Management of Human Resources

Australia Day Achievement Medallion

In January 2018, Michelle Jeffrey was presented with an Australia Day Achievement Medallion for her outstanding contribution to the work of the NCA during the previous 12 months.

Learning and Development

The NCA is committed to each employee’s development and recognises the importance of encouraging and supporting learning and development opportunities that are aligned to NCA priorities and the needs of the employee.

The NCA identifies mandatory and priority in-house corporate and individual training activities annually as part of the performance management framework. Employees and supervisors undertake individual development opportunities throughout the year to develop immediate and future skills necessary for the NCA to deliver its organisational outcomes.

Where possible the NCA uses the expertise and skills of its own employees to meet specific training needs.

The NCA also provided study leave, financial support or both to employees to pursue training opportunities that were directly relevant to their current responsibilities or to their long-term career development.

Staffing Summary and Profile

The NCA had an average staffing level (ASL) allocation of 57 for the 2017-18 year. As at 30 June 2018, the NCA’s ASL was 57.34. The NCA’s headcount at 30 June 2018 was 70 employees; 69 employees engaged under the Public Service Act 1999 and 1 Chief Executive. The Chief Executive is appointed under the Australian Capital Territory (Planning and Land Management) Act 1988. All employees are located in Canberra. All staffing and profile tables within this report are based on headcount.

Table 1: Total employee numbers at 30 June 2018 and 30 June 2017

	June 2018	June 2017
Ongoing	47	48
Non-ongoing	23	20
Total	70	68

Note: These figures include the Chief Executive as a non-ongoing employee. These figures do not include employees on long-term leave where the period is greater than 1 month.

Tables 2 and 3 provide a report on the number of employees in the NCA as at 30 June 2018 and 30 June 2017 respectively by classification, employment category and gender.

Table 2: Ongoing and non-ongoing employees at 30 June 2018

Classification	Men		Women		Total
	Ongoing	Non-ongoing	Ongoing	Non-ongoing
Chief Executive
Full-time	0	0	0	1	1
Part-time	0	0	0	0	0
SES Band 1
Full-time	2	0	0	0	2
Part-time	0	0	0	0	0
EL 2
Full-time	1	0	4	1	6
Part-time	0	0	0	0	1
EL 1
Full-time	7	1	5	0	13
Part-time	0	1	1	0	2
APS 6
Full-time	4	1	3	1	9
Part-time	0	0	0	0	0
APS 5
Full-time	2	0	3	1	6
Part-time	1	0	2	0	3
APS 4
Full-time	0	0	5	1	6
Part-time	0	0	1	0	1
APS 3
Full-time	0	0	5	1	1
Part-time/Casual	0	0	1	0	8
APS 1-2
Full-time	1	0	0	0	1
Part-time/Casual	0	3	1	6	10
Total	18	7	29	16	70

Key: SES – Senior Executive Service; EL – Executive Level; APS – Australian Public Service.
Note: These figures do not include employees on long-term leave where the period is greater than 1 month.

Table 3: Ongoing and non-ongoing employees at 30 June 2017

Classification	Men		Women		Total
	Ongoing	Non-ongoing	Ongoing	Non-ongoing
Chief Executive
Full-time	0	1	0	0	1
Part-time	0	0	0	0	0
SES Band 1
Full-time	2	0	0	0	2
Part-time	0	0	0	0	0
EL 2
Full-time	3	0	6	0	9
Part-time	0	0	0	0	0
EL 1
Full-time	8	1	4	0	13
Part-time	0	2	0	0	2
APS 6
Full-time	3	2	6	1	12
Part-time	0	0	0	0	0
APS 5
Full-time	2	0	3	1	6
Part-time	0	0	1	0	1
APS 4
Full-time	0	0	3	1	4
Part-time	0	0	0	1	1
APS 3
Full-time	1	0	1	0	2
Part-time/Casual	0	2	2	2	5
APS 1-2
Full-time	1	0	0	0	1
Part-time/Casual	0	2	2	5	9
Total	20	9	28	11	68

Key: SES – Senior Executive Service; EL – Executive Level; APS – Australian Public Service.
Note: These figures do not include employees on long-term leave where the period is greater than 1 month.

Staff Retention and Turnover

During the 2017–18 financial year, 27 employees (9 ongoing and 18 non-ongoing) commenced employment with the NCA, and 26 employees (16 ongoing and 10 non-ongoing) separated from employment with the NCA.

Table 4: Employee Commencement and Separation in the 2017–18 financial year

Classification	Men	Women	Total
Chief Executive
Commencements	0	1	1
Separations	1	0	1
SES
Commencements	0	0	0
Separations	0	0	0
EL 1 - 2
Commencements	3	3	6
Separations	5	4	9
APS 1 – 6
Commencements	7	13	20
Separations	6	10	16

Key: SES – Senior Executive Service; EL – Executive Level; APS – Australian Public Service.
Note: These figures do not include employees on long-term leave where the period is greater than 1 month.

Workplace Diversity

The NCA continues to reflect a diverse workforce.

Table 5: At 30 June 2018, NCA staff from diverse backgrounds

Equal Employment Opportunity Group	Number	% Total Staff
Women	45	64.3%
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent	4	5.7%
People with a disability	5	7.1%
Culturally and linguistically diverse background	11	15.7%

Note: These figures include the Chief Executive, but do not include employees on long-term leave where the period is greater than 1 month.

The NCA’s Workplace Diversity Plan provides a framework to support its goals and principles of
equity and diversity in the workplace. Its key objectives are to:

• promote awareness of workplace diversity within the NCA
• develop and maintain a highly skilled, diverse and effective workforce, where all employees are valued, encouraged and provided with opportunities to develop their potential
• develop a supportive workplace culture that
  allows staff members to balance their work and personal life
• provide a discrimination and harassment-free workplace
• embrace workplace diversity principles in recruitment and selection processes.

Enterprise Agreements and Remuneration

A new NCA Enterprise Agreement (the Enterprise Agreement) was approved by Fair Work Australia on 6 March 2018 and commenced operating from 13 March 2018. The Enterprise Agreement provides a number of leave provisions aimed at providing a more flexible and family-friendly environment for employees. These include:

• entitlement to 24 months part-time work on return to work from maternity leave, adoption leave or foster carer’s leave
• provisions for returning to former duties or other duties the employee is qualified to undertake on return to work from maternity leave, adoption leave or foster carer’s leave
• access to 16 weeks paid leave for maternity leave, adoption leave or foster carer’s leave
• access to paid parental leave at half pay
• specification of the types of leave that fall within the broad category of discretionary leave rather than deductions from personal leave
• simplification of accrual rates for personal leave for ongoing and non-ongoing employees
• three days’ paid compassionate leave on each occasion.

In addition to the Enterprise Agreement, the NCA employs other employment arrangements, such as section 24 Determinations (S24 Dets) and Individual Flexibility Agreements (IFAs) to provide for more flexible remuneration and employment conditions that meet the NCA’s operational needs and suit individual employees.

Table 6 provides a summary of NCA employees covered by Section 24 Determinations and the Enterprise Agreement. As at 30 June 2018, the Chief Executive’s remuneration was determined in accordance with the Remuneration Tribunal Determination 2018/02 – Remuneration and Allowances for Holders of Full-Time Public Office.

Table 6: Employment Arrangements at 30 June 2018

Classification	Enterprise Agreement	Enterprise Agreement and S24 Det/IFA	S24 Det
SES Band 1	0	0	2
EL 1 – 2	20	2	0
APS 1 – 6	45	0	0
Total	65	2	2

Key: SES – Senior Executive Service; EL – Executive Level; APS – Australian Public Service.
Note: These figures do not include personnel on long-term leave where the period is greater than 1 month.

The salary ranges for the NCA’s classification levels covering the Enterprise Agreement and Section 24 Determinations are set out in Table 7.

Table 7: Salary ranges as at 30 June 2018

Classification	Minimum	Maximum
SES Band 1	$185,000	$194,000
EL 2	$112,805	$144,889
EL 1	$95,569	$122,558
APS 6	$75,785	$90,556
APS 5	$68,450	$80,909
APS 4	$61,400	$67,351
APS 3	$54,778	$59,993
APS 2	$48,163	$53,542
APS 1	$41,419	$45,778

Key: SES – Senior Executive Service; EL – Executive Level; APS – Australian Public Service.
Note: The table does not include the Chief Executive’s remuneration.

Performance Management

The NCA’s Performance Management and Appraisal Scheme (PMAS) links individual performance agreements to specific activities in Branch Business Plans. Branch Business Plans underpin the NCA’s Corporate Plan which sets out business outcomes and performance expectations.

Access to pay point advancement under the Enterprise Agreement is conditional upon the employee performing to a fully effective standard.

Personnel Services and Salary Processing

Payroll processing and related services are provided by an authorised payroll provider, Aurion Pty Ltd.

Work Health and Safety

The NCA is committed to providing a safe working environment, minimising any potential work health and safety (WHS) risks, and to facilitating work-life balance for employees.

During 2017-18, the NCA made significant progress in a major redevelopment and upgrade of our WHS arrangements across the NCA’s operations. The program of work in implementing the ‘CapSafe’ framework involves a comprehensive review, upgrade of our policy and procedural documentation and a number of active WHS measures for staff, contractors and volunteers. The program of work is expected to be completed and implemented during 2018-19.

In May 2018, the NCA provided free influenza vaccinations for employees and volunteers. NCA employees and their family members continue to be provided with access to Employee Assistance Program, a service that provides free, confidential counselling and guidance.

First aid officers are located throughout NCA premises to ensure assistance is available when needed.

There were no notifications to Comcare of an injury or dangerous incident during 2017-18.

Disability Reporting

The National Disability Strategy 2010-20 sets
out a ten-year national policy framework to improve the lives of people with a disability, promote participation and create a more inclusive society. Every two years, the Department of Social Services releases a high-level report tracking progress against each of the six outcome areas of the strategy and present a picture of how people with a disability are faring. The reports will be made available and can be viewed at www.dss.gov.au.

Asset Management

One of the NCA’s functions under the PALM Act is to manage National Land within its area of responsibility. Asset management is a key aspect in meeting the NCA’s commitment to maintaining high-quality public facilities across the National Capital Estate.

The Australian Government has a direct interest in developing and maintaining the National Capital as an asset in which all Australians have a major investment.

These assets include:

• the Parliamentary Zone and the National Triangle (excluding the Parliamentary Precinct and immediate curtilages around national institutions)
• Anzac Parade, including its memorials
• Commonwealth, Kings and Constitution Avenues
• the Lake, including Scrivener Dam
• Commonwealth and Kings Parks, including Aspen Island and the National Carillon
• Dunrossil Drive, Yarralumla
• Acton Peninsula
• Yarramundi Grasslands
• Stirling Ridge, Yarralumla
• Diplomatic Estates in Yarralumla, Deakin and O’Malley.

Associated assets include the Captain Cook Memorial Jet, fountains, national monuments, public artworks, large areas of landscape and infrastructure including paths, lighting, signage, open space areas, and civil infrastructure such as roads, bridges and street lighting.

The NCA’s Asset Management Framework, Asset Management Strategy, Capital Works Management Plan, Asset Register and Management Procedures assist the NCA in effectively managing its assets.

The maintenance and upgrade of NCA assets is also guided by our statutory obligations under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, the PALM Act and National Land Ordinance 1989. The management of conservation areas and heritage-listed assets are guided by conservation management plans and heritage management plans.

The NCA has a statutory obligation set out under Section 341ZA of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), to prepare Heritage Management Plans for places it own or manages that have Commonwealth Heritage Values. The NCA has a five-year program to prepare heritage assessments and Heritage Management Plans to protect and manage the Commonwealth Heritage places it owns or controls.

The NCA is responsible for 19 listed, 5 nominated and 2 indicative places on the Commonwealth Heritage List, and 1 nominated and 2 listed places on the National Heritage List. The NCA’s Heritage Strategy provides it with a strategic planning tool, setting out the approach to managing the heritage values of its property. The NCA has Heritage Management Plans for 17 of the listed places.

From time to time the NCA also collaborates in, or facilitates, works on its land instigated by third parties such as governments, institutions or a range of organisations. Such works are often commemorative in nature or are associated with institutional or public infrastructure.