❓ Mr Blayney questions staffing and office closures in the Mid West/Gascoyne fisheries department following machinery of government changes. The response details staffing numbers, office locations, and clarifies that no fisheries offices have closed, but some have reduced hours.
AnsweredQoN 5432Legislative Assembly
Asked
29 August 2019
Member
Portfolio
Water; Fisheries; Forestry; Innovation and ICT; Science
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to machinery of government changes bringing former
Department of Fisheries staff and offices in the Mid West/Gascoyne into the
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), and I ask: (a) Please detail staffing head count and full-time equivalent (FTE)
numbers in the areas of fisheries resource management, compliance and
enforcement, research and biosecurity in: (i) 2016-17; (ii) 2017-18; (iii) 2018-19; and (iv) 2019-20; (b) Please detail the office location of relevant
staffing head counts and FTE detailed in (a); (c) Detail how many staff specifically assigned to
fisheries-related roles worked out of offices listed in (b) in: (i) 2016-17; (ii) 2017-18; (iii) 2018-19; and (iv) 2019-20; (d) What is the total reduction in fisheries-related
staffing headcount and FTE since machinery of government changes began in 2017; and (e) I refer to the McGowan Government’s “rationalisation”
of former fisheries offices and staff in the Mid West/Gascoyne Region and I ask: (i) How many former fisheries offices have closed or are planned to be closed; (ii) Where are the remaining fisheries staff going to be located, by town; (iii) How many fisheries staff Level 6 or above were lost in the region as a result of the state government’s voluntary targeted separation scheme (VTSS); (iv) How many fisheries staff Level 6 or above have resigned since machinery of government changes began; (v) How many staff positions vacated in total, either through the VTSS or by
resignation, have been related to fisheries compliance and enforcement; (vi) Please detail any office locations that have had to implement restricted or reduced office hours as a result of rationalisation; (vii) Has any correspondence been issued by either the DPIRD or the Minister’s office to industry regarding the rationalisation; and (viii) If yes to (vii), please table the correspondence?
Department of Fisheries staff and offices in the Mid West/Gascoyne into the
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), and I ask: (a) Please detail staffing head count and full-time equivalent (FTE)
numbers in the areas of fisheries resource management, compliance and
enforcement, research and biosecurity in: (i) 2016-17; (ii) 2017-18; (iii) 2018-19; and (iv) 2019-20; (b) Please detail the office location of relevant
staffing head counts and FTE detailed in (a); (c) Detail how many staff specifically assigned to
fisheries-related roles worked out of offices listed in (b) in: (i) 2016-17; (ii) 2017-18; (iii) 2018-19; and (iv) 2019-20; (d) What is the total reduction in fisheries-related
staffing headcount and FTE since machinery of government changes began in 2017; and (e) I refer to the McGowan Government’s “rationalisation”
of former fisheries offices and staff in the Mid West/Gascoyne Region and I ask: (i) How many former fisheries offices have closed or are planned to be closed; (ii) Where are the remaining fisheries staff going to be located, by town; (iii) How many fisheries staff Level 6 or above were lost in the region as a result of the state government’s voluntary targeted separation scheme (VTSS); (iv) How many fisheries staff Level 6 or above have resigned since machinery of government changes began; (v) How many staff positions vacated in total, either through the VTSS or by
resignation, have been related to fisheries compliance and enforcement; (vi) Please detail any office locations that have had to implement restricted or reduced office hours as a result of rationalisation; (vii) Has any correspondence been issued by either the DPIRD or the Minister’s office to industry regarding the rationalisation; and (viii) If yes to (vii), please table the correspondence?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
11 February 2020
Responded by
Minister for Water; Fisheries; Forestry; Innovation and ICT; Science
Response time
26 days
(a)(i)-(iii)
Midwest-Gascoyne by Function
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Head count
FTE
Head count
FTE
Head count
FTE
Fisheries Resource Management
1
1
1
1
1
1
Research
2
2
2
2
2
2
Licencing and Management
13
10.6
13
10.6
9
8.03
Compliance and Enforcement
25
25
25
25
24
24
Total
41
38.6
41
38.6
36
35.03
Staffing changes are a result of voluntary severances and some vacancies no longer being required - there have been no compulsory redundancies at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
During the relevant periods, biosecurity services have been provided through the Compliance and Enforcement staff centrally located in the metropolitan region.
(iv) The Department is currently finalising a new integrated structure and is working through a number of matters to facilitate an orderly transition to that new structure. Details of FTE and head count by function are yet to be finalised.
(b)-(c)(iii)
Midwest-Gascoyne by District
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Head
count
FTE
Head count
FTE
Head count
FTE
Geraldton
Fisheries Resource Management
1
1
1
1
1
1
Research
2
2
2
2
2
2
Licencing and Management
6
5.14
6
5.14
4
3.57
Compliance and Enforcement
9
9
9
9
9
9
Total
18
17.14
18
17.14
16
15.57
Jurien
Licencing and Management
1
0.46
1
0.46
1
0.46
Compliance and Enforcement
6
6
6
6
5
5
Total
7
6.46
7
6.46
6
5.46
Carnarvon
Licencing and Management
2
2
2
2
2
2
Compliance and Enforcement
4
4
4
4
4
4
Total
6
6
6
6
6
6
Exmouth
Licencing and Management
2
2
2
2
1
1
Compliance and Enforcement
4
4
4
4
4
4
Total
6
6
6
6
5
5
Denham
Licencing and Management
1
1
1
1
1
1
Compliance and Enforcement
2
2
2
2
2
2
Total
3
3
3
3
3
3
(iv) The new integrated structure was release to staff on 25 July 2019. The Department is working through a number of matters to facilitate an orderly transition to that new structure. Details of FTE and head count by location will be difficult to determine noting that in an integrated structure officers from all the former agencies will be operating as a single agency.
(d) – 11.03
(e)(i) None
(ii) Please refer to answer to part (b)-(c)(iii) above.
(iii) 1
(iv) 0
(v) 3
(vi) Geraldton. The Geraldton office is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9am to 4pm and on Thursdays from 9am to 2pm.
(vii) No. Correspondence will be provided to stakeholders prior to the finalisation of arrangements.
(viii) Not applicable
Midwest-Gascoyne by Function
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Head count
FTE
Head count
FTE
Head count
FTE
Fisheries Resource Management
1
1
1
1
1
1
Research
2
2
2
2
2
2
Licencing and Management
13
10.6
13
10.6
9
8.03
Compliance and Enforcement
25
25
25
25
24
24
Total
41
38.6
41
38.6
36
35.03
Staffing changes are a result of voluntary severances and some vacancies no longer being required - there have been no compulsory redundancies at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
During the relevant periods, biosecurity services have been provided through the Compliance and Enforcement staff centrally located in the metropolitan region.
(iv) The Department is currently finalising a new integrated structure and is working through a number of matters to facilitate an orderly transition to that new structure. Details of FTE and head count by function are yet to be finalised.
(b)-(c)(iii)
Midwest-Gascoyne by District
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Head
count
FTE
Head count
FTE
Head count
FTE
Geraldton
Fisheries Resource Management
1
1
1
1
1
1
Research
2
2
2
2
2
2
Licencing and Management
6
5.14
6
5.14
4
3.57
Compliance and Enforcement
9
9
9
9
9
9
Total
18
17.14
18
17.14
16
15.57
Jurien
Licencing and Management
1
0.46
1
0.46
1
0.46
Compliance and Enforcement
6
6
6
6
5
5
Total
7
6.46
7
6.46
6
5.46
Carnarvon
Licencing and Management
2
2
2
2
2
2
Compliance and Enforcement
4
4
4
4
4
4
Total
6
6
6
6
6
6
Exmouth
Licencing and Management
2
2
2
2
1
1
Compliance and Enforcement
4
4
4
4
4
4
Total
6
6
6
6
5
5
Denham
Licencing and Management
1
1
1
1
1
1
Compliance and Enforcement
2
2
2
2
2
2
Total
3
3
3
3
3
3
(iv) The new integrated structure was release to staff on 25 July 2019. The Department is working through a number of matters to facilitate an orderly transition to that new structure. Details of FTE and head count by location will be difficult to determine noting that in an integrated structure officers from all the former agencies will be operating as a single agency.
(d) – 11.03
(e)(i) None
(ii) Please refer to answer to part (b)-(c)(iii) above.
(iii) 1
(iv) 0
(v) 3
(vi) Geraldton. The Geraldton office is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9am to 4pm and on Thursdays from 9am to 2pm.
(vii) No. Correspondence will be provided to stakeholders prior to the finalisation of arrangements.
(viii) Not applicable
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