Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, , 1:00:02 to 1:05:55
The Secretary provides updates on average staffing levels (ASL), turnover rates, and the impact of new budget measures on personnel.
Topics: Public service staffing, Government spending
Speakers: Mr Jim Betts, Senator The Hon Sarah Henderson, Speaker 10, Unknown Speaker
Secretary, could you just run through the changes in your staffing in the department over the last 12 months, please? I'm also seeking information about any investigations for misconduct or terminations And there was also a decision made to increase ASL as a result of some of the gambling reforms. And I'm just keen to get an understanding about whether that's impacted your department as well.
Okay, so there's a lot in that question.
Yeah, yes.
Including staffing changes.
Staffing changes.
We have a turnover in our department, which is showed under 10%. So that would mean statistically about 200 changes in personnel in the department in a given year. So I'm trying to frame the question in a way which is, or my answer in a way which is useful to you. I obviously don't have a list of all the changes in the department which have occurred. Mr. Mackay has stepped into the Deputy Secretary role for communications, media and sport, and he's given evidence at previous Senate estimates, so you're familiar with his work. Yeah, I'm happy to be guided by you as to what you're most interested in, Senator.
Yes, I'm just looking for the net increase or decrease in overall staff, please.
Alright, no problem at all in terms of ASL for 2526. This is for the department as a whole. At the end of that year, our so-called exit average staffing level was 2,172. We had a series of terminating measures, and we had a series of newly funded programmes in the 2026 budget, which increased our overall staffing level, average staffing level to 2,002. That's an average staffing level, affordable ASL.
That's from 2172 to 2264.
Correct.
In the last financial year.
Moving from the exit ASL for 2526 into 2627.
Ruth will act in Chief Operating Officer. So the 226 for the Secretary mentioned, that's our estimate of affordable ASL for 2627.
That's what I said.
Apologies.
In terms of you also ask a question, I think around departures. So while there has been a small number of voluntary redundancies, it's nothing like on the scale that other departments have undertaken. And we have a small number of departures at senior executive level, some of them through retirement, which are broadly in line with the turnovers in previous years.
What about any any investigations for misconduct terminations of employment? Mr. Betts?
I'm not sure they could comment on investigations which are underway because they are underway, and we wouldn't want to prejudice the outcome of those investigations or compromise the procedural fairness of them. So I don't know whether you can clarify or target your question. I'm not aware of any terminations having been made on the back of inquiries. Oh, sorry, investigations for misconduct, but I would need to double check that. And obviously I would be very constrained in terms of my ability to comment on anything which was subject to a live investigation.
Well, no, I'm not asking for the individual. I'm just asking for how many live are there any investigations into at any given time there there may well be.
I mean there may be public interest disclosures which are subject to whistleblower protections and policies. I may not even be aware of those myself because those protections are pretty stringent. There may be code of conduct investigations which may be undertaken by the Australian Public Service Commission, and there may be anti-corruption investigations undertaken by the National Anti-Corruption Commission. Again, I can't be 100% confident that I would be aware of all of those things because those entities operate within the statutory framework set for them.
Alright, well look to the extent that you can.
So can you sorry, just repeat the question?