Equity Diversity Annual Report 1997-1998

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Annual Report EEO1997-1998 Report to the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Equal Employment Opportunity EEOAnnual Report 1997-1998 Report to the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Contents Introduction 4 Overview 5 Review of the Management of Equal Employment Opportunity in the ABC 10 EEO Activities 1997-98 26 Human Resource Policies and Activities 31 Women 35 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People 39 People of Non-English Speaking Background 41 People With Disabilities 44 Portfolio Reports 48 Regional Services 48 National Networks 54 News and Current Affairs 62 Program Production 63 Finance and Business Services 66 Technology Strategy and Development 68 ABC Enterprises 69 Corporate Management 70 Australian Broadcasting Corporation Subsidiaries 71 Designed and Produced by Shearwater House Pty Ltd (02) 9955 9151 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY ANNUAL REPORT 1997-98 The Australian Broadcasting Corporation is the national broadcaster established as a statutory corporation under the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 (the ABC Act). The ABC Act which includes the ABC Charter sets out the basic functions and duties of the Corporation. As a Commonwealth authority employer, the ABC is bound by the provisions of the Equal Employment Opportunity (Commonwealth Authorities) Act 1987, the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. This report is made under the provisions of Section 9(2) of the Equal Employment Opportunity (Commonwealth Authorities) Act 1987. The reporting period covers 1 September 1997 to 31 August 1998. In 1993 the ABC prepared an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) program for a three year period to enable forward planning and longer term strategies, with provision for annual revision of action plans responding to changes in organisational aims and directions. This program was extended a further one year with an end date of 1997. An evaluation of the program has been undertaken and is included in this report as well as the findings of a major review of the management of EEO. 4 OVERVIEW The ABC continues to operate in a fast-changing media environment and has a tradition of meeting the challenges of change. Over the past two years the ABC has established new organisational structures to ensure the most efficient development and delivery of its programs and services. The new structure, referred to as the One ABC allows the Corporation to focus on the making and delivery of programs for broadcast across radio, television and online, with the support of strategic and business functions which have been streamlined and restructured. The ABC’s Corporate Plan sets out the Corporation’s objectives from 1997 to 2000, reflecting the new organisational structure: • National Networks and Regional Services, responsible for the commissioning of programs and broadcasting services in radio, television and multimedia; • In-house content providers, News and Current Affairs and Program Production, which produce programs as required by National Networks and Regional Services; • Finance and Business Services, Human Resources and Technology Strategy and Development, providing strategic and business support services across the Corporation; • ABC Enterprises; and • The ABC ‘s subsidiary companies. Included in the subsidiary companies are the state-based orchestras which have been recently corporatised. The Sydney Symphony Orchestra had been incorporated as an ABC subsidiary in February 1996 while both the Adelaide and Melbourne orchestras were incorporated on 1 July 1997 along with the former ABC Concerts National Office, which has become Symphony Australia. The West Australian Symphony Orchestra was incorporated from January 1998. The remaining orchestras - in Queensland and Tasmania - will be incorporated as their local circumstances permit. In this report the orchestras’ EEO statistical data is reported separately in the Subsidiaries section. ABC’s Mission Included in the Corporate Plan is the ABC’s mission - to provide its audiences with the best programs, performances, products and services it can produce and acquire. To achieve this the ABC will: • transmit independent, comprehensive and innovative national broadcasting services for all Australians; 5 • inform, entertain and contribute to a sense of national identity; • reflect Australia’s regional and cultural diversity; • broadcast programs of an educational nature; • contribute towards the diversity of broadcasting services in Australia; • broadcast programs that provide a balance between wide appeal and specialised programs, making use of and being receptive to Australian creative resources; • provide an independent service for the broadcasting of news and information regarding local, Australian and overseas events; • contribute to public debate concerning issues and matters of importance to Australians; • encourage and promote the musical, dramatic and other performing arts in Australia; • transmit broadcasting programs, outside Australia; and • utilise new production and delivery technologies to respond to audience needs. The Corporate Plan, including the mission statement, objectives and strategies, provides the ABC with the focus to contribute to a comprehensive and inclusive service, which is achieved by a workforce that reflects the diversity of all Australians. Issues for staff during 1997-98 reflected the continuing implementation of the One ABC structure with the associated reduction in staffing levels and matters of redundancy/redeployment arrangements. In August 1997 staff totalled 4370 excluding casual staff , with about 430 staff leaving under voluntary redundancy. Total staff excluding casual staff at August 1998 is 4031. As a result of the One ABC restructure and the recommendations of the Business Support Review, service functions that directly relate to the management of the workforce have been consolidated into Corporation-wide services. The Human Resources (HR) portfolio is made up of the following functions: • Human Resource Policy; • Training and Development; • Employee Relations; • Equal Employment Opportunity; • Occupational Health and Safety; and • Remuneration and Payroll. The HR portfolio delivers services to the Corporation based on the concept of centre of excellence. Each of the HR functions has a small strategic department with dedicated professional HR consultants located on site in every capital city. 6 During the year resources have focused on assisting management and staff with redundancy and redeployment issues. Two key initiatives being undertaken to develop relevant and accessible employment policies are the workplace reform strategy and the implementation of a new Human Resources Management Information System. These two long term initiatives are providing the capacity to change formal employment arrangements to suit ABC business requirements and to streamline the administrative procedures and processes for the application of conditions. Within the HR portfolio the EEO Unit services all areas of the ABC and during 1997-98 a major review was undertaken of the management of EEO under the One ABC. Within a climate of downsising and restructuring, many initiatives were progressed for the EEO groups - women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (ATSI), people of non-English speaking background (NESB) and people with disabilities (PWD). During the year there was an increase in the representation of women in senior management, while the percentage of ATSI remained the same and there were small decreases in the representation of NESB and PWD. Some of the major achievements for 1997-98 relating to EEO in the ABC are listed below. • A major review of the management of EEO was undertaken to prepare for the future direction of EEO in the ABC, development of a new EEO program and the determination of responsibility for the overall EEO program. This review examined and reported on: EEO in Australia and overseas; an historical account of EEO in the ABC including the evaluation of the expired EEO program 1993-97; the results of a broad consultation with management and staff; comparisons with other organisations, best practice and future directions; and a summary and recommendations. The review’s consultative process involved discussions with management and staff around Australia and a written questionnaire for structured feedback. The recommendations focused on the development of a new Diversity Management Plan with broad objectives tailored to each Portfolio. • Implementation of the ABC’s Disability Action Plan (DAP) required under the Commonwealth Disability Strategy, including a Policy for Access and Equity for People with Disabilities, work experience and job placement programs for people with disabilities and a launch of the DAP in ABC Northern Territory. A project officer was appointed for a six month secondment to assist the implementation of From Left: Project Officer Elaine Harris with the strategies. ‘Dori”, Working on the Disability Action Plan with Human Resources staff - Tim Burrows, • Initiatives to support and encourage women in Chrissie Tucker and Jasmin Lefers. engineering/technical positions with scholarships and traineeships. This year Women in Engineering Scholarships were extended to all states and territories. Women technical trainees were appointed in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. • Nine Indigenous

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