Senate Economics Legislation Committee [Part 2], , 1:03:21 to 1:09:33
Discussion regarding safety and governance concerns raised by the former Chief Risk and Assurance Officer and the management of a conflict of interest within the waste management division.
Topics: Integrity, National security
Speakers: Senator Fatima Payman, Shaun Jenkinson, Unknown Speaker, Senator The Hon Tim Ayres
>> Thank you. Um, prior to Alpanza's direction being issued, um, Ansto's chief risk and assurance officer, Amanda Wear, uh, separated from employment with ANSTO. Is it the case that the former chief risk and assurance officer raised safety and governance risk concerns through multiple internal executive level channels prior to leaving?
>> Part of Amanda's role was to raise items that were for concern around risk. that was absolutely part of our role and she did that across a number of uh events and activities and they all became part of plans and arrangements to address those issues.
>> Is it the case that the former chief risk and assurance officer has raised the same safety and governance risk concerns directly in writing with minister?
>> I'm advised that we've received some correspondence subject to a public interest disclosure. Um so sort of we manage that particular kind of way.
[clears throat] is that something that you can share with the committee? Well,
I'll take that on notice. Senator,
>> thank you. How has ANSTO explained the chief risk and assurance officer safety and governance risk concerns to the
>> So, we've provided u feedback on a number of occasions both the department and the minister on um all activities at ANSTO and that would have covered anything raised by all members of staff including the chief risk and assurance
To what extent is there a discrepancy between the former chief risk and assurance officer's assessment of existing safety and governance risks and Anstone's explanation of the same matters? Is there a discrepancy? And if so, how do you explain it?
>> I think that all matters raised during the time of the individual's employment were raised uh both to the executive to the risk and audit committee and to the board. And we're aware of all of those matters and and many of them are resolved. Many of them are part of resolution plans and they're all being
>> Uh as chief risk and assurance officer, Miss W had sat on the executive team reporting directly to yourself. Correct. Um CEO Shaun Jenkinson. I understand the chief risk and assurance officer role was eliminated following Miss Wear's departure. Is it true that the executive level risk role has been in a caretaker situation for 18 months?
>> Can you just repeat the question please the chief?
>> So after Miss We's departure that role of chief risk and assurance officer was eliminated and that role has been in a caretaker situation for the last 18 months. I want to know if that's still
the case. So we had um a restructure of the organization. As a result of that we aggregated a number of roles to reduce the size of the executive. So um the chief risk and assurance role no longer existed. That's correct. We now have a executive role which is chief of risk assurance and governance and compliance and that role is filled.
>> When was that filled? Do we have a date?
>> The individual started about a month ago.
>> About a month ago. Um so from the time that Miss Wear had departed until a month ago that position was vacant.
>> We had someone acting in that role and another executive acting in that role during that period and also we have a head of risk role which was also filled.
>> Thank you. Um, has a formal conflict of interest been disclosed between the chief nuclear officer and the general manager waste management? did anyone raise concerns verbally with yourself as CEO related to this conflict
of interest? So when any conflict of interest is raised, people discuss it and we have in place a conflict of interest management plan and it's something that is discussed within the organization to ensure that um at any point during activities at ANSTO that that conflict doesn't cause any issues and individuals may absent them from decision-m and meetings if required.
>> And so is it the case that the ANSTO general council raised concerns related to the specific conflict of interest? I
can't remember if the general counsel has specifically but a number of people raised the importance and need to have a good management plan in place and ensure that it was appropriately documented.
which executive would be responsible in making a determination about whether there is a real or perceived conflict of
interest? Well, I think I would expect all executives to take uh a role in identifying real or perceived conflicts of interest. I would expect all employees with the or in the organization to raise those issues if they were concerned about them as well. So, everyone within the organization would have an expectation of raising
those. So was a determination made one way or the other in this case
>> as to whether or not there is a conflict whether there is a conflict of interest that is declared and would exist if we required the chief nuclear officer to make decisions relating to the activities of their partner in waste and so therefore we don't allow that to happen. We have someone else stands in for those decisions.
>> So there is no conflict of interest.
there exists a conflict of interest but it's managed to ensure that it doesn't impact the organization.
>> Um are there any known conflicts of interest declared or undeclared perceived or real between these two individuals and any board members
>> and board members? >> Um not that I'm aware.