❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice requests details on how the Attorney General's departments and agencies achieved the 3% efficiency dividend, including service cuts, alternative service delivery, and new service costs and benefits. The response details specific measures taken by the Commissioner for Children and Young People, Corruption and Crime Commission, Department of Corrective Services, and the Department of the Attorney General.
AnsweredQoN 1354Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
For each Department and Agency within the Attorney General’s portfolios, please provide, -
(a) a description of each of the initiatives to achieve the relevant Agency’s 3 percent efficiency dividend;
(b) a description of how the original services, provided by the initiatives that were cut in (a) above, have been met by other areas of that Agency;
(c) if services have not been provided to their original level, a description of where the Agency is increasing its level of service to create efficiency; and
(d) for each new service provided by the Agency, a description of the monetary and non-monetary, costs and benefits, attributable to the new service?
(a) a description of each of the initiatives to achieve the relevant Agency’s 3 percent efficiency dividend;
(b) a description of how the original services, provided by the initiatives that were cut in (a) above, have been met by other areas of that Agency;
(c) if services have not been provided to their original level, a description of where the Agency is increasing its level of service to create efficiency; and
(d) for each new service provided by the Agency, a description of the monetary and non-monetary, costs and benefits, attributable to the new service?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
26 November 2009
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Attorney General
Response time
35 days
Commissioner for Children and Young People
(a) The Commissioner for Children and Young People was not required to meet the 3 per cent efficiency dividend.
(b-d) Not applicable.
Corruption and Crime Commission of Western Australia
(a) The Corruption and Crime Commission identified two initiatives. First, it proposed to reduce the level of Regional Outreach Program activities associated with regional program service delivery in support of its corruption prevention and education function. Second, it proposed reducing its Misconduct investigation activities by referring more matters to appropriate authorities for investigation rather than conducting investigations itself.
(b) These services have been continued to be provided by a reprioritisation of Commission expenses and redirection of resources to lessen the effect of the 3% efficiency dividend measure.
(c) The Commission has maintained its services near original levels through a redirection of expenses and reengineering of business processes to achieve the savings required to meet service delivery.
(d) No new services provided.
Department of Corrective Services
(a)
1. Vacancy Management and Staffing Reviews
The purpose of vacancy management is to manage salary budgets initially at 95% of full funding capacity.
All non-critical occupation groups are to be managed in accordance with the purpose of Vacancy Management. The following Critical Occupation Groups are exempt from vacancy management targets:
Prison Officers
Juvenile Custodial Officers
Community Correction Officers
Juvenile Justice Officers
Psychologists
Teachers/TAFE teachers
Nurses
Medical Practitioners
2. Overtime Reduction
The Department has accelerated recruitment of prison officers and juvenile custodial officers to reduce the incidence of overtime.
3. Maintenance
Maintenance was deferred temporarily in 2008/09 to support the achievement of efficiency dividend targets.
4. Travel
Business area travel budgets have been reduced by 20% for most areas and 10% for Community & Youth Justice Division (CYJ). The lower reduction for CYJ is due to business travel requirements to remote communities.
5. Corporate Services
Payments to Shared Corporate Services providers were reduced by 3%.
6. Training
Training opportunities of a Corporate and Leadership Development nature have been reduced by $500,000.
7. Vehicle Management
Cost reduction targets of 10% have been applied to budgets for motor vehicle expenses.
8. Office Equipment
Office equipment replacement costs are now met from within existing resource capacity.
9. Acacia - Increased Population
The Department has achieved the expansion of double bunking at Acacia to accommodate a population of up to 900 prisoners, with further expansion to 1,000 in the coming year. The cost of accommodating these prisoners in Acacia under the contract framework will occur at a lower cost compared to accommodating them in the public prison system.
10. Mahoney Program
A proposed in-reach program will now not be undertaken. The program had not yet commenced.
(b) Services were not reduced by the efficiency dividend measures described in the response to part (a).
(c) Services were not reduced by the efficiency dividend measures described in the response to part (a).
(d) No new services have been required as a result of the implementation of the efficiency dividend.
Department of the Attorney General
(a) The initiatives undertaken by the Agency's 3 percent efficiency dividend include:
· salaries savings from the reduction of administrative support positions;
· reduction in purchasing of goods and services; and
· surrender funds associated with the Repeat Drink Driver Strategy.
(b) the original services have not been transferred to other areas of the Agency;
(c) the Agency continues to provide services as efficiently as possible; and
(d) three services have been transferred from other Government Agencies effective 1 July 2009. These include Office of Native Title, Copyright and Non-Government Legislative Drafting Services.
Equal Opportunity Commission of Western Australia
(a) The Commissioner for Children and Young People was not required to meet the 3 per cent efficiency dividend.
(b-d) Not applicable.
Law Reform Commission of Western Australia
(a) The Law Reform Commission was not required to meet the 3 per cent efficiency dividend.
(b-d) Not applicable.
Legal Aid Commission of Western Australia
(a-d) The Legal Aid Commission of Western Australia (LAWA) is an independent statutory authority funded by State and Commonwealth Government grant and is not formally subject to the 3% efficiency dividend. A range of self-imposed efficiency measures generally equivalent to the 3% efficiency dividend have been introduced to contain the rate of expense growth within LAWA.
Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions
(a)
1.
Ceasing of Applications for Pre-Recording Hearings
As the average length of time to finalise matters in the higher courts has reduced considerably since 2005, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has ceased applying for pre-recording hearings in other than exceptional circumstances. Children and vulnerable witnesses now provide evidence at the actual trial through the use of closed circuit television or screening arrangements. A pre-recording will continue to be considered in instances where an exceptional delay in the trial is expected or where necessary for the interests of the child or vulnerable witness.
2.
Reduction in the Number of Prosecutions that Proceed
The decision to proceed with a prosecution is considered in light of the Statement of Prosecution Policy and Guidelines required under the
Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1991
. A prosecution will only proceed where a prima facie case exists and the prosecution is in the public interest. It is not in the public interest to proceed with a prosecution that has no reasonable prospect of resulting in a conviction. However, this does not mean that only cases perceived as strong are prosecuted. Generally the resolution of disputed questions of fact is for the court and matters may proceed when, for example, the only evidence against an accused is the testimony of a witness. This is common in sexual assault matters, which currently constitute over 20% of matter types received by the ODPP.
A more robust attitude to early abandonment of certain prosecutions is now being taken, which will result in a reduction in matters proceeding to trial, producing savings for the ODPP. For example, historical sexual assault prosecutions, which are often problematic due to the deterioration of witness recollections and a lack of corroboration, may in the future not be proceeded with due to their lesser likelihood of achieving a conviction.
3.
Not Filling Positions that Become Vacant
Given that over 75% of ODPP funding is allocated to employee expenses, the ODPP will meet the balance of the efficiency dividend by not filling positions that become vacant in the future. On the basis that 36 employees ceased employment with the ODPP during the 2008 year it is likely that sufficient positions will become vacant in the future to fund the required savings. Positions critical to the delivery of the prosecution service will continue to be filled, however a number of support positions may remain vacant to achieve the efficiency savings.
(b-d) Not applicable.
Office of the Information Commissioner
(a) As a small agency, the Office of the Information Commissioner is exempt from the 3% efficiency dividend.
(b-d) Not applicable.
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(a) The Commissioner for Children and Young People was not required to meet the 3 per cent efficiency dividend.
(b-d) Not applicable.
Corruption and Crime Commission of Western Australia
(a) The Corruption and Crime Commission identified two initiatives. First, it proposed to reduce the level of Regional Outreach Program activities associated with regional program service delivery in support of its corruption prevention and education function. Second, it proposed reducing its Misconduct investigation activities by referring more matters to appropriate authorities for investigation rather than conducting investigations itself.
(b) These services have been continued to be provided by a reprioritisation of Commission expenses and redirection of resources to lessen the effect of the 3% efficiency dividend measure.
(c) The Commission has maintained its services near original levels through a redirection of expenses and reengineering of business processes to achieve the savings required to meet service delivery.
(d) No new services provided.
Department of Corrective Services
(a)
1. Vacancy Management and Staffing Reviews
The purpose of vacancy management is to manage salary budgets initially at 95% of full funding capacity.
All non-critical occupation groups are to be managed in accordance with the purpose of Vacancy Management. The following Critical Occupation Groups are exempt from vacancy management targets:
Prison Officers
Juvenile Custodial Officers
Community Correction Officers
Juvenile Justice Officers
Psychologists
Teachers/TAFE teachers
Nurses
Medical Practitioners
2. Overtime Reduction
The Department has accelerated recruitment of prison officers and juvenile custodial officers to reduce the incidence of overtime.
3. Maintenance
Maintenance was deferred temporarily in 2008/09 to support the achievement of efficiency dividend targets.
4. Travel
Business area travel budgets have been reduced by 20% for most areas and 10% for Community & Youth Justice Division (CYJ). The lower reduction for CYJ is due to business travel requirements to remote communities.
5. Corporate Services
Payments to Shared Corporate Services providers were reduced by 3%.
6. Training
Training opportunities of a Corporate and Leadership Development nature have been reduced by $500,000.
7. Vehicle Management
Cost reduction targets of 10% have been applied to budgets for motor vehicle expenses.
8. Office Equipment
Office equipment replacement costs are now met from within existing resource capacity.
9. Acacia - Increased Population
The Department has achieved the expansion of double bunking at Acacia to accommodate a population of up to 900 prisoners, with further expansion to 1,000 in the coming year. The cost of accommodating these prisoners in Acacia under the contract framework will occur at a lower cost compared to accommodating them in the public prison system.
10. Mahoney Program
A proposed in-reach program will now not be undertaken. The program had not yet commenced.
(b) Services were not reduced by the efficiency dividend measures described in the response to part (a).
(c) Services were not reduced by the efficiency dividend measures described in the response to part (a).
(d) No new services have been required as a result of the implementation of the efficiency dividend.
Department of the Attorney General
(a) The initiatives undertaken by the Agency's 3 percent efficiency dividend include:
· salaries savings from the reduction of administrative support positions;
· reduction in purchasing of goods and services; and
· surrender funds associated with the Repeat Drink Driver Strategy.
(b) the original services have not been transferred to other areas of the Agency;
(c) the Agency continues to provide services as efficiently as possible; and
(d) three services have been transferred from other Government Agencies effective 1 July 2009. These include Office of Native Title, Copyright and Non-Government Legislative Drafting Services.
Equal Opportunity Commission of Western Australia
(a) The Commissioner for Children and Young People was not required to meet the 3 per cent efficiency dividend.
(b-d) Not applicable.
Law Reform Commission of Western Australia
(a) The Law Reform Commission was not required to meet the 3 per cent efficiency dividend.
(b-d) Not applicable.
Legal Aid Commission of Western Australia
(a-d) The Legal Aid Commission of Western Australia (LAWA) is an independent statutory authority funded by State and Commonwealth Government grant and is not formally subject to the 3% efficiency dividend. A range of self-imposed efficiency measures generally equivalent to the 3% efficiency dividend have been introduced to contain the rate of expense growth within LAWA.
Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions
(a)
1.
Ceasing of Applications for Pre-Recording Hearings
As the average length of time to finalise matters in the higher courts has reduced considerably since 2005, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has ceased applying for pre-recording hearings in other than exceptional circumstances. Children and vulnerable witnesses now provide evidence at the actual trial through the use of closed circuit television or screening arrangements. A pre-recording will continue to be considered in instances where an exceptional delay in the trial is expected or where necessary for the interests of the child or vulnerable witness.
2.
Reduction in the Number of Prosecutions that Proceed
The decision to proceed with a prosecution is considered in light of the Statement of Prosecution Policy and Guidelines required under the
Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1991
. A prosecution will only proceed where a prima facie case exists and the prosecution is in the public interest. It is not in the public interest to proceed with a prosecution that has no reasonable prospect of resulting in a conviction. However, this does not mean that only cases perceived as strong are prosecuted. Generally the resolution of disputed questions of fact is for the court and matters may proceed when, for example, the only evidence against an accused is the testimony of a witness. This is common in sexual assault matters, which currently constitute over 20% of matter types received by the ODPP.
A more robust attitude to early abandonment of certain prosecutions is now being taken, which will result in a reduction in matters proceeding to trial, producing savings for the ODPP. For example, historical sexual assault prosecutions, which are often problematic due to the deterioration of witness recollections and a lack of corroboration, may in the future not be proceeded with due to their lesser likelihood of achieving a conviction.
3.
Not Filling Positions that Become Vacant
Given that over 75% of ODPP funding is allocated to employee expenses, the ODPP will meet the balance of the efficiency dividend by not filling positions that become vacant in the future. On the basis that 36 employees ceased employment with the ODPP during the 2008 year it is likely that sufficient positions will become vacant in the future to fund the required savings. Positions critical to the delivery of the prosecution service will continue to be filled, however a number of support positions may remain vacant to achieve the efficiency savings.
(b-d) Not applicable.
Office of the Information Commissioner
(a) As a small agency, the Office of the Information Commissioner is exempt from the 3% efficiency dividend.
(b-d) Not applicable.
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