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Department of Justice Annual Report 2018-2019

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Department of Justice Annual Report 2018-2019 Department of Justice Annual Report 2O18–2O19 Department of Justice A safe, fair and just Tasmania. Department of Justice Office of the Secretary Level 14, 110 Collins St, Hobart GPO Box 825 HOBART TAS 7001 30 August 2019 Elise Archer MP Roger Jaensch MP Attorney-General Minister for Human Services Minister for Justice Minister for Housing Minister for Corrections Minister for Disability Services Minister for Building and and Community Development Construction Minister for Planning Minister for Racing Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Minister for the Arts Dear Ministers Annual Report of the Department of Justice for the year ended 30 June 2019. 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 2019. 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 2018–2019 1 Department of Justice Annual Report 2018-19 © Government of Tasmania 2019 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 2019 2 Department of Justice Annual Report 2018–2019 Contents Reporting Requirements 4 2018-19 – The Year in Review 6 Message from the Secretary 8 Organisational chart 9 1. About Us 10 2. Report on 2018-19 Key Deliverables 14 3. Output Group 1: Administration of Justice 17 4. Output Group 2: Legal Services 27 5. Output Group 3: Corrections and Enforcement 30 6. Output Group 4: Regulatory and Other Services 42 7. Corporate Support and Strategy 61 8. Climate Change 70 9. Police Powers (Public Safety) 70 10. Right to Information 71 11. Public Interest Disclosures 71 12. Processes for Appealing Decisions of the Agency 72 13. Legislation Administered by the Department 73 14. Location of Services 78 15. Staffing Information 80 16. Gender Diversity in the Tasmanian State Service 82 17. Superannuation Certificate 85 18. Contracts and Consultancies Awarded 86 19. Debts, Loss and Damage 89 20. Financial Statements 90 21. Notes to and forming part of the Financial Statements 102 Department of Justice Annual Report 2018–2019 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 legislative requirements: • Financial Management and Audit Act 1990, section 27(1). • State Service Act 2000, Section 36(1)(c); See the table on the next page for an index of other 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 2018–2019 Other Reporting Requirements Table 1: 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 8 structure Major initiatives to develop and give effect to Government policy SSR r9(a)(v) Sections 2 to 8 Processes established to ensure employee participation in SSR r9(b)(iv) Section 7 industrial relations matters and any disputes affecting the Agency Occupational health and safety strategies SSR r9(b)(vi) Section 7 Community awareness, services and publications SSR r9(c)(i) Sections 2 to 8 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) Section13 Legislation administered by the Agency SSR s9(d) Section 14 Contracts and consultancies awarded FMA Part 6 – Miscellaneous s51 Section 19 Treasurer’s Instructions, Treasurer’s Instructions FR-4 - Annual Reports Annual Reports 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. Department of Justice Annual Report 2018–2019 5 2018-19 The Year in Review Implemented legislation to allow Made significant progress on implementing Magistrates and Judges to sentence suitable the recommendations of the Royal offenders to Home Detention Orders. Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, including establishing Delivered a 24-hour monitoring unit for the Department’s Child Abuse Royal electronic monitoring of Home Detention Commission Response Unit. Orders and selected family violence offenders. Engaged a Design Consultant for the $79.34 million Southern Remand Centre and Opened the $2.6 million Dr Vanessa Risdon Prison Complex upgrade program. Goodwin Cottages at the Mary Hutchinson Women’s Prison to accommodate up to 25 Engaged an architect for the project to female prisoners, including five rooms to upgrade the Burnie Court Complex, with cater for mothers and their babies. the development of concept designs well under way. Ensured that Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is automatically presumed to be Strengthened family violence laws by work-related in regards to public sector introducing a new crime of persistent family workers’ compensation claims for this violence in the Criminal Code. injury. Began and completed work upgrading the Developed and consulted on draft Launceston Supreme Court and provided legislation designed to address the serious Correctional Officers to assume prisoner problem of bullying. transport and security responsibilities at the Court. Continued work towards becoming a White Ribbon Accredited workplace. Reformed the Electoral Act 2004 to remove the ban on election day newspaper coverage. 6 Department of Justice Annual Report 2018–2019 The Dr Vanessa Goodwin Cottages. Launched a new online service for Identified the preferred technology ordering certificates from Births, Deaths architecture and implementation and Marriages as well as an online birth approach for the Justice Connect end-to- registration service. end technology solution for justice and corrections. Sought and received expressions of interest for the siting of a $270 million Northern Opened a new 40-bed facility at the Ron Regional Prison. Barwick Minimum Security Prison, worth $1.35 million. Consulted on potential changes to the Evidence Act 2001 to ensure it appropriately Implemented a Tasmanian Code of Practice protects the rights of all victims of sexual to allow retail staff to carry out inspections assault. on customers’ bags. Continued funding for the Chatter Matters Developed and established a statutory Just Time program, aimed at developing process for fast tracking the zoning of literacy and communication skills for men land suitable for affordable housing and and women in Tasmanian prisons. processed four Housing Land Supply Orders. Introduced a new bond management system, called MyBond, which offers 24/7 Continued work to implement the online access and an online bond lodgement Government’s planning reform agenda. service. Appointed retired Detective Inspector David Plumpton to the Parole Board to ensure a member with policing experience is represented on the Board. Department of Justice Annual Report 2018–2019 7 Message from the Secretary I am
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