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NSW Telco Authority Annual Report 2019/2020 Cover photo: Tower delivered under the Critical Communications Enhancement Program at Jolly Nose near Port Macquarie. Tower under construction as part of the Critical Communications Enhancement Program at Ballina. 03 Contents Letter to the Minister ______________________________________________________ 05 Chairperson’s report _______________________________________________________ 06 Managing Director’s report _________________________________________________ 08 NSW Telco Authority highlights ______________________________________________10 About the NSW Telco Authority ______________________________________________ 11 Functions, structure and strategic priorities _____________________________________ 13 Customers _______________________________________________________________ 19 Operational performance ____________________________________________________22 Operational reviews _______________________________________________________ 26 Participation in Inquiries and consultations _____________________________________27 Major Programs ___________________________________________________________ 31 Governance _____________________________________________________________ 36 A Great Place to Work _____________________________________________________ 40 Cyber Security Attestation__________________________________________________ 42 Internal Auditors Report ___________________________________________________ 43 Financial statements ______________________________________________________ 46 Matters included in the Statutory Audit Report _________________________________ 78 Accounts ________________________________________________________________ 80 Consultants ______________________________________________________________ 82 Budget _________________________________________________________________ 83 Internal Audit and Risk Management Attestation ________________________________ 85 Human Resources _________________________________________________________ 88 Procurement _____________________________________________________________ 92 Work Health and Safety ____________________________________________________ 92 Public Interest Disclosures __________________________________________________ 92 Government Information (Public Access) Act 2019 ______________________________ 93 Privacy and Personal Information Protection (PPIP) Act 1998 ______________________ 93 Exemptions ______________________________________________________________ 93 Annual Report production __________________________________________________ 94 Annual Report Compliance Checklist _________________________________________ 95 Tower under construction at Casino as part of the Critical Communications Enhancement Program. 05 Telco Authority The Hon Victor Dominello, MP Minister for Customer Service 52 Martin Place Sydney NSW 2000 Annual Report for year ending 30 June 2020 Dear Minister Dominello We are pleased to submit the NSW Telco Authority Annual Report for year ending 30 June 2020 for your information and presentation to the Parliament of New South Wales. The Annual Report outlines the performance of the NSW Telco Authority within the context of our strategic priorities, key achievements and regulatory obligations. The report has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984, the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 and the regulations under those Acts. We acknowledge the work of the NSW Telco Authority, its customers, staff, vendors and the Emergency Services Organisations we work with, for their contribution to our achievements over a challenging 12 months. Yours sincerely Beth Jackson Kylie De Courteney Chairperson Managing Director 06 NSW Telco Authority Annual Report Chairperson’s Report 2020 has been an extremely challenging Timely and accurate information is year in the history of the NSW Telco crucial in determining safe responses to Authority - with major bushfires, floods, emergencies, and it is the clear mission and the COVID 19 crisis all severely of the Telco Authority to deliver a robust, impacting on our operations and our reliable and extensive public safety engagement with Emergency Services network to keep people and places safe. Organisations (ESOs) in their response to Notwithstanding the impacts of the these major events. above events, 2020 has also witnessed I am particularly proud of the role the improved rollout of one of the largest the Authority’s Telecommunications public safety networks in the southern Emergency Management Unit has played hemisphere, providing a world class throughout the year, with the support of operational communications service the whole of the organisation and indeed, regularly achieving above the target that of the Department of Customer availability of 99.95%. Service. As we previously observed during I also deeply appreciate the support the course of this multi-year public provided to the Authority by the NSW infrastructure program, the Government’s Government for the improved public considerable investment brings improved safety network we are rolling out under mission critical communications for the Critical Communications Enhancement emergency services, law enforcement and Program. essential utility and community service providers across the State, with particular The NSW Government’s significant focus for regional and rural areas, where commitment to the public safety network the $50 million Connecting Country amounts to more than $600 million Communities Fund will deliver 150 - the largest commitment to crucial additional mobile towers across the State, communications infrastructure in two along with faster broadband internet decades. services in southern NSW. There are a number of Inquiries underway It is the role of the Authority to lead and at the time of publishing this report, which drive reform of the NSW Government’s may assist with future responses to such operational communications sector. events. The Authority has contributed To this end we are reviewing and significantly to the independent updating the 10-year 2015 Operational consideration of the criticality of effective Communications Strategy, with a specific public safety networks for communication focus on the importance of effective across both ESOs and the general public. partnerships with both our network users and industry. Chairperson’s Report 07 We connect agencies and communities We are lucky that former RFS via the state-wide integrated public safety Commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, has Chairperson’s Report network, the Mobile Black Spot Program agreed to remain on the Board following and Connecting Country Communities his move to the role of Commissioner, Fund. Resilience NSW. The Authority continues to work I would also like to thank Deputy closely with other state and territory Commissioner Malcolm Lanyon, governments to determine the representing the NSW Police Force and a appropriate path to allocation of Public great asset to the Board, and acknowledge Safety Mobile Broadband spectrum the important contribution from Ms Kylie by the Commonwealth. Expedition of de Courteney and her executive team the rollout of PSMB is highly desirable throughout a challenging year. given the concerns as to uniformity of I also thank our business partners communication methods across state and ESOs for their responsiveness, borders and greater data and video flexibility and dedication over the past capacities for ESOs. year. Together with the staff of the During the course of the year, we Authority, the Board is fully committed evaluated responses to a Request For to lead the strategy, development and Proposal released in May 2019, to provide implementation of resilient public safety for the operation and management of telecommunications services to ensure a the extensive network we are building, safer NSW. permitting the Authority to focus on new applications and services of value to its customers. I am also pleased to note that the Authority has instituted a stronger Beth Jackson customer focus for all its programs Chair, NSW Telco Authority and initiatives, putting the customer Advisory Board at the centre of everything we do and strengthening our collaboration with industry. We farewelled Mr Geoff Kleeman from the NSW Telco Authority Advisory Board, and welcomed Ms Emma Hogan, Secretary of the Department of Customer Service. Mr Kleeman’s expertise in commercial matters was greatly appreciated, as was his strong personal interest in the work of the Authority, especially as he is also a Rural Fire Service (RFS) Volunteer. 08 NSW Telco Authority Annual Report 2019/2020 Managing Director’s Report I am proud to have led the NSW Telco first language is not English, and we have Authority through a year of significant exceeded targets for the employment of growth, change, challenge and people with a disability and women in achievement. leadership positions. We saw out the 2019/20 financial year We prioritise the development of our in the aftermath of one of the most people. In 2020 we had 56 staff enrolled catastrophic bushfire seasons experienced in 100 Australian Institute of Management in NSW, before heading straight into courses and 40 staff participated in the unfamiliar territory of the COVID-19 managing unconscious bias training pandemic. delivered by the Australian Human Resource Institute. We successfully navigated these challenges and our leadership team Almost one-third of staff undertook continued to build a culture of flexibility training with the

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