❓ A Western Australian parliamentary question seeks information on the implementation, funding, and policies related to the Western Australian Languages Services Policy within the Police, Emergency Services, and Road Safety portfolios. The response details policy implementation, expenditure, and interpreter usage guidelines for FESA and WA Police, with ORS included in MRWA response.
AnsweredQoN 6476Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
In relation to the Western Australian Languages Services Policy, launched by Premier Colin Barnett in 2008, which states that Government agencies are required to have policies for funding and delivering translating and interpreting services that take account of relevant Government policy, legal circumstances and the needs of potential and current clients, I ask:
(a) what policies in each agency in the Minister’s departments have been implemented, and when;
(b) what funding and expenditure has been incurred since 2008 on translation and interpreting services by which agencies and to whom was the funding paid;
(c) can the Minister please table all policies which have been produced and are readily available to agency staff and clients; and
(d) in each agency, can the Minister please list which situations have been identified where interpreters and translators must, should or may be used?
(a) what policies in each agency in the Minister’s departments have been implemented, and when;
(b) what funding and expenditure has been incurred since 2008 on translation and interpreting services by which agencies and to whom was the funding paid;
(c) can the Minister please table all policies which have been produced and are readily available to agency staff and clients; and
(d) in each agency, can the Minister please list which situations have been identified where interpreters and translators must, should or may be used?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
1 December 2011
Responded by
Minister for Police; Emergency Services; Road Safety
Response time
30 days
Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia (FESA)
(a) There is no formal reference to the Western Australian Languages Services Policy (2008) in any documentation produced within the FESA Policy Framework.
(b) Total expenditure: $47 559.86.
(c) N/A.
(d) FESA is cognisant of the needs of CALD groups and routinely arranges for the translation of its public information and education materials into various languages to meet these needs.
In addition, during emergency incidents FESA has arranged for the translation of emergency warnings at the request of the Incident Controller to target identified CALD groups within the affected community.
Office of Road Safety
(a -d) The Office of Road Safety is administratively supported as part of Main Roads WA and as such the response will be included in the MRWA response under the Minister for Transport.
Western Australia Police
(a) Western Australian Police have two polices pertaining to language and interpreting services.
· IT-1.0 Interpreters and Translators - Use Of (Professionals) was Gazetted and implemented Wednesday 8 September 2010.
· IT-2.1 Use of Internal Language Assistants was Gazetted and implemented Wednesday 8 September 2010.
(b) In 2010/11, approximately $198,000.00 (rounded to nearest thousand) was spent by WA Police on interpreter/translation services.
In 2009/10, approximately $130,000.00 (rounded to nearest thousand) was spent by WA Police on interpreter/translation services.
In 2008/09, approximately $86,000.00 (rounded to nearest thousand) was spent by WA Police on interpreter/translation services.
[see tabled paper no.]
(c) Police Manual Policy is operational procedure for all Police Officers and is not available to the public.
(d) Western Australian Police policy states interpreters and translators must, should or may be used when:
· A person (including victims, witnesses, persons of interest and arrested persons) requests an interpreter;
· Police determine that an interpreter is required for a person to fully understand their legal rights and responsibilities after conducting the "English Language Test Questionnaire";
· Where the person speaks English as a second language; and
· Where a person is making a complaint about police and English is their second language.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
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(a) There is no formal reference to the Western Australian Languages Services Policy (2008) in any documentation produced within the FESA Policy Framework.
(b) Total expenditure: $47 559.86.
(c) N/A.
(d) FESA is cognisant of the needs of CALD groups and routinely arranges for the translation of its public information and education materials into various languages to meet these needs.
In addition, during emergency incidents FESA has arranged for the translation of emergency warnings at the request of the Incident Controller to target identified CALD groups within the affected community.
Office of Road Safety
(a -d) The Office of Road Safety is administratively supported as part of Main Roads WA and as such the response will be included in the MRWA response under the Minister for Transport.
Western Australia Police
(a) Western Australian Police have two polices pertaining to language and interpreting services.
· IT-1.0 Interpreters and Translators - Use Of (Professionals) was Gazetted and implemented Wednesday 8 September 2010.
· IT-2.1 Use of Internal Language Assistants was Gazetted and implemented Wednesday 8 September 2010.
(b) In 2010/11, approximately $198,000.00 (rounded to nearest thousand) was spent by WA Police on interpreter/translation services.
In 2009/10, approximately $130,000.00 (rounded to nearest thousand) was spent by WA Police on interpreter/translation services.
In 2008/09, approximately $86,000.00 (rounded to nearest thousand) was spent by WA Police on interpreter/translation services.
[see tabled paper no.]
(c) Police Manual Policy is operational procedure for all Police Officers and is not available to the public.
(d) Western Australian Police policy states interpreters and translators must, should or may be used when:
· A person (including victims, witnesses, persons of interest and arrested persons) requests an interpreter;
· Police determine that an interpreter is required for a person to fully understand their legal rights and responsibilities after conducting the "English Language Test Questionnaire";
· Where the person speaks English as a second language; and
· Where a person is making a complaint about police and English is their second language.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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