❓ A WA parliamentary question reveals varying levels of compliance with the WA Languages Services Policy across different agencies within the Environment portfolio. Some agencies have specific policies and expenditure, while others rely on broader inclusion plans or provide services on an ad-hoc basis.
AnsweredQoN 6484Legislative 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 Environment; Water
Response time
30 days
Department of Environment and Conservation including the Office of the Appeals Convenor
(a) DEC's Investigations Manual instructs DEC officers in regard to the engagement of accredited interpreters. This manual was implemented in 2010.
DEC's Language Allowance policy encourages the use of employees for translating and interpreting for non legal matters, subject to the employee possessing accredited language skills. This policy was implemented in 2000.
(b) Total expenditure on translating and interpreting since 2008 has been:
? $24 paid to Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) for interpreting services in Korean
? $73 paid to TIS for interpreting services in Korean
? $24 paid to TIS for interpreting services in Serbian
? $115 paid to WA Interpreters for interpreting services in Greek
? $504 paid to Applied Language Solutions (UK) for DEC signage translations into four foreign languages.
(c) [see tabled paper no]
(d) Interpreters should be used in situations where a client requests or agrees to an interpreter. Interpreters must be made available if required in situations relating to legal enforcement matters. Information will be translated to enable consultation with specific sections of the community when needed.
Office of the Environmental Protection Authority
(a)-(d) The Office of the Environmental Protection Authority does not have a formal Policy regarding Western Australian Language Services, however it will provide these services as required.
Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority
(a) The Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority (BGPA) has a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2007-2012 and an Equity and Diversity Plan 2009-2014 in place which are reviewed annually and includes strategies for appropriate language services where lack of literacy in English is a barrier to service.
(b) Nil
(c) BGPA's Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2007-2012 is available on the BGPA website for any clients and the Equity and Diversity Plan 2009-2014 is available on the BGPA intranet for staff.
(d) Interpreters should be used in situations where a client requests or agrees to an interpreter. Interpreters must be made available if required in situations relating to legal enforcement matters. Information will be translated to enable consultation with specific sections of the community when needed.
Swan River Trust
(a) The Swan River Trust has made relevant staff aware of the key processes and questions to help determine the need for offering translating and interpreting services in certain situations as outlined in the Western Australian Languages Services Policy.
(b) Nil expenditure across all Swan River Trust Branches since 2008.
(c) Not applicable
(d) Interpreters should be used in situations where a client requests or agrees to an interpreter. Interpreters must be made available if required in situations relating to legal enforcement matters. Information will be translated to enable consultation with specific sections of the community when needed.
Zoological Parks Authority
(a) The Zoological Parks Authority does not have a policy for funding and delivering translating and interpreting services.
(b) Total expenditure on translating and interpreting since 2008 has been:
? $227.27 to Epoch Times Perth Pty Limited for translation of an animal brochure and map into Chinese;
? $697.40 to Translators International for translation of Indonesian quarantine conditions;
? The redevelopment of the Perth Zoo website incorporates an embedded widget to translate the content of the website into most major languages. This functionality was included in the total website project cost and it is not possible to provide a separate costing.
(c) Not applicable
(d) Interpreters should be used in situations where a client requests or agrees to an interpreter. Interpreters must be made available if required in situations relating to legal enforcement matters. Information will be translated to enable consultation with specific sections of the community when needed.
Department of Water
(a) The Department of Water's
Disability access and inclusion plan,
implemented 5 August 2009, is compliant with the Western Australian Languages Services Policy.
(b) $122.76 - Translating and Interpreting services
$197.00 - E Translate translation services.
(c) The Department of Water's
Disability access and inclusion plan
is available on the intranet and the Department's website.
(d) Interpreters should be used in situations where a client requests or agrees to an interpreter. Interpreters must be made available if required in situations relating to legal enforcement matters. Information will be translated to enable consultation with specific sections of the community when needed.
Water Corporation
(a)
The Water Corporation has a Disability Access and Inclusion Policy that articulates the Corporation's intent that its facilities, services, events and information are accessible and inclusive to the whole community. This Policy was implemented in 2006.
(b) The Water Corporation does not have a specific budget allocation for the use of the interpreter services. The Corporation pays whatever costs are incurred as a result of its customers using the service.
The total expenditure incurred since 1 January 2008 has been $12,743 paid to Translating and Interpreting Service National.
(c) [see tabled paper no]
(d) Interpreters should be used in situations where a client requests or agrees to an interpreter. Interpreters must be made available if required in situations relating to legal enforcement matters. Information will be translated to enable consultation with specific sections of the community when needed.
Busselton Water Board
(a) A Standard Operating Procedure was issued to staff on the 14th September 2010, which mandates the provision of an interpreting service.
(b) Nil
(c) Refer to (a)
(d) Interpreters should be used in situations where a client requests or agrees to an interpreter. Interpreters must be made available if required in situations relating to legal enforcement matters. Information will be translated to enable consultation with specific sections of the community when needed.
Aqwest
(a)-(d) Aqwest does not have a formal Policy regarding Western Australian Language Services, however it will provide these services as required.
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(a) DEC's Investigations Manual instructs DEC officers in regard to the engagement of accredited interpreters. This manual was implemented in 2010.
DEC's Language Allowance policy encourages the use of employees for translating and interpreting for non legal matters, subject to the employee possessing accredited language skills. This policy was implemented in 2000.
(b) Total expenditure on translating and interpreting since 2008 has been:
? $24 paid to Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) for interpreting services in Korean
? $73 paid to TIS for interpreting services in Korean
? $24 paid to TIS for interpreting services in Serbian
? $115 paid to WA Interpreters for interpreting services in Greek
? $504 paid to Applied Language Solutions (UK) for DEC signage translations into four foreign languages.
(c) [see tabled paper no]
(d) Interpreters should be used in situations where a client requests or agrees to an interpreter. Interpreters must be made available if required in situations relating to legal enforcement matters. Information will be translated to enable consultation with specific sections of the community when needed.
Office of the Environmental Protection Authority
(a)-(d) The Office of the Environmental Protection Authority does not have a formal Policy regarding Western Australian Language Services, however it will provide these services as required.
Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority
(a) The Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority (BGPA) has a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2007-2012 and an Equity and Diversity Plan 2009-2014 in place which are reviewed annually and includes strategies for appropriate language services where lack of literacy in English is a barrier to service.
(b) Nil
(c) BGPA's Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2007-2012 is available on the BGPA website for any clients and the Equity and Diversity Plan 2009-2014 is available on the BGPA intranet for staff.
(d) Interpreters should be used in situations where a client requests or agrees to an interpreter. Interpreters must be made available if required in situations relating to legal enforcement matters. Information will be translated to enable consultation with specific sections of the community when needed.
Swan River Trust
(a) The Swan River Trust has made relevant staff aware of the key processes and questions to help determine the need for offering translating and interpreting services in certain situations as outlined in the Western Australian Languages Services Policy.
(b) Nil expenditure across all Swan River Trust Branches since 2008.
(c) Not applicable
(d) Interpreters should be used in situations where a client requests or agrees to an interpreter. Interpreters must be made available if required in situations relating to legal enforcement matters. Information will be translated to enable consultation with specific sections of the community when needed.
Zoological Parks Authority
(a) The Zoological Parks Authority does not have a policy for funding and delivering translating and interpreting services.
(b) Total expenditure on translating and interpreting since 2008 has been:
? $227.27 to Epoch Times Perth Pty Limited for translation of an animal brochure and map into Chinese;
? $697.40 to Translators International for translation of Indonesian quarantine conditions;
? The redevelopment of the Perth Zoo website incorporates an embedded widget to translate the content of the website into most major languages. This functionality was included in the total website project cost and it is not possible to provide a separate costing.
(c) Not applicable
(d) Interpreters should be used in situations where a client requests or agrees to an interpreter. Interpreters must be made available if required in situations relating to legal enforcement matters. Information will be translated to enable consultation with specific sections of the community when needed.
Department of Water
(a) The Department of Water's
Disability access and inclusion plan,
implemented 5 August 2009, is compliant with the Western Australian Languages Services Policy.
(b) $122.76 - Translating and Interpreting services
$197.00 - E Translate translation services.
(c) The Department of Water's
Disability access and inclusion plan
is available on the intranet and the Department's website.
(d) Interpreters should be used in situations where a client requests or agrees to an interpreter. Interpreters must be made available if required in situations relating to legal enforcement matters. Information will be translated to enable consultation with specific sections of the community when needed.
Water Corporation
(a)
The Water Corporation has a Disability Access and Inclusion Policy that articulates the Corporation's intent that its facilities, services, events and information are accessible and inclusive to the whole community. This Policy was implemented in 2006.
(b) The Water Corporation does not have a specific budget allocation for the use of the interpreter services. The Corporation pays whatever costs are incurred as a result of its customers using the service.
The total expenditure incurred since 1 January 2008 has been $12,743 paid to Translating and Interpreting Service National.
(c) [see tabled paper no]
(d) Interpreters should be used in situations where a client requests or agrees to an interpreter. Interpreters must be made available if required in situations relating to legal enforcement matters. Information will be translated to enable consultation with specific sections of the community when needed.
Busselton Water Board
(a) A Standard Operating Procedure was issued to staff on the 14th September 2010, which mandates the provision of an interpreting service.
(b) Nil
(c) Refer to (a)
(d) Interpreters should be used in situations where a client requests or agrees to an interpreter. Interpreters must be made available if required in situations relating to legal enforcement matters. Information will be translated to enable consultation with specific sections of the community when needed.
Aqwest
(a)-(d) Aqwest does not have a formal Policy regarding Western Australian Language Services, however it will provide these services as required.
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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