Senate Economics Legislation Committee [Part 2], , 1:41:26 to 1:48:36
NOPSEMA representatives explain significant staffing increases driven by digital transformation projects, offshore renewable energy oversight, and specialized First Nations consultation requirements.
Topics: Public service staffing, Government IT systems
Speakers: Sue McCarrey, Senator Susan McDonald, Speaker 1, Unknown Speaker, Senator The Hon Tim Ayres, Interjection
>> Thank you. Uh I think that concludes our questions for the CSRO. Thank you very much for your time this evening.
>> Thank you.
>> Uh we will let you go now.
>> See,
>> we'll also say goodbye to Minister Z. Thank you very much. Uh we will take a short suspension while we arrange our next group of witnesses and representing Okie dokie. We're back. Uh the committee now welcomes the uh welcome Senator the Honorable Anthony Chisum, Assistant Minister for Resources, representing the Minister for Resources. And we also welcome representatives from the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority. I welcome Miss Sue McCary, Chief Executive Officer of Napsimma. Um, Miss McCary, we have your opening statement here. And in the interest of time, we're very happy to incorporate that into the records and go straight to questions if you're happy with that. >> Thank you very much. We'll go straight to Senator McDonald.
>> Thanks very much, Chair, and good evening, Liz Carry. Good to see you. Um, what accounts for the increase in NOPSA's staffing from 135 full-time employees in 2223 to 195 full-time employees in 202.
Sorry, Senator, can I just ask you to repeat uh sorry, Sue McCary, uh chief executive officer of uh NOPSA, could you please repeat the question just so I can pick up those figures again?
>> I'm asking for what accounts for the increase in NOPS staffing from 135 full-time employees in 2223 to 195 full-time employees in 2026.
>> Uh thank you, Senator. Um, look, there's probably a number of reasons for those uh increases. First of all, I think looking at those 22 and 23 figures at 135, there were a number of positions in the agency that were sitting vacant and had been sitting vacant for some time, but it was still within our ASL levels. Uh so a number of those positions were filled to ensure that we could actually undertake uh our role as we needed to and that included getting approvals uh and inspections done. There was also an increase and I'm trying to remember if that figure actually relates to offshore uh renewables which obviously caused an increase kept very separate within our budget uh but caused an increase and we also had an increase due to um as you're aware we had uh a number of court cases which impacted what we do and particularly it increased the requirements for both the industry to develop uh in relation to their consultation and the sort of information that was required to be presented to us as a regulator as a result of those court cases and it was quite a specialized area around uh first nations consultation in particular. So we actually employed a number of staff with expertise in that area so that we could actually undertake those assessments efficiently.
>> That lack of clarity on consultation requirements is ongoing I assume that
correct senator. So yeah, I think >> yeah, that sort of clarity not just for ourselves but obviously clarity for many of the First Nations groups that we actually go out and speak to. uh sorry a number of the First Nations groups we actually go out and speak to and even fisheries uh they need that clarity as well as does the uh industry. We have actually had some appropriations too through consolidated revenue for things like financial assurance uh and the work that we're doing to assist um the daer the department uh and the government in relation to reforms in the financial assurance area. So we also had an appropriation from government which actually caused uh a slight increase in staff as well. So there's there's probably a range of them but they're probably the main the main reasons.
>> Thank you. Can NOPMA provide a breakdown of its current workforce by division and primary responsibilities?
>> Uh yes I can Senator. Um I could go through so regulatory operations which is probably well it is our largest division because they do the major day-to-day work of inspections and approval documents. We have around 86 ASL sorry for sorry for 26 92 uh ASL for [clears throat] strategic regulation and improvement which has also our investigations. It has that consultation team that I just referred to and also has that look at data analytics and having more strategic and risk based approach to what we do. They have 27 ASL as of 26 uh 2026. Uh executive function including the board is three. Uh legal six strategic communications and engagement that also includes that policy engagement with uh government and the department but also our media and communications it's 10. Uh and our corporate and business transformation division is 36. And actually an element of that staffing increase is also due to we actually received around $40 million 40 uh $14 million. I think the project would like it if it was 40 million uh $14 million through appropriations for digital transformation program which is well underway now. Uh and that also caused a slight increase in staff and part of that is in that corporate and business transa transformation division of 36.
If I was more agile on my arithmetic, I'd add that list up. I I'll come back to you later in the night. Check that that adds to
>> Well, I've got it added up to 175 on my
>> 175. Okay. So,
>> but happy to clarify through uh on a question on notice. Uh >> Oh, ASL versus full-time equivalent possibly. Yes.
>> So, so 195 full-time and 175
>> 175 ASL.
>> ASL. Thank you for that clarification. Um, how many staff members are involved in the environmental assessments?