Advertising and market research

In 2022–23, the department did not conduct any advertising campaigns or market research.

Child Safe Framework

The Department of the Senate is committed to promoting a culture that does not permit or tolerate child harm or abuse, and protects children by creating and maintaining behaviours and practices that are safe for children.

The majority of the department’s involvement with children is through the work of the Parliamentary Education Office, which provides education programs to school children at Parliament House, through outreach visits to schools and through video conference programs. From time to time, the department may also have contact with children through our work providing secretariat support to Parliamentary committees. For example, committee inquiries may involve interaction with children during hearings or site visits. The department may also interact with children through our support of special events, such as Parliament House open day.

We are compliant with the Commonwealth Child Safe Framework, and the department has in place a Policy on Child Safety detailing its commitment to child safety and what is required by departmental employees to support this commitment. In 2022, the department undertook a risk assessment which determined that the overall child safety risk rating for the department is ‘low’. Consistent with previous years, the assessment confirms the appropriateness of the department’s child safety measures, training and systems.

The department understands that managing child safety risks is an ongoing process and will continue to regularly analyse and review the measures we have in place to mitigate risks.

Disability reporting mechanism

Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031 (the Strategy) is the overarching framework for inclusive policies, programs and infrastructure that will support people with disability to participate in all areas of Australian life. The Strategy sets out where practical changes will be made to improve the lives of people with disability in Australia. It acts to ensure the principles underpinning the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities are incorporated into Australia’s policies and programs that affect people with disability, their families and carers. All levels of government have committed to deliver more comprehensive and visible reporting under the Strategy. A range of reports on progress of the Strategy’s actions and outcome areas will be published and available at www.disabilitygateway.gov.au/ads.

The department seeks to align its actions to improve accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities with this strategy including through work with other parliamentary departments through the Access and Inclusion Champions Group. Updates to the department’s HR management information system, described earlier in this report, will support more detailed measurement and reporting of diversity characteristics in future annual reports.

Freedom of information

While the Department of the Senate is not subject to the application of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), the department’s policy is to comply with the intent of the Act in relation to its administrative records to the extent practicable, having regard to the legal issues which may arise in the absence of the protections afforded by the Act. In this reporting period, the department received one request for information in relation to its administrative records which was complied with in full.

Ecologically sustainable development and environmental performance

The Department of the Senate is located within the Australian Parliament House, therefore all facilities and environmental management activities are undertaken by DPS. DPS reports on its environmental performance in accordance with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) in its annual report.

APS Net Zero Emissions 2030—Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory

The below table reports on emissions data relevant to the Department of the Senate. Further detail about Parliament House emissions can be found in the DPS annual report.