to assisting staff with workplace injuries, primarily through engagement of an Occupational Physician.

In September 2012, it engaged SRC Solutions to undertake a risk assessment of the Hansard work environment.

Given the SRC Solutions report, ongoing concerns about WHS raised by Hansard staff and broader workplace development opportunities, DPS will conduct a full review of Hansard in 2013.

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A comprehensive work health and safety audit was undertaken in Hansard in October 2014. The report, which indicated a ‘low to medium’ risk, provided 45 recommendations which will be addressed through the development and implementation of an action plan in consultation with Hansard staff and Health and Safety Representatives.

The final audit report was received by the Department on 19 February 2014 and work has begun to address the recommendations such as trialling different chairs and stools. Further actions to address the above recommendations are being developed.

Recommendation 12

The committee recommends that the Presiding Officers arrange for the installation of a plaque within the Parliamentary Precincts, during the building's 25th anniversary, commemorating the contribution made by Mr Romaldo Giurgola, as well as all those who worked on the planning, design and construction of Parliament House. (10.41)

DPS supports this recommendation.

Arrangements are currently underway for a plaque to commemorate the contribution of the original architects and those who worked on the planning, design and construction of Parliament House. It is anticipated that the plaque will be placed in a prominent position within the Parliamentary Precincts during a special ceremony in mid-2013, the year of the 25th anniversary of the opening of Parliament House.

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As the original architects were satisfied with the level of recognition already present in the Marble Foyer it was decided not to proceed with this recommendation in its original form.

After consultation with Mr Giurgola, a certificate of appreciation was awarded to him as principal architect by the former Prime Minister, the Hon. Julia Gillard MP, at a 25th Anniversary event in

June 2013.

Recommendation 13

The committee recommends that the Presiding Officers table in both Houses, on a biennial basis, a report devoted specifically to the building and its contents including information on the condition of the building and its contents, costs of upkeep of the building, heritage concerns and any other related matter so as to fully inform the Parliament and the public about the building. (10.49)

DPS supports this recommendation.

DPS acknowledges the concerns of the Committee about the completeness, accuracy and transparency of information it provides, in addition to its overall capacity to effectively manage the building.

In its evidence to the Inquiry in October 2012, DPS committed to reviewing the current methodology through which the condition of the building is assessed

– the Building Condition Index (BCI) and the Engineering Services Condition Index (ESCI). This will be undertaken in 2013.

As recommended, DPS will report to the Parliament through the Presiding Officers on matters relating to the building and its contents, including the costs of upkeep and operations and associated heritage issues.

Action in train

The Conservative Management Plan project is on track for completion by mid-2015.

The Strategic Asset Management Plan was delivered 31 March 2015.

The Building Condition assessment (BCA) was delivered 2 March 2015.

The format and content of the report to Parliament is being developed with the Presiding Officers.

Recommendation 14

The committee recommends that the Department of Parliamentary Services undertake capability reviews in relation to design integrity, project management and technical areas including fire safety and engineering services. (10.53)

DPS supports this recommendation.

The Department will commission focused capability reviews in the areas of design integrity, project management and technical services, including fire safety and engineering, in the first half of 2013.

These reviews will identify the skills and qualifications of current staff and match those against identified corporate needs. This will be followed by a training and recruitment strategy to fill any internal gaps as well as inform DPS’ approach to contracted services in specialist asset management areas.

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The following actions have occurred:

• Design Integrity – A specialist Heritage management team was established in 2013, including qualified Heritage expertise.

• The Project Management Section restructure was completed July 2014 including the recruitment of a Director with Fire Engineer experience.

• Appropriate additional short team fire and engineering resources are engaged on an as needed basis.

Recommendation 15

The committee recommends that the Department of Parliamentary Services undertake an audit of fire safety in Parliament House and consider reviewing the standard of building documentation. (10.55)

DPS supports this recommendation.

Since July 2010, DPS has commissioned three investigations by specialist engineers into different aspects of fire safety systems including replacement of the fire indicator panels, fire sensors replacement, and fire penetrations audit and rectification. This has resulted in a program of works to upgrade and replace old and ageing infrastructure and systems, and expected changes to operational procedures. It is anticipated that all priority work will be completed by September 2014, with the remainder of the current program to be completed by June 2015.

In 2012, the current documentation/drawing management system, which was specifically developed for the Joint House Department, was reviewed for its ability to continue to provide an efficient service. The review identified a number of deficiencies, primarily due to interoperability with legacy systems and productivity improvements which are now available with newer software packages.

A scope for the technical documentation management system upgrade will be developed by June 2013, with the aim to commence the upgrade in the 2013-14 financial year.

Completion expected by June 2015

Priority work completed in September 2014. Further work will be completed between November 2014 and June 2015.

The approach to upgrading the system has been revised to draw upon the Building Information Modelling (BIM) capabilities, now and scope being developed as a component of the CMP work.

Recommendation 16

The committee recommends that the Department of Parliamentary Services provide more accurate, meaningful and transparent information, including information about costs and construction projects undertaken in Parliament House, in its annual report. (10.58)

DPS supports this recommendation.

A comprehensive review of the form and content of the Annual Report will be undertaken, including specific consideration of issues raised by the Committee.

A full review of the DPS Key Performance Indicators has also commenced. It is acknowledged that the number of performance measures reported in the Portfolio Budget Statements and Annual Report is too great and many existing indicators do not facilitate useful analysis.

Both reviews are related and will be conducted during the first quarter of 2013.

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A review of all aspects of the Department’s project management methodologies, including financial reporting and project governance was undertaken in the first half of 2013.

To support its goal of improving the report, DPS commissioned an independent consultant to review its annual reporting process, taking account of best practice approaches to annual report writing as well as the Committee’s feedback. This review was completed in August 2014.

This provided an additional layer of rigour which assisted with the production of the 2013–14 Annual Report.

These issues will be taken into account for the 2014-15 Annual Report.

Recommendation 17

The committee recommends that the Department of Parliamentary Services undertake a full audit of the Parliament House status A and B furniture with particular regard to condition, conservation measures, use of furniture, and past disposal practices. (10.63)

DPS supports this recommendation.

DPS owns and is responsible for all status A furniture. However, existing arrangements for category B furniture are complex.

DPS does not own or control a significant portion of the status B furniture. Broadly, DPS owns and looks after all status B furniture in general circulation areas and in the Ministerial Wing. The Chamber Departments own and are responsible for the status B furniture in their respective locations/departments.

DPS will work with the other Parliamentary Departments to undertake a full audit of the Parliament House status A and B furniture with particular regard to condition, conservation measures, use of furniture and past disposal practices. This audit will be completed by the end of 2013.

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DPS pro-actively commenced a full audit of Status A and B furniture in Parliament House, including assets owned by the chamber departments.

The audit was completed on 14 August 2014. Work was delayed following the 2013 federal election and commencement of the 44th Parliament, as DPS staff were not afforded ready access to items under the management of the chamber departments.

DPS will continue to explore options for a comprehensive tracking system of status A and B furniture.

Recommendation 18

The committee recommends that the Department of Parliamentary Services ensures that all staff involved in contract development and  management have relevant        skills and receive appropriate training where necessary. (10.66)

DPS supports this recommendation.

As stated in response to Recommendation 14, DPS will conduct a skills audit in the first half of 2013 to identify the capability of officers currently in contract management roles. Where gaps are identified, staff will be provided with appropriate training to improve their contract management skills, including training by the Department of Finance and Deregulation, and nationally recognised training at the Certificate IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma level as applicable.

DPS will also ensure that in its recruitment process for positions relating to contract development and management that applicants demonstrate their experience and qualifications in this area.

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DPS continues to provide training to staff in contract management roles. Training was conducted in February 2015; further training in April 2015 is fully subscribed.

A new procurement manual and templates have been developed and released to staff in mid-April to ensure correct and consistent handling of procurement.

A procurement team structure review by the CFO has been finalised and staff have been recruited.

Recommendation 19

The committee recommends that the Department of Parliamentary Services review the way in which it develops and manages contracts. (10.68)

DPS supports this recommendation.

DPS will undertake a review of its procurement and contract framework in 2013 to ensure it is contemporary, robust and meets Commonwealth requirements and identified best practice.

As part of the review, the Department will consider where its internal resources need to be complemented by external assistance, including legal assistance, contract negotiation expertise, and other subject matter experts.

Where appropriate, DPS will consult the Department of Finance and Deregulation and the Auditor-General and engage external providers to assist in the review, to be completed by the end of 2013.

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Please see recommendation 18.

Recommendation 20

The committee recommends that the Department of Parliamentary Services consider approaching the Auditor-General to undertake an audit by arrangement of DPS contract development and management. (10.69)

DPS will undertake the steps identified by the Committee and its response to Recommendations 19 and 20 to immediately improve its contract development and management capability.

While this work is underway, DPS will approach the Auditor-General to seek his views on the best way to undertake an evaluation of DPS contract development and management, including a potential timetable for the evaluation.

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The ANAO audit report was tabled in Parliament in February 2015.

The Department has addressed some of the report’s recommendations and is working to address the remainder.

Recommendation 21

The committee recommends that the Security Management Board review the criteria for the issue of photographic security passes for Parliament House. (10.72)

DPS supports this recommendation.

This issue was also canvassed in the independent review of the 23 August 2012 security breach, along with a recommended review of the criteria for issuing 'unaccompanied' paper passes. As Chair of the Security Management Board, the Secretary, DPS will seek its support in early 2013 for a broad-ranging review including examining all categories of passholders and passholder privileges, based on an assessment of the risk of unrestricted access, to ensure that the number and type of active passes reflects business requirements for access to private areas.

A short term response will include a revision of Operating Policy and Procedure No. 10.10 Parliament House Passes with particular reference to categories of passholders, vetting requirements, access privileges and duration of passes. Longer term implementation may include options for restricting access within the private areas of Parliament House using electronic access.

The initial policy revision is expected to be completed by mid-2013, with implementation at the commencement of the 44th Parliament.

Completion expected by 31 May 2015

DPS commissioned a review of the security pass policy and related procedures in 2013-14, which included reviewing the criteria for the issue of photographic passes. The Commonwealth Officer pass audit is complete.

A review of Contractor passes has commenced and responses were due by 17 April 2015.

Recommendation 22

The committee recommends that, as a matter of priority, arrangements should be completed for the transfer of responsibility for mobile and multifunction devices to the Department of Parliamentary Services. (10.74)

DPS supports this recommendation.

DPS and Department of Finance and Deregulation (Finance) are currently working on transferring the responsibility for multifunction and mobile devices such as Blackberries.

The Special Minister of State has asked Finance to (legislatively) change the entitlement to agnostic technology prior to the transfer to DPS. Once this is done and the Presiding Officers have accountability for the determination to approve purchases, the costs of those items and usage will become DPS’ accountability.

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DPS and the Department of Finance completed the transfer of responsibility for mobile and multifunction devices to DPS on 1 July 2013.

Recommendation 23

The committee recommends that the Commonwealth exempt the Department of Parliamentary Services from any future one-off, additional efficiency dividends. (10.77)

While this recommendation is for the Government to respond, DPS supports in-principle, the examination of alternative funding models such as those canvassed in the Report.

Furthermore, given the important visitor role undertaken by DPS on behalf of the Parliament that is comparable to that of Cultural Institutions exempt from the efficiency dividend, DPS also supports its exemption of from the efficiency dividend. It is noted that DPS does not have the flexibility that exists within large government agencies to absorb efficiency dividends.

Finally, given its core role to support Parliament, DPS should be treated in the same way to the Chamber Departments which have been made exempt from the additional efficiency dividend.

Not applicable for action by DPS

DPS notes that in the 2014-15 Budget it was allocated additional funding for:

departmental expenses, $15 million (PBS); Assessment and Strategic review of APH building,

$1.7million administered (PBS);

redundancies, 2.6 million departmental (PBS and PAES); and

APH Security Upgrades, 127.1 million departmental and administered (PAES).