To:
The Hon Rob Lucas, MLC
Treasurer
This annual report will be presented to Parliament to meet the statutory reporting requirements of the Public Sector Act 2009, the Public Sector Regulations 2010 and the Public Finance and Audit Act 1987 and the requirements of Premier and Cabinet Circular PC013 Annual Reporting.
This report is verified to be accurate for the purposes of annual reporting to the Parliament of South Australia.
Submitted on behalf of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment by:
Erma Ranieri
Chief Executive
I am pleased to present the first annual report of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment (OCPSE).
OCPSE was established by proclamation as an attached office to the Department of Treasury and Finance on 1 July 2018. The Premier appointed me as Chief Executive in addition to my role as the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment (the Commissioner).
Our office works to unlock the potential of the South Australian Public Sector so it is an employer of choice that delivers the best outcomes for our community.
We do this by strengthening the capability of the public sector workforce to meet current and future needs, promoting a culture of service and integrity across the public sector and, importantly, supporting the statutory responsibilities of the Commissioner under the Public Sector Act 2009.
During the year, OCPSE led critical sector-wide initiatives to help build positive workplace cultures with the Code of Ethics and the South Australian Public Sector Values as our foundation.
In September 2018, we invited public sector employees to tell us their workplace experiences through the I WORK FOR SA – Your Voice Survey. The participation in this inaugural and voluntary survey was very encouraging, with more than 24,000 responses (or 22 per cent of the workforce).
The survey gives us important insights into our sector’s strengths and the areas for improvement. It allows OCPSE to assess the effectiveness of programs in supporting productive and strong workplaces across the sector. I encourage you to read about what employees told us, and how the public sector will respond at: www.publicsector.sa.gov.au/survey
Our South Australian Leadership Academy continued to support high performing and future public sector leaders. Demand for the Academy’s core programs – Executive Excellence, The Next Execs and Aboriginal Frontline Leadership – is high, with all intakes fully subscribed.
We also led across-government action on priority workforce matters, including:
- Initiatives to support Aboriginal South Australians to gain employment in the public sector and achieve their professional goals, including a new program that will support 100 Aboriginal trainees over two years
- A partnership with the Department for Innovation and Skills to set up a new traineeship program under the Government’s Skilling South Australia initiative that will create 2,685 public sector traineeships over four years.
Our transformation of human resources management in the public sector reached a major milestone, when the Human Resources Systems vendor panel was established in April 2019. Through the panel, agencies will have greater choice when procuring modern human resource management systems that have been pre-qualified to comply with minimum government standards. This means agencies can also achieve better pricing by leveraging the purchasing power of the public sector.
During the financial year, the office also led the public sector’s efforts to build innovation into everyday business. The OCPSE’s South Australian Public Sector Innovation Lab worked with government agencies, the private sector and non-for-profit organisations to solve complex problems and apply innovation to the delivery of government services.
OCPSE supported me, as the Commissioner, in fulfilling my statutory functions. This included issuing employment Determinations and Guidelines, advising agencies on employment matters, and undertaking reviews and investigations into public sector employment matters. This is in addition to my annual responsibility to deliver the State of the Sector report and the sector’s Workforce Information Report.
This year, the office commenced the consolidation of Commissioner’s Determinations and Guidelines, as part of a broader review of public sector governance documents. The project will continue into the next financial year, and will result in a simplified, streamlined and contemporary human resources policy approach.
All these projects rely on the support and collaboration of public sector agencies. I would like to acknowledge my chief executive colleagues on the Senior Management Council and the public sector for partnering with me and the OCPSE to lead and implement this reform. I would also like to thank my skilled staff at OCPSE for their leadership, support and contribution.
Over the coming year, I look forward to harnessing the ideas and energy of the public sector to continue to create public sector workplaces that deliver for the diverse community we serve.
Erma Ranieri
Chief Executive
Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment
Overview: about the agency.
- Our strategic focus.
- Our organisational structure.
- Changes to the agency.
- Our Minister.
- Our Executive team.
- Legislation administered by the agency.
OCPSE’s performance.
- Agency contribution to whole of Government objectives.
- Agency specific objectives and performance.
- Corporate performance summary.
- Employer of choice.
- Agency performance management and development systems.
- Work health, safety and return to work programs.
- Executive employment in the agency.
Financial performance.
- Financial performance at a glance.
- Consultants disclosure.
- Contractors’ disclosure.
Risk management.
- Risk and audit at a glance.
- Fraud detected in the agency.
- Strategies implemented to control and prevent fraud.
- Whistle-blowers disclosure.
Reporting required under any other act or regulation.
Public complaints.
- Number of public complaints reported (as required by the Ombudsman)
Appendix: Audited financial statements 2018-19.
Our strategic focus
Our Purpose | We unlock the potential of public sector employees to be a high performing workforce that delivers the best outcomes for the South Australian community |
Our Vision | We will achieve our purpose by engaging and partnering with our customers and stakeholders and by aligning our decision-making and behaviours to the Public Sector Values. Our strategies are aligned to the whole-of-sector vision to be One Government, One Employer and support our sector to be an Employer of Choice |
Our Values | Service |
Our functions, objectives | Our functions are to optimise the public sector workforce and to lead transformation, innovation and reform across the sector. |
Our organisational structure
*current as at 30 June 2019
Changes to the agency
During 2018-19 there were the following changes to the agency’s structure and objectives as a result of internal reviews or machinery of government changes.
- The Self Insurance Management System (SIMS) team transferred from the Department of Premier and Cabinet to OCPSE in March 2019. This team is responsible for managing the contract for SIMS, which is an across-government database to assist with the recording, management and reporting of public sector workers compensation claims.
Our Minister
The Treasurer, the Hon Rob Lucas MLC, is our Minister.
Our Executive Team
Erma RanieriChief Executive | As Chief Executive, Erma provides strategic leadership for the office and is accountable for its organisational performance. She leads the OCPSE to help unlock the sector’s potential in key areas including: statutory advice, reform, human resources, culture, performance, leadership development, work, health and safety and, employment programs. |
Anthony MackayExecutive Director HR | As well as managing OCPSE’s corporate and financial matters, Anthony leads the work programs for: business intelligence, human resources management systems, trainee and graduate recruitment and development, work health safety and injury management, workforce transition and salary sacrifice. |
Naomi SzetuDirector | Naomi is responsible for building and mobilising innovation within the public sector to make government more efficient and effective for South Australians. |
Craig StevensExecutive Director Public Sector Reform | In this role, Craig led sector-wide projects relating to public sector reform and sector capability. (Left OCPSE during the reporting period) |
Natalie MorrisDirector Governance | Natalie led the OCPSE’s governance and advice functions including supporting the Commissioner with whole-of-sector human resources functions and statutory obligations. (Left OCPSE during the reporting period) |
Legislation Administered
Acts committed to the Treasurer:
- Public Sector Act 2009
- Public Sector (Honesty and Accountability) Act 1995
Agency contribution to whole of Government objectives
Key objective | Agency’s contribution |
Lower costs | Created the potential for agencies to achieve significant reductions in their cost of procuring Human Resources Systems by eliminating duplication of procurement tasks and the provision of tools and templates |
Better services | Transformed sector-wide leadership development and capability through the South Australian Leadership Academy to deliver better services to South Australians. |
Agency specific objectives and performance
Agency objectives | Indicators | Performance |
| Statutory and Governance: | Publish 2018 State of the Sector | 2018 State of the Sector published within statutory timeframe (published November 2018) |
| Successful execution of the statutory powers of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment, including advancing the objects and principles of the Public Sector Act 2009, and support and advise on critical governance matters | Ensure merit based recruitment of public service chief executives and some statutory office holders | Coordinated or participated in seven recruitments and led the contract renewal of three chief executives |
| Publish information on chief executive remuneration | Published chief executive remuneration packages on OCPSE website (published October 2018) | |
| Manage ministerial staffing matters | Completed 84 ministerial staff matters since 3 March 2019 (including new or renewed contracts, contract variations etc) | |
| Review Commissioner’s determinations and guidelines | Review commenced, with updated determinations and guidelines to be released in 2019-20 | |
| Support Remuneration Tribunal of South Australia | Provided secretariat support to enable the Tribunal to perform its role and function in accordance with legislation |
| Effective workforce: | Chair Machinery of Government Taskforce | Led or supported agencies to complete two Machinery of Government changes |
| Drive delivery of cross-sector frameworks and initiatives to support an efficient and effective public sector workforce | Coordinate South Australian Government Traineeship and Graduate program | Developed and implemented new Skilling South Australia public sector traineeship program, with 2017-18 across-government target for traineeship commencements met |
| Increase Aboriginal employment | New Aboriginal Traineeship Program commenced, with 37 participants | |
| 700+ Aboriginal job seekers registered on Public Sector Aboriginal Employment Register | ||
| Provide tools and other support to enable agencies to increase their employment of people with disability | Signed partnership agreement with JobAccess Australia in November 2018 to promote and support recruitment of people with a disability | |
| Support for agencies to achieve work health safety and injury management excellence and maximise effective return to work | Developed the Mentally Health Workplaces Framework for rollout in 2019-20 | |
| Over 3,000 public sector employees have completed Mental Health First Aid training | ||
| Evaluated agency compliance with Work Health and Safety requirements | ||
| Provide centralised case management service for Department of Human Services (DHS) staff impacted by the disability and aged care reforms | Assisted 244 DHS employees to obtain placements across the public sector | |
| Enhance the public sector’s position as an Employer of Choice | Managed the South Australian Government’s Salary Sacrifice Arrangements Agreement with Maxxia, delivering $122.1M during the year in benefits to employees |
| Innovation, engagement and business intelligence: | Continue implementation of the Public Sector Innovation Lab | Commenced trial of Customer Experience Journey methodology for use within the public sector |
| Completed 23 projects since September 2017 | ||
| Enable a productive public sector through innovation, collaboration, partnerships and improved business intelligence | Report workforce information | Published 2018 Workforce Information Report in December 2018 |
| Published new workforce dashboards on OCPSE website | ||
| Deliver I WORK FOR SA – Your Voice employee survey across the public sector | Rolled out survey to all public sector employees, with responses from 24,000+ employees (22% response rate) | |
| Lead public sector action planning based on I WORK FOR SA: Your Voice employee survey results | Developed across-government Action Plan (released in July 2019) | |
| Developed governance framework and implementation plans for initiatives in the Action Plan |
| Human Resource Reform:Collaborate with public sector agencies to ensure the sector has the frameworks, systems and human capital to support an efficient and effective government | Procure Human Capital Management vendor panel (including Recruitment, Performance Management, Talent Management, Learning & Development, Work Health & Safety and Injury Management) | Established panel in April 2019, with agencies required to procure modern human resource management systems that have been pre-qualified to comply with minimum SA Government standards |
| Performance and Leadership: | Support improved employee participation in performance management and development | Delivered workshops to 274 executives and managers |
| Collaborate with public sector leaders and agencies to drive improved public sector performance management and leadership development | Launched two online education modules (employees and managers) to raise awareness and understanding of effective performance management and development | |
| Support effective induction and performance management and development of chief executives (only those directly employed by the Premier) | Coordinated chief executive performance appraisal process | |
| Provided induction for new chief executives | ||
| Deliver strategic whole-of-government leadership development programs | Commenced new intakes for flagship Leadership Academy programs | |
| Developed new core management program for 500 managers, to be launched in 2019-20 | ||
| Held | ||
| * three Executive Induction programs * Ethical Leadership Forum, Transforming Performance forum and Influence Imperative seminars * ten Modern Manager workshops * two Executive Masterclasses | ||
| Coordinated intakes for: * Jawun program * Public Sector Management Program |
Corporate Performance Summary
Employer of choice
OCPSE actively ensures our workplace is inclusive and reflects the diversity of the South Australian community.
During the reporting period:
- 72 per cent of OCPSE workforce were women
- 50 per cent of OCPSE executives were women
- 26 per cent of OCPSE employees work part-time
- 6.9 per cent of OCPSE employees were Aboriginal
- 2.8 per cent of OCPSE employees declared a disability.
Agency performance management and development systems
| Performance management and development system | Performance |
| Online Performance Plans | 94% of OCPSE employees had finalised performance plans. |
| Performance plans are facilitated and documented through the OurDevelopment learning management system. The formal Performance Discussion process is biannual, and focusses on engaging with our people, and building relationships. |
Work health, safety and return to work programs
| Program name | Performance |
|---|---|
| Mental Health First Aid Training | Two employees completed the training during the reporting period. |
| Office Ergonomics | As part of the planning process for the office move to the State Administration Centre, all staff participated in the assessment and procurement selection of ergonomic seating. |
| Wellbeing for Our People Program | OCSPE staff attended the Department of Treasury and Finance Wellbeing for our People Program launch and participated in influenza vaccinations, body scans, promotion of Men’s Health Week and the Hutt Street Winter Collection. |
| Workplace injury claims | Current year 2018-19 | Past year 2017-18 | % Change (+ / -) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total new workplace injury claims | 0 | – | 0% |
| Fatalities | 0 | – | 0% |
| Seriously injured workers* | 0 | – | 0% |
| Significant injuries (where lost time exceeds a working week, expressed as frequency rate per 1000 FTE) | 0 | – | 0% |
| *number of claimants assessed during the reporting period as having a whole person impairment of 30% or more under the Return to Work Act 2014 (Part 2 Division 5) |
| Work health and safety regulations | Current year 2018-19 | Past year 2017-18 | % Change (+ / -) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of notifiable incidents (Work Health and Safety Act 2012, Part 3) | 0 | – | 0% |
| Number of provisional improvement, improvement and prohibition notices (Work Health and Safety Act 2012 Sections 90, 191 and 195) | 0 | – | 0% |
| Return to work costs** | Current year 2018-19 | Past year 2017-18 | % Change (+ / -) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total gross workers compensation expenditure ($) | 0 | – | 0% |
| Income support payments – gross ($) | 0 | – | 0% |
| **before third party recovery |
There is no data for previous years as OCPSE was created on 1 July 2018.
Executive employment in the agency
| Executive classification | Number of executives |
| SAES2 | 2 |
| SAES1 | 2 |
There is no data for previous years as OCPSE was created on 1 July 2018.
The Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment has a workforce information page that provides further information on the breakdown of executive gender, salary and tenure by agency.
Financial performance at a glance
The following is a brief summary of the overall financial position of the agency. The information is unaudited. Full audited financial statements for 2018-19 are attached to this report.
| Statement of Comprehensive Income | 2018-19 Budget $000s | 2018-19 Actual $000s | Variation $000s |
| Expenses | 19 297 | 13 128 | 6 169 |
| Revenues | 8 298 | 9 065 | 767 |
| Net cost of providing services | 10 999 | 4 063 | 6 936 |
| Net Revenue from SA Government | 8 648 | 8 648 | 0 |
| Net result | -2 351 | 4 585 | 6 936 |
| Total Comprehensive Result | -2 351 | 4 585 | 6 936 |
| Statement of Financial Position | 2018-19 Actual $000s |
|---|---|
| Current assets | 8 381 |
| Non-current assets | 1 |
| Total assets | 8 382 |
| Current liabilities | 2 785 |
| Non-current liabilities | 1 882 |
| Total liabilities | 4 667 |
| Net Assets | 3 715 |
| Equity | 3 715 |
Consultants Disclosure
The following is a summary of external consultants that have been engaged by the agency, the nature of work undertaken, and the actual payments made for the work undertaken during the financial year.
Consultancies with a contract value below $10,000 each
| Consultancies | Purpose | $ Actual payment |
|---|---|---|
| All consultancies below $10,000 each – combined | Various | $15,600 |
Consultancies with a contract value above $10,000 each
| Consultancies | Purpose | $ Actual payment |
|---|---|---|
| Pricewaterhouse Coopers | Advice regarding SA Government Salary Sacrifice Agreement | $12,151 |
| Bonros Pty Ltd | Development of a Disability Employment Strategy | $17,763 |
| Hannan Duck & Partners Pty Ltd | Development of OCPSE structure and transition services to new structure | $19,500 |
| Mercer Consulting | Work value assessments, cross jurisdictional analysis and remuneration analysis for public service chief executive positions | $25,375 |
| Zed Management Consulting | Evaluation of the SA Leadership Academy | $32,700 |
| Gus Commercial Consulting (SA) | Probity consulting and advice in relation to the HCM Procurement project | $39,450 |
| Ashton Advisory Pty Ltd | Advice regarding re-positioning the office based on the recent change in government | $57,600 |
| Deloitte Risk Advisory | Advice regarding SA Government Salary Sacrifice Agreement | $64,684 |
| Hannan Duck & Partners Pty Ltd | Development of the OCPSE Strategic Plan | $69,036 |
| Pricewaterhouse Coopers | Whole of Government actuarial review of workers compensation liabilities | $205,455 |
| Total | $543,714 |
There is no data for previous years as OCPSE was created on 1 July 2018.
See also the Consolidated Financial Report of the Department of Treasury and Finance for total value of consultancy contracts across the South Australian Public Sector.
Contractors’ disclosure
The following is a summary of external contractors that have been engaged by the agency, the nature of work undertaken, and the actual payments made for work undertaken during the financial year.
| Contractors | Purpose | $ Actual payment |
|---|---|---|
| All contractors below $10,000 each – combined | Various | $47,711 |
Contractors with a contract value above $10,000 each
| Contractors | Purpose | $ Actual payment |
|---|---|---|
| Hannan Duck & Partners Pty Ltd | Project manage pilot implementation of Chat Bot capability for the Office | $10,900 |
| The Energy Factory Pty Ltd | Leadership keynote for Future Execs Symposium 2019 | $11,000 |
| Global Achievers Company | Providing SA Leadership Academy workshops | $14,920 |
| OZ Train Pty Ltd | Facilitation of Leadership Development workshop | $15,000 |
| PKCS Pty Ltd | Facilitation of Aboriginal Frontline Leadership Workshop | $18,750 |
| Hannan Duck & Partners Pty Ltd | Recruitment of Chief HR Officer | $30,470 |
| Accru Harris Orchard | Delivery of the SAES Induction Program | $38,400 |
| UGM Consulting | Leadership keynote workshops on diversity inclusion strategy | $53,619 |
| K Ashcroft Consulting | Coaching services | $133,847 |
| ORC International Pty Ltd | I WORK FOR SA – Your Voice Survey | $411,954 |
| Deloitte Risk Advisory | Provision of external audit program – Audit and Verification System (AVS) for Public Sector Work Health and Safety and Injury Management | $320,825 |
| Total | $1,059,687 |
There is no data for previous years as OCPSE was created on 1 July 2018.
The details of South Australian Government-awarded contracts for goods, services, and works are displayed on the SA Tenders and Contracts website. View the agency list of contracts.
The website also provides details of across government contracts.
Risk and audit at a glance
The OCPSE Risk and Performance Committee members:
- Yvonne Sneddon (Chair) – Independent of SA Government
- Anthony Mackay – Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment
- Brenton Scroop – Independent of SA Government
- Kim-Sherie Summers – Department of Human Services
- Christopher McSporran – Department of Treasury and Finance
- Eva Balan-Vnuk – Department of the Premier and Cabinet
- Gill Duck – Independent of SA Government
Fraud detected in the agency
| Category/nature of fraud | Number of instances |
|---|---|
| Nil | 0 |
| NB: Fraud reported includes actual and reasonably suspected incidents of fraud. |
Strategies implemented to control and prevent fraud
OCPSE is committed to the prevention, detection and control of fraud, corruption, maladministration and misconduct in its activities.
As an attached office to the Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF), OCPSE has adopted DTF’s Fraud and Corruption Prevention Policy and Fraud and Corruption Control Strategy.
The main elements of the Control Strategy are:
- Governance and Ethics
- Awareness and Training
- Fraud Prevention
- Detection and Investigation
- Monitoring and Reporting.
More specifically, DTF’s detection, control and prevention strategies include:
- Relevant financial policies and procedures
- Documenting fraud risks in a Departmental risk register
- Appropriate segregation of duties
- Whistleblower process
- Review of transaction reports
- Review of management reports
- Internal and external audits
- Review of internal controls post an incident
- Financial year end declarations process
- Fraud and corruption awareness training for new and existing employees.
The Control Strategy also requires serious or systemic offences against DTF and/or the South Australian Public Sector to be referred to the Office for Public Integrity (OPI) or inquiry agencies to investigate.
There is no data for previous years as OCPSE was created on 1 July 2018.
Whistle-blowers disclosure
Number of occasions on which public interest information has been disclosed to a responsible officer of the agency under the Whistleblowers Protection Act 1993:0
There is no data for previous years as OCPSE was created on 1 July 2018.
OCPSE supports the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment to prepare an annual report, as required by section 21 of the Public Sector Act 2009.
Section 21 requires the Commissioner’s annual report to describe the extent of observance of the Public Sector Principles in so far as they relate to public sector employment and measures taken by the Commissioner to promote observance of those principles.
The Public Sector Regulations 2010 further requires the Commissioner to report annually on
- variations or substitutions of the Public Sector Code of Conduct
- public sector employment determinations
- guidelines relating to public sector employment matters
- the number of occasions on which public interest information has been disclosed to the Commissioner under the Whistleblowers Protection Act 1993.
The Commissioner’s annual report – known as the State of the Sector – is provided to the Treasurer before 30 September each year for tabling in Parliament within 12 sitting dates of receipt by the Treasurer.
The State of the Sector report can be found at: https://publicsector.sa.gov.au/about/Our-Work/Reporting/State-of-the-Sector
Number of public complaints reported (as required by the Ombudsman)
| Complaint categories | Sub-categories | Example | Number of Complaints 2018-19 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional behaviour | Staff attitude | Failure to demonstrate values such as empathy, respect, fairness, courtesy, extra mile; cultural competency | 0 |
| Professional behaviour | Staff competency | Failure to action service request; poorly informed decisions; incorrect or incomplete service provided | 0 |
| Professional behaviour | Staff knowledge | Lack of service specific knowledge; incomplete or out-of-date knowledge | 0 |
| Communication | Communication quality | Inadequate, delayed or absent communication with customer | 0 |
| Communication | Confidentiality | Customer’s confidentiality or privacy not respected; information shared incorrectly | 0 |
| Service delivery | Systems/technology | System offline; inaccessible to customer; incorrect result/information provided; poor system design | 0 |
| Service delivery | Access to services | Service difficult to find; location poor; facilities/ environment poor standard; not accessible to customers with disabilities | 0 |
| Service delivery | Process | Processing error; incorrect process used; delay in processing application; process not customer responsive | 0 |
| Policy | Policy application | Incorrect policy interpretation; incorrect policy applied; conflicting policy advice given | 0 |
| Policy | Policy content | Policy content difficult to understand; policy unreasonable or disadvantages customer | 0 |
| Service quality | Information | Incorrect, incomplete, out dated or inadequate information; not fit for purpose | 0 |
| Service quality | Access to information | Information difficult to understand, hard to find or difficult to use; not plain English | 0 |
| Service quality | Timeliness | Lack of staff punctuality; excessive waiting times (outside of service standard); timelines not met | 0 |
| Service quality | Safety | Maintenance; personal or family safety; duty of care not shown; poor security service/ premises; poor cleanliness | 0 |
| Service quality | Service responsiveness | Service design doesn’t meet customer needs; poor service fit with customer expectations | 0 |
| No case to answer | No case to answer | Third party; customer misunderstanding; redirected to another agency; insufficient information to investigate | 0 |
| Total | 0 |
There is no data for previous years as OCPSE was created on 1 July 2018.
Service improvements for period
| Service improvements that responded to customer complaints or feedback |
|---|
| Nil to report |