Putting you first at the centre of what we do. Keeping you healthy and safe at work. Supporting you when you are harmed at work. Ensuring your scheme works and is sustainable.

Report of operations 4

Workplace diversity

In comparison with the APS-wide profile of diversity groups, Comcare continued to have proportionately more female employees, significantly more people from NESB1 groups⁴ and a similar proportion of people identifying with a disability. The proportion of Indigenous employees remains less than the APS-wide profile. Identification as an Indigenous Australian, a person with a disability and NESB is voluntary and therefore the data only reflects those employees who elect to identify.

Table 7: Percentage of employees represented in diversity groups

Diversity group	Comcare (30 June 2004)	APS (30 June 2003)
Women	61.6	52.8
Indigenous Australians	0.3	2.4
People with a disability	3.7	3.6
NESB 1	6.2	3.3

At 30 June 2004 the median age for females was 39.5 and 43.5 for males, similar to the APS median age of 41 years ⁵.

Flexible working arrangements

Comcare’s Certified Agreement provides for a range of flexible working arrangements and conditions to support employees in achieving work-life balance. These provisions are well-utilised by staff, with an increasing proportion (12.5% at 30 June 2004) working part-time, and 11 staff members utilising purchased leave (48/52) arrangements.

Maternity leave

During 2003 – 04 8 staff took maternity leave.

Workplace harassment policy and contact officers

Comcare’s workplace harassment policy and guidelines are being updated. During March 2004 IPS, the Employee Assistance Provider (EAP), facilitated for all employees a number of general awareness training sessions on bullying and harassment. There was a high level of participation and interest shown in the topic. It is intended to offer these sessions regularly in 2004 – 05.

The number of internal Harassment Contact Officers was significantly expanded and appropriate in-house training was provided, including refresher training for those whose initial training was some years ago.

Consultation on the proposed scope and content of a new workplace diversity plan commenced with the Comcare National Consultative Committee. Following further consultation it is expected that the new plan will be finalised early in 2004 – 05.

Performance against outputs

Comcare’s outcome and outputs framework

The 2003 – 04 Portfolio Budget Statement defines Comcare’s outcome as

Minimise human and financial costs of workplace injury in the Commonwealth jurisdiction.

Comcare achieves this by

improving the safety and rehabilitation of employees in the Commonwealth jurisdiction and the compensation services we provide
engaging our stakeholders and customers in achieving that improvement
supporting our people to enable them to best contribute to improving our business.
The key priorities for Comcare in 2003 – 04 were
ensuring the continued financial viability of the premium scheme
ensuring active and effective management of claims, including in relation to any movement in claims costs due to changing claim profiles
continuing to improve health and safety in the jurisdiction by encouraging appropriate prevention and return to work activities.
Diagram 3 shows the relationship between the outcome and the contributing outputs for Comcare.

Diagram 3: Relationship between outcome and contributing outputs

Resources for outcome Table 8 shows the total resourcing for the outcome, including

total administered revenue
revenue from Government (appropriation) for outputs
revenue from other sources
total price of outputs less administered revenue. 6 From 1 July 2004 the SRC Act covers members of the ADF only in respect of injuries or diseases relatedto ADF service prior to that date.

Outcome 1: Minimise human and financial costs of workplace injury in the Commonwealth jurisdiction.
	(1)	(2)	(2) – (1)
	Budget^#1 2003–04 $’000	Actual 2003–04 $’000	Variation 2003–04 $’000		Budget 2004-05 $’000
Administered appropriations
To Special Account for Seafarers’ Rehabilitation and Compensation	290	109	(181)	260
Total administered appropriations	290	109	(181)	260
Departmental appropriations
Output Group 1.1 – SRC Act Regulation	0	0	0	0
Output Group 1.2 – OHS Act Regulation	100	46	(54)	100
Output Group 1.3 – Management of premium claims	7,370	0	(7,370)	#2	0
Output Group 1.4 – Management of pre-premium claims	72,430	72,590	160	72,022
Output Group 1.5 – Administration for the Seacare Authority	400	400	0	410
Subtotal output group	80,300	73,036	(7,264)		72,532
Total revenue from government (appropriations) contributing to price of departmental outputs	80,300	73,036	(7,264)	72,532
Revenue from other sources
Output Group 1.1 – SRC Act Regulation	3,390	3,601	211	3,664
Output Group 1.2 – OHS Act Regulation	6,260	6,216	(44)	6,351
Output Group 1.3 – Management of premium claims	139,950	155,502	15,552	#2	181,304
Output Group 1.4 – Management of pre-premium claims	0	0	0	0
Output Group 1.5 – Administration for the Seacare Authority	0	0	0	0
Total revenue from other sources	149,600	165,319	(15,719)	191,319
Total price from departmental outputs	229,900	238,355	8,455	263,851
Total estimated resourcing for outcome 1 (Total price of outputs and admin expenses)	229,610	238,246	8,636	263,591
2003–04	2003–04	2003–04	2004–05
Average staffing level (number)	312	332	20		333

Notes on significant variations: #1 Budget figures are taken from the 2003 – 04 Portfolio Budget Statements (Budget Related Paper 1.6) for the Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio. #2 No appropriation funding for the management of premium claims was required due to an increase in the amountof premiums payable direct to Comcare.