❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks information on the use of interpreters by the state government, including numbers, areas of use, and groups most in need. The Minister provides a detailed response referencing a 2004 report.
AnsweredQoN 882Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) How many state-based interpreters are currently used by the government? (2) What are the areas in which they are most used? (3) Which groups are in most need of interpreting services? Hon ADELE FARINA
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) State agencies use interpreters from the commonwealth government’s Translation and Interpreting Service, as well as private agencies and contractors. The TIS has a pool of 1 600 interpreters across Australia who are available for telephone interpreting, with 272 of them from WA. According to the report “Analysis of the Need for Interpreting and Translating Services within the Western Australian Government Sector”, completed in 2004, 391 interpreters are contracted by the TIS and resident in Western Australia. The WA-based interpreters cover 76 languages. Central TAFE estimated in the abovementioned report that, to date, over 800 interpreters have been accredited in Western Australia; however, not all are current practitioners. The majority - 90 per cent - of interpreters who have been accredited are para-professionals with the remainder being professionals. (2) According to the above report, the areas in which they are most used are health, justice, education, housing and social welfare sectors. (3) Newly arrived refugees are considered to be most in need of interpreting services; however, interpreting services are required by anyone who needs assistance communicating in English. This includes people from the deaf community and Aboriginal people whose first language is not English. Members of new and emerging communities as well as members of established ethnic communities use interpreting services. Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian and Arabic are among the highest-used languages.
(2) What are the areas in which they are most used? (3) Which groups are in most need of interpreting services? Hon ADELE FARINA replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) State agencies use interpreters from the commonwealth government’s Translation and Interpreting Service, as well as private agencies and contractors. The TIS has a pool of 1 600 interpreters across Australia who are available for telephone interpreting, with 272 of them from WA. According to the report “Analysis of the Need for Interpreting and Translating Services within the Western Australian Government Sector”, completed in 2004, 391 interpreters are contracted by the TIS and resident in Western Australia. The WA-based interpreters cover 76 languages. Central TAFE estimated in the abovementioned report that, to date, over 800 interpreters have been accredited in Western Australia; however, not all are current practitioners. The majority - 90 per cent - of interpreters who have been accredited are para-professionals with the remainder being professionals. (2) According to the above report, the areas in which they are most used are health, justice, education, housing and social welfare sectors. (3) Newly arrived refugees are considered to be most in need of interpreting services; however, interpreting services are required by anyone who needs assistance communicating in English. This includes people from the deaf community and Aboriginal people whose first language is not English. Members of new and emerging communities as well as members of established ethnic communities use interpreting services. Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian and Arabic are among the highest-used languages.
(3) Which groups are in most need of interpreting services? Hon ADELE FARINA replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) State agencies use interpreters from the commonwealth government’s Translation and Interpreting Service, as well as private agencies and contractors. The TIS has a pool of 1 600 interpreters across Australia who are available for telephone interpreting, with 272 of them from WA. According to the report “Analysis of the Need for Interpreting and Translating Services within the Western Australian Government Sector”, completed in 2004, 391 interpreters are contracted by the TIS and resident in Western Australia. The WA-based interpreters cover 76 languages. Central TAFE estimated in the abovementioned report that, to date, over 800 interpreters have been accredited in Western Australia; however, not all are current practitioners. The majority - 90 per cent - of interpreters who have been accredited are para-professionals with the remainder being professionals. (2) According to the above report, the areas in which they are most used are health, justice, education, housing and social welfare sectors. (3) Newly arrived refugees are considered to be most in need of interpreting services; however, interpreting services are required by anyone who needs assistance communicating in English. This includes people from the deaf community and Aboriginal people whose first language is not English. Members of new and emerging communities as well as members of established ethnic communities use interpreting services. Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian and Arabic are among the highest-used languages.
Hon ADELE FARINA replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) State agencies use interpreters from the commonwealth government’s Translation and Interpreting Service, as well as private agencies and contractors. The TIS has a pool of 1 600 interpreters across Australia who are available for telephone interpreting, with 272 of them from WA. According to the report “Analysis of the Need for Interpreting and Translating Services within the Western Australian Government Sector”, completed in 2004, 391 interpreters are contracted by the TIS and resident in Western Australia. The WA-based interpreters cover 76 languages. Central TAFE estimated in the abovementioned report that, to date, over 800 interpreters have been accredited in Western Australia; however, not all are current practitioners. The majority - 90 per cent - of interpreters who have been accredited are para-professionals with the remainder being professionals. (2) According to the above report, the areas in which they are most used are health, justice, education, housing and social welfare sectors. (3) Newly arrived refugees are considered to be most in need of interpreting services; however, interpreting services are required by anyone who needs assistance communicating in English. This includes people from the deaf community and Aboriginal people whose first language is not English. Members of new and emerging communities as well as members of established ethnic communities use interpreting services. Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian and Arabic are among the highest-used languages.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) State agencies use interpreters from the commonwealth government’s Translation and Interpreting Service, as well as private agencies and contractors. The TIS has a pool of 1 600 interpreters across Australia who are available for telephone interpreting, with 272 of them from WA. According to the report “Analysis of the Need for Interpreting and Translating Services within the Western Australian Government Sector”, completed in 2004, 391 interpreters are contracted by the TIS and resident in Western Australia. The WA-based interpreters cover 76 languages. Central TAFE estimated in the abovementioned report that, to date, over 800 interpreters have been accredited in Western Australia; however, not all are current practitioners. The majority - 90 per cent - of interpreters who have been accredited are para-professionals with the remainder being professionals. (2) According to the above report, the areas in which they are most used are health, justice, education, housing and social welfare sectors. (3) Newly arrived refugees are considered to be most in need of interpreting services; however, interpreting services are required by anyone who needs assistance communicating in English. This includes people from the deaf community and Aboriginal people whose first language is not English. Members of new and emerging communities as well as members of established ethnic communities use interpreting services. Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian and Arabic are among the highest-used languages.
(1) State agencies use interpreters from the commonwealth government’s Translation and Interpreting Service, as well as private agencies and contractors. The TIS has a pool of 1 600 interpreters across Australia who are available for telephone interpreting, with 272 of them from WA. According to the report “Analysis of the Need for Interpreting and Translating Services within the Western Australian Government Sector”, completed in 2004, 391 interpreters are contracted by the TIS and resident in Western Australia. The WA-based interpreters cover 76 languages. Central TAFE estimated in the abovementioned report that, to date, over 800 interpreters have been accredited in Western Australia; however, not all are current practitioners. The majority - 90 per cent - of interpreters who have been accredited are para-professionals with the remainder being professionals. (2) According to the above report, the areas in which they are most used are health, justice, education, housing and social welfare sectors. (3) Newly arrived refugees are considered to be most in need of interpreting services; however, interpreting services are required by anyone who needs assistance communicating in English. This includes people from the deaf community and Aboriginal people whose first language is not English. Members of new and emerging communities as well as members of established ethnic communities use interpreting services. Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian and Arabic are among the highest-used languages.
(2) According to the above report, the areas in which they are most used are health, justice, education, housing and social welfare sectors. (3) Newly arrived refugees are considered to be most in need of interpreting services; however, interpreting services are required by anyone who needs assistance communicating in English. This includes people from the deaf community and Aboriginal people whose first language is not English. Members of new and emerging communities as well as members of established ethnic communities use interpreting services. Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian and Arabic are among the highest-used languages.
(3) Newly arrived refugees are considered to be most in need of interpreting services; however, interpreting services are required by anyone who needs assistance communicating in English. This includes people from the deaf community and Aboriginal people whose first language is not English. Members of new and emerging communities as well as members of established ethnic communities use interpreting services. Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian and Arabic are among the highest-used languages.
(2) What are the areas in which they are most used? (3) Which groups are in most need of interpreting services? Hon ADELE FARINA replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) State agencies use interpreters from the commonwealth government’s Translation and Interpreting Service, as well as private agencies and contractors. The TIS has a pool of 1 600 interpreters across Australia who are available for telephone interpreting, with 272 of them from WA. According to the report “Analysis of the Need for Interpreting and Translating Services within the Western Australian Government Sector”, completed in 2004, 391 interpreters are contracted by the TIS and resident in Western Australia. The WA-based interpreters cover 76 languages. Central TAFE estimated in the abovementioned report that, to date, over 800 interpreters have been accredited in Western Australia; however, not all are current practitioners. The majority - 90 per cent - of interpreters who have been accredited are para-professionals with the remainder being professionals. (2) According to the above report, the areas in which they are most used are health, justice, education, housing and social welfare sectors. (3) Newly arrived refugees are considered to be most in need of interpreting services; however, interpreting services are required by anyone who needs assistance communicating in English. This includes people from the deaf community and Aboriginal people whose first language is not English. Members of new and emerging communities as well as members of established ethnic communities use interpreting services. Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian and Arabic are among the highest-used languages.
(3) Which groups are in most need of interpreting services? Hon ADELE FARINA replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) State agencies use interpreters from the commonwealth government’s Translation and Interpreting Service, as well as private agencies and contractors. The TIS has a pool of 1 600 interpreters across Australia who are available for telephone interpreting, with 272 of them from WA. According to the report “Analysis of the Need for Interpreting and Translating Services within the Western Australian Government Sector”, completed in 2004, 391 interpreters are contracted by the TIS and resident in Western Australia. The WA-based interpreters cover 76 languages. Central TAFE estimated in the abovementioned report that, to date, over 800 interpreters have been accredited in Western Australia; however, not all are current practitioners. The majority - 90 per cent - of interpreters who have been accredited are para-professionals with the remainder being professionals. (2) According to the above report, the areas in which they are most used are health, justice, education, housing and social welfare sectors. (3) Newly arrived refugees are considered to be most in need of interpreting services; however, interpreting services are required by anyone who needs assistance communicating in English. This includes people from the deaf community and Aboriginal people whose first language is not English. Members of new and emerging communities as well as members of established ethnic communities use interpreting services. Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian and Arabic are among the highest-used languages.
Hon ADELE FARINA replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) State agencies use interpreters from the commonwealth government’s Translation and Interpreting Service, as well as private agencies and contractors. The TIS has a pool of 1 600 interpreters across Australia who are available for telephone interpreting, with 272 of them from WA. According to the report “Analysis of the Need for Interpreting and Translating Services within the Western Australian Government Sector”, completed in 2004, 391 interpreters are contracted by the TIS and resident in Western Australia. The WA-based interpreters cover 76 languages. Central TAFE estimated in the abovementioned report that, to date, over 800 interpreters have been accredited in Western Australia; however, not all are current practitioners. The majority - 90 per cent - of interpreters who have been accredited are para-professionals with the remainder being professionals. (2) According to the above report, the areas in which they are most used are health, justice, education, housing and social welfare sectors. (3) Newly arrived refugees are considered to be most in need of interpreting services; however, interpreting services are required by anyone who needs assistance communicating in English. This includes people from the deaf community and Aboriginal people whose first language is not English. Members of new and emerging communities as well as members of established ethnic communities use interpreting services. Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian and Arabic are among the highest-used languages.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) State agencies use interpreters from the commonwealth government’s Translation and Interpreting Service, as well as private agencies and contractors. The TIS has a pool of 1 600 interpreters across Australia who are available for telephone interpreting, with 272 of them from WA. According to the report “Analysis of the Need for Interpreting and Translating Services within the Western Australian Government Sector”, completed in 2004, 391 interpreters are contracted by the TIS and resident in Western Australia. The WA-based interpreters cover 76 languages. Central TAFE estimated in the abovementioned report that, to date, over 800 interpreters have been accredited in Western Australia; however, not all are current practitioners. The majority - 90 per cent - of interpreters who have been accredited are para-professionals with the remainder being professionals. (2) According to the above report, the areas in which they are most used are health, justice, education, housing and social welfare sectors. (3) Newly arrived refugees are considered to be most in need of interpreting services; however, interpreting services are required by anyone who needs assistance communicating in English. This includes people from the deaf community and Aboriginal people whose first language is not English. Members of new and emerging communities as well as members of established ethnic communities use interpreting services. Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian and Arabic are among the highest-used languages.
(1) State agencies use interpreters from the commonwealth government’s Translation and Interpreting Service, as well as private agencies and contractors. The TIS has a pool of 1 600 interpreters across Australia who are available for telephone interpreting, with 272 of them from WA. According to the report “Analysis of the Need for Interpreting and Translating Services within the Western Australian Government Sector”, completed in 2004, 391 interpreters are contracted by the TIS and resident in Western Australia. The WA-based interpreters cover 76 languages. Central TAFE estimated in the abovementioned report that, to date, over 800 interpreters have been accredited in Western Australia; however, not all are current practitioners. The majority - 90 per cent - of interpreters who have been accredited are para-professionals with the remainder being professionals. (2) According to the above report, the areas in which they are most used are health, justice, education, housing and social welfare sectors. (3) Newly arrived refugees are considered to be most in need of interpreting services; however, interpreting services are required by anyone who needs assistance communicating in English. This includes people from the deaf community and Aboriginal people whose first language is not English. Members of new and emerging communities as well as members of established ethnic communities use interpreting services. Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian and Arabic are among the highest-used languages.
(2) According to the above report, the areas in which they are most used are health, justice, education, housing and social welfare sectors. (3) Newly arrived refugees are considered to be most in need of interpreting services; however, interpreting services are required by anyone who needs assistance communicating in English. This includes people from the deaf community and Aboriginal people whose first language is not English. Members of new and emerging communities as well as members of established ethnic communities use interpreting services. Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian and Arabic are among the highest-used languages.
(3) Newly arrived refugees are considered to be most in need of interpreting services; however, interpreting services are required by anyone who needs assistance communicating in English. This includes people from the deaf community and Aboriginal people whose first language is not English. Members of new and emerging communities as well as members of established ethnic communities use interpreting services. Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian and Arabic are among the highest-used languages.
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