Department of Justice Annual Report 2017–2018 1 a Safe, Fair and Just Tasmania
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Department of Justice Annual Report 2O17–2O18 Department of Justice Department of Justice Annual Report 2017–2018 1 A safe, fair and just Tasmania. 2 Department of Justice Annual Report 2017–2018 Department of Justice Office of the Secretary Level 14, 110 Collins St, Hobart GPO Box 825 HOBART TAS 7001 27 September 2018 Hon Peter Gutwein MP Hon Elise Archer MP Guy Barnett MP Roger Jaensch MP Treasurer Attorney-General Minister for Resources Minister for Planning Minister for Local Minister for Justice Minister for Building and Minister for Human Government Minister for Corrections Construction Services Minister for State Growth Minister for Environment Minister for Energy Minister for Housing Minister for the Arts Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Dear Ministers Annual Report of the Department of Justice for the year ended 30 June 2018. In accordance with the requirements of Section 36 of the State Service Act 2000 and Section 27 of the Financial Management and Audit Act 1990, I have pleasure in presenting the Annual Report for the Department of Justice for the financial year ending 30 June 2018. Please note that this report also includes the reports by the Director, Monetary Penalties Enforcement Service pursuant to Section 121 of the Monetary Penalties Enforcement Act 2005 and the Attorney-General pursuant to Section 31 of the Police Powers (Public Safety) Act 2005. Kathrine Morgan-Wicks Secretary Department of Justice Department of Justice Annual Report 2017–2018 Department of Justice Annual Report 2017-18 © Government of Tasmania 2018 Excerpts from this publication may be reproduced, with appropriate acknowledgement, as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 For further information, please contact: Office of the Secretary GPO Box 825 Hobart TAS 7001 Published October 2017 Department of Justice Annual Report 2017–2018 Contents Reporting Requirements 4 Message from the Secretary 8 1. About Us 10 2. Report on 2017-2018 Key Deliverables 16 3. Output Group 1: Administration of Justice 22 4. Output Group 2: Legal Services 34 5. Output Group 3: Corrections and Enforcement 40 6. Output Group 4: Regulatory and other services 58 7. Office of the Secretary 72 8. Corporate Support and Strategy 76 9. Climate Change 82 10. Police Powers (Public Safety) 83 11. Right to Information 83 12. Public Interest Disclosures 84 13. Processes for appealing decisions of the Agency 84 14. Legislation Administered by the Department 86 15. Location of Services 90 16. Staffing Information 92 17. Gender Diversity in the Tasmanian State Service 94 18. Superannuation Certificate 97 19. Contracts and Consultancies Awarded 98 20. Debts, Loss and Damage 101 21. Financial Statements 102 22. Notes to and forming part of the Financial Statements 114 Department of Justice Annual Report 2017–2018 3 Reporting requirements Legislative Reporting Requirements Reports of Statutory Officers This annual report includes specific information required This annual report contains only a brief outline of the by either statute, the Auditor-General or the Treasurer’s functions of independent statutory officers who are Instructions. subject to separate annual reporting requirements. Readers should refer to the annual reports prepared by In particular, it contains the reports on the functions and these statutory officers for further information. exercise of powers of the Secretary of the Department required by the: A small number of statutory office holders employed in the Agency do not report independently to Parliament, • State Service Act 2000, section 36(1)(c); and their reports are therefore required to be included • State Service Regulations 2011, regulation 9; and in this annual report in accordance with the following • Financial Management and Audit Act 1990, section 27(1). legislative requirements: See the table on the next page for an index of other • State Service Act 2000, Section 36(1)(c); legislative requirements, and where they are found in this • State Service Regulations 2011, Regulation 9; and annual report. • Financial Management and Audit Act 1990, Section 27(1). The relevant officers, and the section in which their reports are included, are listed below: • the Report of the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages is included within section 3; • the Report of the Director of Corrective Services is included within section 5; • the Report of the Director of Consumer Affairs is included within section 6; and • the Report of the Director, Monetary Penalties and Enforcement Service, required under section 121 of the Monetary Penalties Enforcement Act 2005, is included within section 5. 4 Department of Justice Annual Report 2017–2018 Other Reporting Requirements Requirement Legislation Section of this report Overview of Strategic Plan SSR r9(a(i) Section 1 Organisational chart SSR r9(a(ii) Section 1 Organisational structure and program management structure SSR r9(a(iii) Section 1 relationship Major changes in programs, aims, functions or organisational SSR r9(a)(iv) Section 2 to 7 structure Major initiatives to develop and give effect to Government policy SSR r9(a)(v) Sections 2 to 7 Processes established to ensure employee participation in SSR r9(b)(iv) Section 8 industrial relations matters and any disputes affecting the Agency Occupational health and safety strategies SSR r9(b)(vi) Section 8 Community awareness, services and publications SSR r9(c)(i) Sections 2 to 7 Contact officers and points of public access SSR r9(c)(ii) Sections 1 and 15 Processes for appealing decisions of the Agency SSR r9(c)(iii) Section 13 Legislation administered by the Agency SSR s9(d) Section 14 Contracts and consultancies awarded FMA s23(4), Treasurer’s Instructions Section 19 TI 1111 - Reporting and Disclosure: goods and services and TI 1213 - Reporting and Disclosure: building and construction/roads and bridges Financial Statements FMA s27(1)(c) Section 21 Auditor-General’s Report on Financial Statements FMA s27(1)(c) Section 21 Public Interest Disclosures Public Interest Disclosures Act 2002 s86 Section 12 Right to Information Right to Information Act 2009 S23 Section 11 Superannuation contributions Public Sector Superannuation Reform Act Section 18 1999 s13 SSR = State Service Regulations 2011 FMA = Financial Management and Audit Act 1990 The Department has administrative responsibility for the Police Powers (Public Safety) Act 2005. Section 31 requires the Attorney-General to report to Parliament on any police activities conducted under this Act.This report is included at Section 10 of this report. Department of Justice Annual Report 2017–2018 5 2017-18 the year in Review Led the Tasmanian Government’s Commenced the Justice Connect involvement in and response to the project, which will replace outdated Royal Commission into Institutional technologies across the criminal, Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, correctional and civil jurisdictions including the Tasmanian Government’s with a contemporary, integrated commitment to join the National system. Redress Scheme. Developed and implemented Implemented the Expungement legislation and supporting processes of Historical Offences Scheme to for resolving Neighbourhood allow people to make application Disputes About Plants. for charges relating to historical homosexual or cross-dressing Commenced a review of the Electoral offences to be expunged. Act 2004 and associated law relating to elections in Tasmania. Developed a Strategic Infrastructure Framework for Custodial Corrections Developed 16 Bills that were in Tasmania. either introduced into, or passed by, Parliament during the reporting Received an unprecedented period. infrastructure budget for the Department as part of the 2017- Progressed preparations for the 18 Tasmanian Budget to progress a introduction of home detention with number of major prison and court electronic monitoring as a sentencing infrastructure projects. option. 6 Department of Justice Annual Report 2017–2018 Continued work to implement the Reviewed the role and composition Government’s planning reform agenda. of Agency Executive and established several new sub committees to ensure strong project, program and Implemented changes to local systems, corporate governance. forms and processes to register same sex marriages in Tasmania following the introduction of same sex marriage. Commenced work on a Diversity and Inclusion Strategy for the Department along with beginning the White Prepared a consultation paper, and Ribbon Accreditation Process. sought feedback from stakeholders, as part of the review of arrangements for the delivery of legal services in Undertook a full health check of Tasmania. our IT systems, applications and infrastructure and prepared an Enterprise Architecture, ICT Roadmap Ran a successful asbestos awareness and Strategy to identify our current campaign educating key audiences and future technology needs. how to safely identify and manage asbestos, which was recognised in the National Asbestos Awareness Prepared extensive briefings for Campaign Awards 2017. an incoming government ahead of and immediately following the state election in March 2018. Achieved our 2020 target of 40% female representation amongst senior executive officers across the Department. Department of Justice Annual Report 2017–2018 7 Message from the Secretary I am pleased to present my first Annual Report as to obtain White Ribbon Accreditation, which recognises Secretary of the Department of Justice, having been workplaces taking active steps to prevent and respond to formally appointed to the role in March 2018, following