DEET Department of Employment, Education and Training · DEET is now a much different organisation...

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Purpose of the ReportThis Annual Report, in satisfying the requirements of Section 28 of the Public Sector Employment and Management Act and Section 10 of the Education Act, provides the Legislative Assembly and the public with an account of the NT Department of Employment, Education and Training’s performance in the financial year 2004-05 in meeting its stated outcomes.

©Northern Territory Government

Northern Territory Department of Employment, Education and Training

GPO 4821, Darwin NT 0801

Internet: www.deet.nt.gov.au

Reproduction of this work in whole or in part for educational purposes within an educational institution and on condition that it not be offered for sale is permitted by the Northern Territory Department of Employment, Education and Training.

Published by the Northern Territory Department of Employment, Education and Training.

Printed by the Government Printer of the Northern Territory.

P&P03/1067-1000

Northern Territory. Dept. of Employment, Education and Training

Annual Report / Northern Territory. Dept. of Employment, Education and Training.

Darwin: Northern Territory. Dept. of Employment, Education and Training, 2005 - v. : ill. ; 30 cm. Annual. ISSN 1448 - 0174

1. Northern Territory. Dept. of Employment, Education and Training - Periodicals.

2. Education - Northern Territory - Periodicals.

3. Manpower policy - Northern Territory - Periodicals.

4. Training - Northern Territory - Periodicals.

5. Industrial safety - Northern Territory - Periodicals.

331.11099429 21

GPO Box 4821 Darwin NT 0801 Telephone: (08) 8999 5857 Facsimile: (08) 8999 3537

Email: [email protected]

The Hon Syd Stirling MLA Minister for Employment, Education and Training Parliament House DARWIN NT 0800

Dear Minister

I am pleased to present this report on the activities of the Northern Territory Department of Employment, Education and Training for the period 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005 in accordance with the provisions of Section 28 of the Public Sector Employment and Management Act and Section 10 of the Education Act.

With regard to my duties as Accountable Officer, pursuant to Section 13 of the Financial Management Act, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the system of internal control and audit provides reasonable assurance that:

• proper records of all transactions affecting the agency are kept and that employees in the department observe the provisions of the Financial Management Act, the Financial Management Regulations and Treasurer’s Directions;

• procedures within the agency provide proper internal control and a current description of those procedures is recorded in the Accounting and Property Manual which has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Financial Management Act;

• no indication of fraud, malpractice, major breach of legislation or delegation, major error in or omission from the accounts and records exists;

• in accordance with the requirements of Section 15 of the Financial Management Act, the internal audit capacity available to the agency is adequate and the results of internal audits have been reported;

• the financial statements included in this annual report have been prepared from proper accounts and records and are in accordance with the Treasurer’s Directions; and

• all Employment Instructions issued by the Commissioner for Public Employment have been satisfied.

The department is working towards compliance with the Information Act.

Yours sincerely

KEN SIMPSON

ACTING CHIEF EXECUTIVE

30 September 2005

Overview

6 Overview > DEET Annual Report 2004-05

Chief Executive’s ForewordThis report is designed to fulfil my responsibility to report to the Minister for Employment, Education and Training, and subsequently all members of the Legislative Assembly on the work of the agency in 2004-05. It is also designed to inform all interested stakeholders on how well the agency has performed against the performance measures the government applies to the Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET), to summarise major initiatives and activities undertaken during the year and to briefly touch on the challenges ahead.

One major event during the year was the retirement of the Chief Executive, Mr Peter Plummer, on 29 June 2005 following a stellar career in the NT Public Sector which also saw him serve as Chief Executive of Territory Health Services and the Department of Mines and Energy. DEET is now a much different organisation than when Peter arrived in 2000, and in my view, a better organisation.

During his tenure, Indigenous education has become DEET’s number one priority and we have started to improve those outcomes. DEET has gone from being an ICT backwater to one of the leaders in Australia in ICT use in teaching and learning. The development of school leaders has been a priority, the decisions we are taking are more likely to be based on evidence and research and the prevailing culture in DEET which used to be based on an attitude of entitlement is now focused on our responsibility and the need for accountability.

Progress in these areas can, in large part be attributed to Peter’s leadership. His legacy is that we are well placed to take the next quantum leap in delivering improved employment, education and training outcomes.

How well then have we performed in 2004-05? This report provides details of our performance in training, school education and safety at work, however in snapshot:

• We have been successful in increasing the total number of trainees and apprentices in training from 2700 in 2003-04 to 3200 in 2004-05. Unfortunately, the number of Indigenous trainees and apprentices dropped slightly over the same period.

• In primary school education, while there has been a small improvement overall in the percentage of Indigenous students reaching national benchmarks in reading, numeracy and writing, overall our Indigenous students fall far short of the percentages of non-Indigenous students reaching benchmarks.

• In secondary education, while the number of Indigenous students receiving an NT Certificate of Education (NTCE) has risen from 28 in 1999 to 60 in 2004, this still is a very small number and represents only 9% of the total number of NTCEs awarded.

• It is pleasing to note that the trend since 2000-01 of a falling number of workers’ compensation claims being accepted has continued into 2004-05. Acceptances have fallen from 3765 in 2000-01 to 3262 in 2004-05. The corresponding cost of claims has, however, risen from $43.9 million to $70.8 million over the same period.

You can see there is still much to be done particularly in the areas of Indigenous education and training.

What then for the future? In my view, we should be involved in the emerging national debate about the nature of public education and training, what should be taught and how, and how it should be properly resourced.

7Overview > DEET Annual Report 2004-05

We need to improve the education and training outcomes we are achieving and, in particular, we need to bridge the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous outcomes if we are to ensure the economic and social wellbeing of the NT. This is DEET’s number one priority. Two specific things that can be done to assist this are, firstly, to ensure that the community generally, and individual parents and students place an appropriately high value on education and training; and secondly, to invest in quality research into how to bridge the gap between Indigenous and non�Indigenous outcomes.

I want to acknowledge the commitment and dedication of all DEET staff during the year, whether they be in schools supporting students, working with training providers, in workplaces promoting safety or in our head office supporting those service providers, and developing policy for government.

Ken Simpson

Acting Chief Executive

30 September 2005

Chief Executive’s Foreword


Who We Are and What We DoThe Department of Employment, Education and Training works with Territorians to build and protect our workforce, to improve education and training outcomes for our students of all ages and to provide safe working environments. We are committed to creating and improving pathways between school, training and employment so all Territorians have the opportunity to actively participate in the future of the Territory.

DEET’s functional responsibilities include:

• Forecasting and determining employment opportunities and developing employment initiatives

• Delivering quality educational programs to students in government schools and supporting non-government and higher-education providers

• Setting the direction and providing advice on the preschool, primary, secondary and tertiary education policies of government

• Overseeing and funding the training of apprentices and trainees

• Purchasing the services of public and private training providers to deliver a broad range of vocational education and training qualifications and competencies

• Developing and managing a suite of community responsive training initiatives

• Consulting with industry, government and the community on training needs and priorities

• Ensuring that training and accredited courses meet the needs of industry, community and other regulatory bodies in the NT

• Setting safety standards and managing work health programs

• Explaining and interpreting work health laws and standards.


DEET’s Strategic PlanThe Six-Point Strategic Plan presents the department’s key priorities and directions, including those areas identified by the Voice of DEET focus groups as needing improvement. The plan guides collective actions across the department in regard to its aims and goals. Work conducted by each branch and division is aligned to the plan to improve outcomes in the six priority areas.

The Six-Point Plan is:

BUILDING THE NT WORKFORCEKey Performance Statement: We will facilitate employment and training opportunities for Territorians, especially Indigenous Territorians.

Strategies & Projects:

• Workforce Employment & Training Strategy

• Workforce NT

• Jobs NT.

PROTECTING THE NT WORKFORCEKey Performance Statement: We will build the capacity of NT WorkSafe to promote a safer Territory.


• Legislative Review of OHS

• Legislative Review of dangerous goods

• Explosives Reserve upgrade

• Review of Workers Compensation – Work Health Act.

DEET WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDINGKey Performance Statement: We will develop DEET people to achieve better results.


• Workforce Development Strategy

• Retaining quality teachers for NT schools

• Retaining & re-invigorating teachers

• Attracting & preparing new teachers

• Investing in Indigenous Territorians

• Resourcing & valuing office-based/support staff.

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT & MAINTENANCEKey Performance Statement: We will improve school infrastructure to build better working, living and learning environments.


• Information & communication technologies – the next steps

• Interactive distance learning


DEET’s Strategic Plan• Lighthouse schools

• Resourcing remote education

• Resourcing urban schools.

IMPROVED EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR ALL STUDENTSKey Performance Statement: We will provide access to quality education that leads to employment, training or further education.


• Partnerships with higher education

• Building Better Schools

• Alternative provision

• Early Childhood Education Strategy

• National Accelerated Literacy Program

• Well-Being Project.

IMPROVED EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR INDIGENOUS STUDENTSKey Performance Statement: We will provide access to quality teaching and learning to meet Indigenous students’ needs.


• Investing in Indigenous Territorians

• Secondary provision in remote locations

• Indigenous partnerships

• ICC pilot – Wadeye.


HighlightsThe $42 million Building Better Schools package to improve secondary schools over the next four years was launched following extensive community consultation on the Secondary Education Report. Building Better Schools is focused on improving student outcomes in secondary schools across the NT, better engaging young people and their families in secondary schooling, and providing access to secondary education for Indigenous students.

The first comprehensive report on the Territory’s Workforce, The Workforce NT Report, was published. The report, part of the Northern Territory Government’s Jobs Plan, brings together workforce data and statistics, which will help government, industry and business plan for future employment and training policies and strategies.

An independent Teacher Registration Board was established to ensure the Territory maintains its quality teaching force. The board will ensure teachers employed in government and non-government schools have suitable qualifications and are encouraged to commit to ongoing professional development.

Some 8511Territorians, including a record 831Indigenous students, achieved their NT Certificates of Education in 2004. This continues the trend that has seen the number of Indigenous NTCE recipients more than double in four years.

An awareness campaign spelling out the potential health risks of asbestos fibres was launched throughout the Territory in December. Contractors, tradespeople, do-it-yourself renovators, maintenance officers and school principals were urged to ‘Stop. Think Asbestos. Seek Advice’ before undertaking renovation or demolition work that could involve asbestos.

1Includes government and non-government graduates


Major Capital Works• Nakara Primary School Stage 1 - redevelop to current design parameters and cater for 360 students ($1 million):

- Construction began in December 2004 and includes upgrade of toilets, disabled access throughout school, staff amenities, provision of covered walkway to car park and the provision of a caretaker’s facility.

• Alawa Primary School Stage 1 - redevelop to current design parameters and cater for 360 students ($2.05 million):

- Additional program allocation of $850 000 was approved in September 2004 and a further $200 000 in May 2005. Construction of existing classroom block and special education facilities, toilets and provision for disabled access throughout the school began in June 2005.

• Remote schools Stage 3 - improve various remote schools ($2 million):

- Work on the new Emu Point Homeland Learning Centre began in June 2005

- Work on new Shepherdson College secondary facilities began in February 2005

- Work on new Manyallaluk double classroom school began in May 2005.

• Parap Primary School Stage 2a - construct new classrooms and upgrade primary school facilities including classrooms, assembly area, canteen and landscaping:

- The project is funded in two stages, with $2.6 million for Stage 2a and $2.9 million for Stage 2b. Construction of stage 2a began in May 2005.

• Darwin High School Stage 1a - redevelop / upgrade, including new science and home economics buildings:

- Significant price increases resulted in an inability to proceed with both the science block and refurbishment of Block A. The project will now be funded over two stages - Stage 1a ($8.1 million) to construct the science and home economics building and Stage 1b ($2 million) to redevelop the existing Block A. Construction of Stage 1a began in April 2005. Design of Stage 1b has begun and construction should be finished by July 2006.

• Palmerston Senior Secondary College - provide new senior secondary college at Palmerston (Stage 1 with capacity for 450, core facilities with capacity for 750):

- Functional design brief was completed in 2004-05 with the concept plan to cater for up to 750 students, with construction to be staged depending on future demographic needs and the outcome of community consultation arising from Building Better Schools.

• Papunya Community Education Centre (CEC) Stage 1 - construct new secondary facility and a roof over the basketball court:

- This project was completed in May 2005 at a cost of $917 000.

• Kalkaringi Community Education Centre (CEC) - construct secondary facility with classrooms, information technology study space and multi-use science and home economics space, administration and ablution facilities:

- This project was completed in March 2005 at a cost of $1.133 million.

• Minyerri School - construct secondary facility:

- This project was completed in March 2005 at a cost of $1.066 million.


Population, Pie Charts and StatisticsThe Northern Territory population increased by more than 1 300 (0.7%) in the 12 months ending 30 June 2004, bringing the total to 199 913. We have a higher proportion of young people than in other jurisdictions, and our population is diverse and dispersed. About 22% live outside the six urban centres of Alice Springs, Darwin, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, Palmerston and Tennant Creek.

In terms of providing quality services, large numbers of geographically dispersed, isolated and small communities face cost disadvantages as a result of:

• diseconomies of scale

• isolation and the costs of obtaining goods and services in remote areas

• additional staffing and infrastructure costs such as housing, transport, and relocation costs.

As such, the average cost of delivering educational services to Territory students is significantly greater than in any other state or territory.

A young population

The Northern Territory has the youngest population of all states and territories with 26.7% under the age of 15 years. This compares with the national average of 21.2%.

Figure 1 Percentage of population in each state / territory under the age of 15 years, June 2004

Source: ABS 3201.0, June 2004

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%

NSW Vic Qld WA SA Tas ACT NT Aust

25%

30%

21.1% 20.6%22.0%

20.0%21.6% 21.6% 20.9%

26.7%

21.2%


Population, Pie Charts and StatisticsThe Northern Territory population of 5-19 year-olds has declined over the past four years, in contrast to a marginal increase in the same age group nationally.

Figure 2 School aged (5-19 years) population Northern Territory and Australia, 2000-2004

Source: ABS 320107 & 320109, June 2004

A diverse population

In 2004, an estimated 59 899 Indigenous people lived in the Northern Territory, representing 30% of the total population. About 31% of Territorians have a language background other than English. The two main languages spoken at home (other than English) are Australian Indigenous languages (31 269) and Greek (2 819).

Figure 3 Northern Territory percentage of population by Indigenous status 2004

Source: ABS 3101.0 and 3238.0

Indigenous 30.0%

Non-Indigenous 70.0%

40 000

30 000

20 000

10 0000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

50 000

60 00048 133

70 000

80 000

90 000

100 000

500 000

0

1 000 000

1 500 000

2 000 000

2 500 000

3 000 000

3 500 000

4 000 000

4 500 000

48 436 47 956 47 552 47 604

Northern Territory Australia

4.01m4.06m 4.07m 4.08m 4.1m


Population, Pie Charts and StatisticsFigure 4 Northern Territory percentage of population by language background 2001

Source: ABS 1362.7 2004

A dispersed population

The Australian Bureau of Statistics distributed the 2001 national census population across five classes of remoteness, as shown in Figure 5.

This classification shows that the entire Northern Territory population is dispersed across the three most remote categories, with 47% of the population residing in either remote or very remote categories.

Figure 5 Percentage of population by remoteness classification, 2001 Census

JurisdictionMajor Cities of Australia

Inner Regional Australia

Outer Regional Australia

Remote Australia

Very Remote Australia

NSW 71% 21% 8% 1% 0%

VIC 73% 21% 6% 0% 0%

QLD 51% 25% 19% 3% 2%

SA 72% 12% 12% 3% 1%

WA 70% 11% 10% 5% 4%

TAS 0% 63% 34% 2% 1%

NT 0% 0% 53% 22% 25%

ACT 100% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Least Remote Most Remote

Source: ABS 2001 Census

Language Background Other than

English 31.1%

English Speaking Background

68.9%


Population, Pie Charts and Statistics

The cost of educating our students

Figure 6 shows the cost of primary and secondary education and is an indicator of the relative cost of all education provision. Because of the Territory’s dispersed population, provision of educational services for students is resource intensive, resulting in a higher cost of service delivery than in any other state or territory in Australia.

Out of school departmental overheads per full time equivalent student in government schools ranged from $357 in NSW to $1 972 in the Northern Territory.

Figure 6 Real government recurrent expenditure per student, NT Government schools, 2002-2003 ($ per FTE student) (excluding user cost of capital)

Source: Table 3A.8, Report on Government Services 2005

Number of schools by sector

The two new non-government schools were the Gawa Christian School and Milkwood Steiner School.

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Government 150 149 150 151 151

Non-Government 32 32 33 33 35

Total 182 181 183 184 186

Homeland learning centres 55 50 54 55 53

Source: DEET Business Information Services

16 000

12 000

8 000

4 000

0

NSW Vic Qld WA SA Tas ACT NT Aust

In-school primary In-school secondary Out of school



Enrolments by sector 2000-2004


2000 2004

20 000

15 000

10 000

5 0000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

25 000

30 000

41 966

35 000

40 000

45 000

50 00041 418 41 391 41 408 41 879

Government Non-Government Total

33 258 32 726 32 605 32 635 32 898

8 708 8 692 8 786 8 773 8 981

Government 79.2%

Non- Government

20.8%

Government 78.6%

Non- Government

21.4%



Enrolments by sector, by region, 2004

Top End* Central Australia* Total NT

Government 26 450 6 448 32 898

Non-Government 6 226 2 755 8 981

Total 32 676 9 203 41 879

Government % 80.9% 70.1% 78.6%

Non-Government % 19.1% 29.9% 21.4%

Total % 100% 100% 100%

*Central Australia is identified by schools in the Central Storm, and Desert Oaks Cluster. Top End is identified by schools in the Darwin City, Northern Suburbs, Palmerston and Rural, Arnhem and Rivers (Katherine) Clusters.


Enrolments by preschool / primary / secondary

(NT Government schools 2000-2004)


Preschool Primary Secondary

20 000

15 000

10 000

5 000

0

25 000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

20 947 20 603 20 270 20 177 19 851

8 955 8 941 9 009 9 209 9 639

3 356 3 182 3 326 3 249 3 408



Enrolments by school level 2000, 2004

2000 2004


Enrolments by Indigenous status, NT Government schools 2000-2004


Primary 63.0%

Secondary 26.9%

Preschool 10.1%

Primary 60.3%

Secondary 29.3%

Preschool 10.4%

Indigenous Non-Indigenous

20 000

15 000

10 000

5 000

0

25 000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

20 772 20 34319 995 19 427 19 586

12 486 12 383 12 610 13 208 13 312



2000 2004


Number of VET students 2000-2004

An investigation into the drop in student numbers in 2004 revealed under-reporting that will be rectified in 2005. Though student numbers declined, course enrolment numbers increased, highlighting that students were re-enrolling to gain new qualifications once completing their original course.

Figure 7

Source: NCVER and DEET Employment and Training

Indigenous 37.5%


Indigenous 40.5%


Students Course Enrolments

20 000

15 000

10 000

5 000

0

25 000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

23 500

30 000

23 700 24 10022 700 23 100

21 700 21 800 22 40019 900 19 700



Work health injury incidence 2000-01 to 2004-05

Figure 8 shows that claims accepted have remained constant for 2004-05. This outcome reflects the total number of claims lodged, with significant claims being those relating to workers having five or more days off work as a result of a work-related injury. While reduction in claims has been minimal in 2004-05, this pattern is consistent across all industry sectors. The number of overall claims continues to decline, reflecting the impact of targeted programs in some industries and generally improving OHS performance by industry.

Figure 8

Source: DEET NT WorkSafe

Note: The number of claims accepted includes those that are deferred. Some deferred claims will subsequently be rejected.

Claims by significance 2004-05

Significant claims are those resulting in five or more days incapacity


Significant Claims 32.9%

Non-Significant Claims 67.1%

Claims Accepted Significant Claims

4 000

3 000

2 000

1 000

0

00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05

3 765

3 471 3 4823 275 3 262

1 345919

1 089 1 134 1 073

Performance Reporting

24 Employment (Employment Initiatives) > DEET Annual Report 2004-05

Employment

Summary of Outcomes and Outputs

Maximised Employment & Training Opportunities & Improved Work Safety

Practice

Improved Educational Outcomes

for All Students

Quality Choice of Education Alternatives

Maximised Training Opportunities

EmploymentGovernment Education

Non-Government Education

Training

Vocational Education &

Training Services

Outcomes

Outputs

Output Groups

Employment Initiatives

Regulation of Occupational

Health & Safety

Primary Education

Secondary Education

Preschool Education

Primary Education

Secondary Education

International Education

Tertiary Education

25DEET Annual Report 2004-05Employment (Employment Initiatives) >

EmploymentThis section reports on achievements in the areas of Employment Initiatives and Occupational Health and Safety provision against the NT Government Budget and DEET’s Six-Point Plan.

Employment DEET provides the capability to forecast and determine employment opportunities, to resource specific training programs and to ensure a skilled workforce is available to meet identified employment needs. DEET also administers and enforces the Work Health Act and the Dangerous Goods Act.

OutcomeEmployment and training opportunities for Territorians, and particularly Indigenous Territorians, are maximised and work safety practices are improved.


The implementation and refinement of the Northern Territory’s employment strategy, including labour market analysis has continued. Provision of specific training initiatives has also taken place, particularly for apprentices and trainees, to ensure a skilled workforce is available to meet identified employment needs.

Performance Measures2004-05

Estimate2004-05

Actual

Quantity

Employment training programs developed and introduced 7 8

Apprentices and trainees ‘in training’ 2 700 3 200

Quality

Apprentices and traineeship completions 45% 48%

Client satisfaction with services provided 80% n.a.*

Timelines

Agreed timeframes met for submission of employment initiatives and advice

100% 100%

Cost

Average cost per apprentice / trainee $5 194 $5 004

*Client survey delayed (survey to be undertaken by the Australian Government’s Department of Education, Science and Training).


EmploymentFigure 9 Apprentice and trainee numbers (’000), 2000-01 to 2004-05

Source: DEET Employment and Training

The 2004-05 numbers may increase due to unreported activity in the final quarter of the financial year.

The data shows a major increase in apprenticeship and traineeship numbers compared to the previous year where activity was steady. Overall, there has been an increase in training of 33.3% over five years and an increase of 20% over the same period in the number of commencements.

In-Training Commencements

4.0

3.0

2.0

1.0

0.0

00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05

2.4 2.42.7

2.83.2

2.0 1.92.1 2.0

2.4


Employment

Key achievements

Building the NT Workforce – facilitating employment and training opportunities for Territorians, especially Indigenous Territorians

ROLE MODELS: An additional $1.2 million in 2004-05, and an ongoing $2.56 million has been allocated to fund the continued employment of Aboriginal and Islander Education Workers. The program, previously funded by the Australian Government, assists with increasing Indigenous student enrolment, attendance and retention, literacy, numeracy and other educational outcomes. AIEWs are positive Indigenous role models for students and through their work in the school promote a culturally inclusive environment that supports students and school staff.

THE JOBS PLAN

The Jobs Plan – Building the Northern Territory Workforce is a strategic framework designed to build the Territory’s skills base, maximise its economic outlook and create a highly skilled and flexible workforce. It aims to deliver enhanced training and skills development, support apprentices and trainees and incentives for employers. Funding for the three-year plan will increase from $0.75 million in 2003-04 to $1.58 million in 2004-05. The Jobs Plan consists of three interlocking documents: The Workforce Employment and Training Strategy 2003-05, Jobs NT, and Workforce NT. The 2005 key performance achievements from each of the three documents can be found below.

• Workforce Employment and Training Strategy 2003-2005

POLICY REVIEW: During 2004-05, DEET has worked closely with industry associations, the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and the Environment, Northern Territory Treasury, training advisory councils and stakeholders to review the government’s policy regarding the employment of apprentices / trainees as a condition of capital works contracts.

DEET will continue to provide input into the government’s procurement policy when reviewed in 2005-06.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: In June 2005, the first in a series of professional development programs for registered training organisations (RTOs) was delivered in Darwin. Implementation of a program of professional development will assist RTOs with compliance to the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) and provide assistance to encourage training delivery improvements.

Topics to be delivered in 2005-06 include Developing Assessment Strategies, Risk Management, Quality and the AQTF.

SERVICE REVIEW: DEET commissioned the Northern Territory Council of Social Service to review the gaps in services and barriers to employment and training for disadvantaged Territorians. Since receiving the report in December 2004, the department has analysed its findings and will make appropriate recommendations to the Minister.


Employment• Jobs NT

SKILL SHORTAGE: Three rounds of employer Skill Shortage Trades Employer incentives were released between February 2004 and June 2005. As at 30 June 2005, 110 incentives were committed across a range of industries suffering from skill shortages in the NT. The incentives were valued at $7 700 each in rounds one and two, and $7 000 each in round three.

SMALL BUSINESS: Three rounds of employer incentives for small businesses were also released between February 2004 and June 2005. Some 228 incentives were committed across a range of businesses as of 30 June 2005. The Small Business Employer Incentives were valued at $2 200 each in rounds one and two, and $2 000 in round three.

LOCAL COMMUNITY: Two rounds of Local / Community Council Employer Incentives, valued at $4 400 each, were released between February 2004 and February 2005. Twenty-nine incentives were committed to councils across the Northern Territory. Because of the low uptake, the funding available for round three was redirected to areas of high demand (the small business and skill shortage trade incentives). Eligible local / community councils will still be able to claim incentives under the Skill Shortage Trades or Small Business Employer incentives.

SCHOOL APPRENTICESHIPS: Some 139 School Based New Apprenticeships in land management, tourism, automotive and construction began in 2004.

FOOTPRINTS: Footprints Forward Inc is an initiative of the Northern Territory Alice in Ten Indigenous Employment Challenge. A sum of $200 000 will be provided to Footprints Forward Inc in 2005 to help at least 75 young Indigenous people find jobs and remain in work for at least six months. By late May 2005, Footprints Forward Inc had assisted 41 Indigenous clients into either employment or further education.

An analysis of Footprints Forward Inc performance against set objectives will be undertaken in 2005-06.

• Workforce NT

FIRST REPORT: The inaugural Workforce NT 2004 Report was released in January 2005. The report been distributed widely among Northern Territory and Australian Government departments, industry, industry associations and community groups.

NEW REPORT: Work has begun on Workforce NT 2005, which will build on data and information contained in the 2004 report. Draft chapters for the 2005 report have been distributed to stakeholders for validation and the final report is due for release in October 2005.

MORE INFORMATION: The Northern Territory Occupational Shortage List was developed in response to stakeholder requests for more information about occupations experiencing shortages, recruitment difficulties and skill gaps. The list is based on skills shortage lists published annually by the Australian Government’s Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR). The final occupation shortage list was released in March 2005. It will be reviewed annually.


Employment

Future priorities

• Occupation (skill and recruitment) shortages in the Territory are minimised

• Indigenous Territorians participate in better-targeted training and employment

• Planning is informed by quality labour market and industry information

• More young Territorians are on a pathway to work

• Systems, processes and reporting arrangements are streamlined to add value and better meet local and national responsibilities.


Employment

Regulation of Occupational Health and Safety

DEET provides advice on occupational health and safety policy, identifies priorities and needs, encourages employers and workers in safe work practices and enforces compliance with occupational health and safety standards.


Estimate2004-05

Actual

Quantity

Occupational health and safety training sessions provided to industry groups

50 43

Completed occupational health and safety visits, assessments and enforcements

4 000 4 374

Quality

Industry groups and participants attending training sessions relative to the number of prospective attendees

5% N/A

Reduction in reported workplace injuries per annum 5% 4%

Timelines

Training programs provided within specified timelines 80% N/A

Cost

Average cost per visit, assessment, enforcement and training $1 169 $2 463

Figure 10 Injury incidence

2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05

Fatalities 4 5 7 4 6

Total Claims Accepted 3 765 3 471 3 482 3 275 3 262


Claims accepted have remained constant for 2004-05.

The number of claims decreased marginally in 2004-05 and this was constant across all industry sectors. The number of overall claims continues to decline.

31DEET Annual Report 2004-05Employment (Regulation of Occupational Health and Safety) >

EmploymentFigure 11 Claims by industry group

2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05

Accommodation, personal & other services

731 621 678 658 623

Agriculture, fishing 257 244 229 236 251

Communications 3 2 1 2 2

Community services 278 284 282 263 241

Construction 264 266 408 254 387

Electricity, gas 51 43 39 45 38

Finance, property & business services

333 311 267 325 377

Manufacturing 234 221 270 226 219

Mining 272 219 149 190 127

Public administration 472 463 376 368 353

Transport & storage 273 201 231 223 194

Wholesale & retail trade 597 596 552 485 450

Total 3 765 3 471 3 482 3 275 3 262


In 2004-05, the industry with the highest number of claims accepted in the Northern Territory is accommodation, personal and other services, with 623 claims representing 19.1% of all claims accepted. This compares with 20% in 2003-04. In 2003-04, 7.7% of claims came from the construction industry. The percentage of claims reported this year has increased to 11.8%. NT WorkSafe is addressing the increase with a targeted proactive prevention program in the construction industry.

32 Employment (Regulation of Occupational Health and Safety) > DEET Annual Report 2004-05

EmploymentFigure 12 Claims by occupation

2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05

Clerical 200 148 139 150 108

Professionals 358 296 304 305 279

Managers 82 112 90 68 66

Salespersons 505 498 496 473 470

Para professionals 433 444 463 447 444

Plant & machinery operators 564 604 531 500 518

Tradespeople 889 721 813 768 755

Labourers 734 648 646 564 622

Total 3 765 3 471 3 482 3 275 3 262


In 2004-05, the occupational group covering tradespeople submitted the highest number of claims accepted in the Northern Territory – 755 representing 23.1% of all claims accepted, compared with 23.4% in 2003-04.


EmploymentFigure 13 Claims by type of incident

2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05

Falls, trips & slips 674 663 653 613 606

Hit object with body 463 441 401 387 383

Hit by moving object 856 777 846 761 777

Sound & pressure 14 20 14 13 13

Body stressing 1 181 1 020 1 005 992 967

Heat, radiation & electricity 112 86 118 90 96

Chemicals & other substances 114 108 98 119 83

Biological factors 62 69 66 57 64

Mental stress 117 112 108 85 82

Other 172 175 173 158 191

Total 3 765 3 471 3 482 3 275 3 262


In 2004-05, the Northern Territory’s largest cause of injury was body stressing with 967 claims representing 29.6% of all claims accepted. This compares with 30.2% in 2003-04. Body stressing includes lifting injuries and overuse syndrome.


EmploymentFigure 14 Claims by injury type

2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05

Amputation 15 22 13 14 10

Burns 119 101 104 114 93

Contusion 383 351 365 376 391

Disease-muscular 161 130 128 160 131

Disease-others 249 217 232 188 214

Disease-skin 67 54 76 54 63

Foreign body 149 129 162 109 130

Fractures & dislocations 270 288 303 296 300

Internal injury 1 3 0 2 6

Lacerations 529 544 553 479 473

Other injuries 135 143 140 124 116

Sprains & strains 1 614 1 450 1 372 1 316 1 278

Superficial injuries 73 39 34 43 57

Total 3 765 3 471 3 482 3 275 3 262


In 2004-05, the Northern Territory’s largest injury type was sprains and strains with 1278 claims representing 39.1% of all claims accepted. This compares with 40.1% claims accepted 2003-04.


EmploymentFigure 15 Percentage of workplace inspections by industry


Workplace inspections conducted in 2004-05 increased in all industry sectors except for the property and business Services, wholesale and retail trade and mining and manufacturing industries.

A more strategically targeted program for the construction industry resulted in an increase in workplace inspections from 672 in 2003-04 to 1460 in 2004-05.

For 2004-05, the following notices were issued

• 64 advisory notes

• 17 improvement notices giving businesses seven or more days to rectify an identified problem (all businesses complied)

• 7 infringement notices - down from 31 in 2003-04

• 14 prohibition notices in life threatening or other potentially serious injury situations.

NT WorkSafe officers have used a range of strategies to achieve workplace compliance including increased emphasis on cooperative agreements with contractors and issuing of various notices and worksite closures.

Agriculture, Fishing

0 200 400 600 800 1 000 1 200 1 400 1 600

208

Mining & Manufacturing

Electricity, Gas & Water

Construction

Wholesale & Retail Trade

Accommodation, Cafes & Restaurants

Transport & Storage

Property & Business Services

Public Administration & Defence

Education, Cultural & Recreation

Health & Community Services

Personal & Other Services

2003-04 2004-05

503

143175

113134

341470

243207

212216

106144

806786

6721 460

5668

215135

5676


EmploymentFigure 16 Workers compensation insurance business transacted in the NT ($’000)

2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05

Net earned premiums 52 432 60 149 66 165 70 704 74 518

Less: Claims incurred 43 861 51 753 64 596 64 630 70 785

Underwriting profit (loss) 8 571 8 396 1 569 6 074 3 733

Less: Commission 2 089 2 482 2 458 2 720 2 702

Less: Other expenses 5 039 6 301 7 436 8 584 9 561

Add: Investment outcome 7 862 5 307 7 548 11 535 14 584

Profit or (Loss) 9 305 4 920 (777) 6 305 6 054


Figure 16 represents an aggregation of figures provided by approved insurers. It excludes self-insurers and most of the public sector.

Insurers of the NT Workers Compensation Scheme made a profit of $6.05 million in 2004-05, despite an increase in overall reserves for anticipated future liabilities on current claims of almost $23 million. This increase in reserves improves the health of the scheme in terms of long-term liability and as a result, its overall financial viability.


Employment

Key achievements

Protecting the NT Workforce – building the capacity of NT WorkSafe to promote a safer Territory

BETTER SYSTEM: Work on redevelopment of the NT WorkSafe system used for administration of claims, insurance policies, occupational licences, plant and machinery registration, and workplace visits has started. The system used by WA Workcover was identified as the preferred solution of workers’ compensation and rehabilitation functions. The integrated business services channel developed by the Department of Business Industry and Resource Development was identified as the preferred system to manage licensing and occupational health and safety functions.

LEGISLATIVE REVIEWS: The new Dangerous Goods (Road and Rail) Transport Act 2003 and regulations, and the revised Dangerous Goods Act 1998 and revised dangerous goods regulations have all come into effect.

WORK HEALTH: The Work Health Amendment Act 2004 came into effect on 26 January 2005 and incorporated a number of Lord Report recommendations for improving the efficiency of medical and allied intervention in the NT Workers Compensation Scheme.

HAZARDS: A range of national standards were adopted during the year, and included the National Code of Practice for the Control of Major Hazard Facilities and the National Code of Practice for Noise Management and Protection of Hearing at Work. Legislation is being amended to incorporate the National Standard for Occupational Noise, the National Standard for the Control of Major Hazard Facilities, and the National Standard for Construction Work.

ASBESTOS: Approval was given to adopt the revised National Code of Practice for the Safe Removal of Asbestos, the National Code of Practice for the Management and Control of Asbestos in Workplaces, and the revised Guidance Note on the Membrane Filter Method for Estimating Airborne Asbestos Fibres under the Work Health Act.

ASBESTOS AWARENESS: An asbestos safety awareness campaign conducted throughout the Territory included a new website, information phone line, advertising, and other elements. The campaign encouraged stakeholders to ‘Stop. Think Asbestos. Seek Advice’ before undertaking any renovation or demolition work that could involve asbestos. Storyboards and a video were developed for remote communities and launched as a component of the workshops held in Tennant Creek and Nhulunbuy.

The asbestos website (www.asbestos.nt.gov.au) has proved a successful source of information and has averaged about 1 000 hits and about 2 600 pages viewed, per month.

0

Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May June

200

400

600

800

1 000

1 200

1 400

Month

Asbestos Web Hits

17

1 189

969

1 051984

1 011940 912

Num

ber

of

Vis

its


EmploymentCONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: Safety campaigns targeting ‘falls prevention in construction’ were conducted in Darwin, Alice Springs and Katherine. They involved an increased workplace visitation program and identified improved safety compliance as well as increased examples of best practice by industry in relation to preventing falls. Workplace inspections in the construction industry accounted for 1458 visits, or 33% of workplace visits, during the year, a 50% increase from 2003-04.

SAFESTART: NT WorkSafe updated the SafeStart Teacher Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) resource package, designed so teachers can introduce work experience students to work-safe practices.

MEDIATION REVIEW: NT WorkSafe reviewed the mediation process that is an integral component of the NT Workers Compensation Scheme. Stakeholders were consulted and a report outlining recommendations to address issues raised was finalised in November 2004.

MEDIATION PANEL: A total of 233 requests for mediation resulting in 105 mediation conferences and the remaining 128 requests were resolved without the need for conferences. Of the applications received, 102 were for initial claim determination, 77 were for cancellation or reduction of benefits and the remaining 54 related to rehabilitation, medical and other matters. Insurers changed their decision in 36 instances and a further 39 resulted in some form of conditional change while 137 requests did not result in any change to the original decision. Further, 13 claimants withdrew their applications and eight mediations were not finalised at the end of the reporting period.

PERMANENT IMPAIRMENT PANEL: Fifty-two new applications were made for reassessment and 16 remained outstanding from the previous year. Of the 68, three were withdrawn, 37 were completed, 12 remained outstanding at the end of the year and 16 were not accepted. Of the 37 reassessments completed, 16 resulted in an increased percentage, 12 decreased and nine remained the same.

AMMONIUM NITRATE: Ammonium nitrate was classified under the Dangerous Goods legislation as a security sensitive substance in October 2004. The current licensing and permit requirements under the Dangerous Goods Act are being used to ensure the required administrative arrangements for the use, manufacture, storage, transport, supply, import and export of ammonium nitrate are enacted.

MAJOR EVENTS: NT WorkSafe helped organisers of the Arafura Games, Greek Glenti, V8 Supercars and other community events to develop their safety management processes so that safety issues were appropriately addressed.


Employment

Future Priorities

• Eliminate work-related injuries, occupational disease and fatalities

• Implement the National Occupational Health and Safety Strategy and injury and fatality reduction targets in the Territory

• Continue to focus on improving safety in the construction industry by working collaboratively with the industry to develop and implement safety management plans

• Develop an integrated Work Health Information System amalgamating a range of current stand-alone reporting fields for improved occupational health and safety, workers’ compensation and rehabilitation, plant registration and occupational licensing and related functions to improve planning and reporting within NT WorkSafe

• Provide and deliver expanded safety management programs to regional areas

• Develop an audit program for major hazard facilities such as the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Plant incorporating operation of the facilities, their maintenance programs and emergency preparedness

• Introduction of new licensing requirements for

- asbestos demolition, renovation and removal

- occupational licenses

- security sensitive substances such as ammonium nitrate

• Develop the capacity of Territorians to self manage occupational health and safety to effectively strengthen government’s influence on OHS outcomes

• Work with government agencies to strengthen government’s influence on industry achieving Occupational Health and Safety outcomes via, for example, procurement requirements, incorporating OHS performance indicators for relevant positions

• Continually review the workers compensation scheme to ensure a sustainable, equitable and viable scheme allowing workers to return to work as soon as possible

• Provide WorkSafe officers with access to the Diploma in Government / Workplace Inspection to improve job- related competencies.

40 Government Education > DEET Annual Report 2004-05

Government Education



Practice


for All Students





Training


Training Services

Outcomes

Outputs

Output Groups



Health & Safety

Primary Education

Secondary Education

Preschool Education

Primary Education

Secondary Education


Tertiary Education

41DEET Annual Report 2004-05Government Education >

Government EducationThis section reports on the provision and delivery of quality educational programs to preschool, primary, secondary and vocational education and training students in government schools. The provision of funding for Charles Darwin University and the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education is also reported here. This section reports against the NT Government Budget and DEET’s Six-Point Plan.

OutcomeImproved educational outcomes for all students, particularly Indigenous students, in all key-learning areas.

Preschool Education

DEET provides access to optional part-time or full-time schooling in government schools for children aged from four years in urban areas and from three years in remote areas.


Estimate2004-05

Actual

Quantity

Total preschool enrolments 3 401 3 4081

Indigenous preschool student enrolments 1 473 1 4031

Timelines

Preschool education delivered during designated four terms 100% 100%

Cost

Average cost per student $5 521 $5 981

1Age grade August 2004 Census

Figure 17 Preschool enrolments by Indigenous status (government schools)


Figure 17 shows preschool enrolments by Indigenous status in government schools from 2000-2004. In 2004, Indigenous students represented 41% of the total students enrolled in government preschools.

Indigenous Non-Indigenous Total

4 000

3 000

2 000

1 000

0

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

3 3563 182 3 326 3 249

3 408

2 227 2 054 2 003 1 843 2 005

1 129 1 1281 323 1 406 1 403



Primary Education

DEET provides comprehensive education programs for students in government primary schools from Transition to Year 7. It also provides curriculum programs to develop the knowledge, attitudes, skills and processes that promote children’s learning and development, and which prepares them for further schooling.


Estimate2004-05

Actual

Quantity

Total primary school student enrolments 20 535 19 8511

Indigenous primary student enrolments 8 807 8 5501

Schools providing primary education 138 138

Quality

Non-Indigenous students achieving national reading benchmark

• Year 3 89% 87%

• Year 5 95% 91%

Urban Indigenous students achieving national reading benchmark

• Year 3 63% 57%

• Year 5 78% 62%

Remote Indigenous students achieving national reading benchmark

• Year 3 30% 20%

• Year 5 32% 21%

Non-Indigenous students achieving national numeracy benchmark

• Year 3 95% 97%

• Year 5 91% 89%

Urban Indigenous students achieving national numeracy benchmark

• Year 3 89% 80%

• Year 5 67% 56%

Remote Indigenous students achieving national numeracy benchmark

• Year 3 52% 48%

• Year 5 26% 16%

Timelines

Primary education delivered during designated four terms 100% 100%

Cost




Government EducationFigure 18 Primary enrolments by Indigenous status (government schools)


Figure 18 shows primary enrolments by Indigenous status in government schools from 2000�2004. In 2004, Indigenous students represented 43% of students enrolled in government primary schools. Enrolments for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students appear to have stabilised or decreased. This is a reflection of improvements in DEET’s data collection systems. For example, duplicate enrolments have been removed. The number of Indigenous students is expected to increase as a percentage of government school enrolments over time, reflecting growth in the Indigenous population.

Literacy and numeracy performance for primary school students

Each year students in Years 3, 5 and 7 (ages 8, 10 and 12 in remote schools where combined year level classes may occur) are assessed under the Multilevel Assessment Program (MAP). Student attainment in numeracy, reading, writing and spelling is measured and reported against national standards that reflect the minimum achievement level required for a child to progress through school.

Student achievement is presented as the percentage of students that participated in the test who achieved the national benchmark. Participation is the percentage of students who sat the test out of the total enrolment of students in the cohort derived from age-grade census data collected in August of each year. Not all students who are enrolled sit the test. Work is underway to investigate the reasons for non-participation so DEET can interrogate the default assumption that those who don’t participate do not reach benchmark. This would complete the assessment of the entire cohort and their literacy and numeracy ability.

Figures 19 to 27 show the achievement figures for Northern Territory Government schools for Years 3, 5 and 7 in reading, numeracy and writing.

Results are reported in more detail in the following pages.

8 000

6 000

4 000

2 0000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

10 000

12 000

20 947

14 000

16 000

18 000

20 000


22 000

24 000

20 603 20 270 20 177 19 851

12 185 11 960 11 739 11 478 11 301

8 762 8 643 8 531 8 699 8 550


Government EducationFigure 19 Year 3 reading achievement


Figure 19 shows the percentage of participating Year 3 students achieving the national reading benchmark in NT government schools 2001–2004.

It is important to note that these results look at the performance of particular cohorts of students in a given year. Each year represents a new cohort of Year 3, 5 and 7 students to be tested. Any analysis of the comparative performance of students in Year 3 in 2002 and Year 5 in 2004 should be treated with caution because it cannot be assumed that the same students are sitting the test at these two points in time. Factors such as interstate migration, movement between government and non-government sectors and delayed progression of students through year levels make it difficult to compare cohorts from different times.

Year 3 results show an improvement in the percentage of participating Indigenous students achieving the national reading benchmark from 29.7% in 2001 to 40.2% in 2004. While not showing as significant an improvement over this period, the overall performance of non-Indigenous students remains considerably higher than Indigenous students.

Figure 20 Year 5 reading achievement



80.0%

60.0%

40.0%

20.0%

0.0%

2001 2002 2003 2004

82.5%

100.0%87.9% 84.9% 87.4%

29.7%38.1% 35.9%

40.2%


80.0%

60.0%

40.0%

20.0%

0.0%

2001 2002 2003 2004

86.6%100.0% 92.2% 91.6% 90.5%

32.8%

47.1% 48.6%44.6%


Government EducationFigure 20 shows the percentage of participating Year 5 students achieving the national reading benchmark in NT government schools 2001-2004.

As with the Year 3 results, the Year 5 results show improved performance for participating Indigenous (32.8%-44.6%) and non-Indigenous (86.6%-90.5%) students achieving the national reading benchmark from 2001 to 2004.

For both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students the performance of the Year 5 cohort in the reading test was better than the performance of the Year 3 cohort.

Figure 21 Year 7 reading achievement


Figure 21 shows the percentage of participating Year 7 students achieving the national reading benchmark in NT government schools 2001–2004.

Results show a decline in the percentage of participating Year 7 Indigenous students achieving the national reading benchmark over this period. Results for non-Indigenous students have improved.

Figure 22 Year 3 numeracy achievement



80.0%

60.0%

40.0%

20.0%

0.0%

2001 2002 2003 2004

85.9%100.0%

88.6%

96.0%

88.8%

38.2%

53.5%

36.2%39.9%


80.0%

60.0%

40.0%

20.0%

0.0%

2001 2002 2003 2004

65.6%

100.0%

73.9%65.9%

63.7%

95.6% 96.5% 95.9% 96.8%


Government EducationFigure 22 shows the percentage of participating Year 3 students achieving the national numeracy benchmark in NT government schools 2001-2004. In 2004, 63.7% of the participating Indigenous students achieved the Year 3 numeracy benchmark – a decrease of 1.9% from 2001. Some 96.8% of non-Indigenous students participating in Year 3 numeracy achieved benchmark.



Figure 23 shows the percentage of participating Year 5 students achieving the national numeracy benchmark in NT government schools from 2001-2004.

In 2004, 37.9% of participating Indigenous students achieved the Year 5 numeracy benchmark, an increase of 6.7% on the 2001 figure. Some 88.8% of participating non�Indigenous students achieved the numeracy benchmark.




80.0%

60.0%

40.0%

20.0%

0.0%

2001 2002 2003 2004

100.0%

83.1%85.1% 85.1% 83.9%

22.9%27.3%

32.5%26.9%


80.0%

60.0%

40.0%

20.0%

0.0%

2001 2002 2003 2004

100.0%84.7%

90.5% 90.9% 88.8%

31.2%

39.6% 41.9%37.9%


Government EducationFigure 24 shows the percentage of participating Year 7 students achieving the national numeracy benchmark in NT government schools from 2001-2004.

In 2004, 26.9% of participating Indigenous students achieved the Year 7 numeracy benchmark, an increase of 4% on the 2001 figure. Some 83.9% of participating non-Indigenous students achieved the numeracy benchmark, up 0.8% on 2001.

Figure 25 Year 3 writing achievement


Figure 25 shows the percentage of participating Year 3 students achieving the national writing benchmark in NT government schools from 2002-2004.

Figure 26 Year 5 writing achievement




80.0%

60.0%

40.0%

20.0%

0.0%

2002 2003 2004

100.0%85.1% 86.4%

90%

33.1%

45.7%

56.8%


80.0%

60.0%

40.0%

20.0%

0.0%

2002 2003 2004

100.0% 91.4% 92.3% 94.5%

36.5%

49.3% 48.9%


Government EducationFigure 27 Year 7 writing achievement



Northern Territory context

The introduction of a common geographical classification allows for a richer analysis of literacy and numeracy data across jurisdictions. Geolocations are based on a nationally-developed index of remoteness. The Northern Territory is mapped as follows:

Metropolitan: No region in the NT

Provincial: Darwin

Remote: Alice Springs, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, and Tennant Creek

Very remote: All other areas of the NT

The data presented here represents achievements for both government and non-government sectors and includes a graphical indication of 95% confidence limits. These show the range of values between which there is a 95% probability of the actual achievement rate existing.

How the NT compares with national averages

Years 3, 5 and 7 student achievement levels in reading, writing and numeracy in provincial and remote areas of the Northern Territory are not significantly different from the Australian average and, in some cases, out-perform the national results for these geolocations. Years 3, 5 and 7 student achievement levels in very remote areas of the NT are consistently lower than the Australian average for this geolocation. The apparent relationship between remoteness and student performance, as shown by these graphs, is most significant in the very remote geolocation. A key challenge for the NT is that 51% of our schools fall into the very remote category. The department is conducting further work to understand the determinants of such outcomes in the very remote setting and, in particular, the cost drivers and investment required to bridge this gap in student outcomes.


80.0%

60.0%

40.0%

20.0%

0.0%

2002 2003 2004

100.0%90.2%

94.0%92.6%

37.2%

46.0%42.3%


Government EducationFigures 28-30 Percentage of students by geolocation achieving the benchmark

Year 3 reading

Year 3 writing

Year 3 numeracy

Source: DEET Business Information Services & MCEETYA National Report on Schooling in Australia 2003

0%

Metropolitan Provincial Remote Very Remote

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

93% 92%82% 85% 87%

75%80%

71%

32%42%

Nil for NT

Australia 2003 Northern Territory 2003 Northern Territory 2004

0%


20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

93% 91%82%

90%82%

75%88%

64%

40%50%

Nil for NT


0%


20%

40%

60%

80%

100%95% 94% 95%

88% 90% 92%

71%60%

65%

Nil for NT


95%



Year 5 reading

Year 5 writing

Year 5 numeracy

Source: DEET Business Information Services & MCEETYA National Report on Schooling in Australia 2003

0%


20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

90% 88% 89%82% 79% 81%

63%

42% 40%

Nil for NT


88%

0%


20%

40%

60%

80%

100%95% 94% 88% 88%

82% 84%

69%

36% 35%

Nil for NT


92%

0%


20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

92% 90% 89%82%

79% 75%

61%

39%32%

Nil for NT


84%



Year 7 reading

Year 7 writing

Year 7 numeracy

Source: DEET Business Information Services & MCEETYA National Report on Schooling Australia 2003

0%


20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

91% 88% 89%83%

79% 72%

61%

42%36%

Nil for NT


87%

0%


20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

93% 91% 92%84% 80% 81%

67%

39%32%

Nil for NT


92%

0%


20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

83%79% 82%

75%68% 67%

51%

28% 24%Nil for NT


81%



Secondary Education

DEET provides quality full-time and part-time secondary schooling for children from Years 8-12, and facilitates vocational education and training (VET) subjects that provide additional options for students.


Estimate2004-05

Actual

Quantity

Total secondary student enrolments 9 462 9 6391

Indigenous secondary student enrolments 3 189 3 3591

Schools providing secondary education or secondary-aged programs

60 66

Students enrolled in one or more VET subjects 1 475 1 531

VET modules undertaken 14 362 16 827

Quality

Apparent retention rate from Year 8 to Year 12 68% 67%

Apparent retention rate from Year 10 to Year 12 87% 100%

Students who qualified for the Northern Territory Certificate of Education

627 666

Timelines

Secondary education delivered during designated four terms 100% 100%

Cost




Government EducationFigure 37 Secondary enrolments by Indigenous status (government schools)


Figure 37 shows secondary enrolments by Indigenous status in government schools from 2000�2004. In 2004, Indigenous students represented 35% students enrolled in government secondary schools, an increase of 6% on 2001.

Figure 38 Secondary school students (government schools) enrolled in VET

Source: DEET Curriculum Services

Figure 38 shows secondary school students enrolled in VET in government schools from 2000-2004.

In 2004, the number of government school students enrolled in VET subjects increased to 1 531, a 38% increase on the 1 110 in 2000.


8 000

6 000

4 000

2 000

0

10 000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

8 955

12 000

8 941 9 009 9 2099 639

6 360 6 329 6 253 6 106 6 280

2 595 2 612 2 7563 103 3 359

2 000

1 500

1 000

500

0

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

1 1101 169

1 442 1 4751 531



Apparent retention rate

The 2004 apparent retention rate compares Year 12 enrolments at August 2004 with the Year 8 enrolments at August 2000 and Year 10 enrolments at August 2002. It attempts to describe the retention of students through secondary schooling and is based on the assumption that the Year 8 students of 2000 and Year 10 students of 2002 will be the Year 12 students of 2004. It is a limited measure that does not consider the following:

• movement of students into and out of the Northern Territory

• movement of students between government and non�government sectors

• part-time students

• students completing their NT Certificates of Education over three years

• VET and other training participation.

The apparent retention rate of Year 8-12 Indigenous students in government schools rose from 22.9% in 2001 to 24.4% in 2004. The rate for non-Indigenous students rose from 86.3% to 90.7% over the same period. The apparent retention rate of Year 10-12 Indigenous students in government schools rose from 45.7% in 2001 to 60% in 2004. The rate for non-Indigenous students rose from 93.8% in 2001 to 110% in 2004.

The retention rate is an aggregate calculation and not constructed by tracking individual students. Therefore it is possible to obtain a rate greater than 100% if more students were enrolled in Year 12 than in Year 8 two years previously.

Improved student tracking

Centris, a central repository of student information, was implemented at the end of 2004. Work is continuing to improve the ability of NT schools to monitor student attendance, turnover and mobility. By 2006, Centris will also be able to capture and report against student outcomes for NT Curriculum Manager (eTool), SSABSA and VET.


Government EducationFigure 39 Northern Territory Certificate of Education


In 2004, 666 students in government schools received the Northern Territory Certificate of Education (NTCE), an increase of 41 on 2003. Of these, 60 students (9%) were Indigenous, an increase of 14 (7%) on 2003. This continues the positive trend that has seen the number of Indigenous NTCE recipients more than double in the past four years.


DEET provides policy advice, facilitates teacher and student exchanges, manages the fee-paying overseas students program and hosts and organises study tour groups.


Estimate2004-05

Actual

Quantity

Fee-paying overseas students 75 68

Quality

Students achieving minimum curriculum requirement 90% 90%

Timelines

Appropriate placement of overseas students in accordance with schedule

100% 100%

Cost

Average cost of facilitation per student $13 500 $18 748


600

450

300

150

0

750

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

579636 609

638 625666

551

606584 600 579

606

28 30 25 38 46 60


Government EducationFigure 40 Number of international students by sector in the NT 2000-2004

Source: DEET International Services

Nationally, the International Student Program has undergone a number of changes over the past two years that have resulted in reduced numbers of full fee paying overseas students (FFPOS) in the schools sector.

Changes introduced by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs have contributed to a decline in enrolments. These include the regulation of overseas agents, the introduction of an English language test for high school students and the cessation of a fast-track visa scheme for Chinese students, which in the past had boosted FFPOS numbers in NT high schools.

Many high school students are now choosing to enrol in foundation studies courses at Australian universities as an alternative pathway to tertiary study. Consequently, student recruitment activities will be re-directed towards the emerging markets of Vietnam and Thailand as sources of FFPOS and the short-term ‘study abroad’ markets in Europe, particularly Germany.

Tertiary Education

DEET provides funding for the Charles Darwin University, Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education and provides assistance to tertiary-level students.


Estimate2004-05

Actual

Quantity

Operating grant to Charles Darwin University $6.5m $6.5m

Repairs and maintenance grant for vocational and education training providers $2.6m $2.4m

Infrastructure grant for Charles Darwin University $0.569m

Other tertiary assistance $0.89m $1.231m

Timelines

Payment of grant as scheduled 100% 100%

100

75

50

25

0

125

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

150

66

Government Non-Government

124129

90

69

68

5749

38

24



Key achievements

Workforce development and capacity building – developing DEET people to achieve better results

VALUING TEACHERS: An independent Teacher Registration Board, comprising 12 members from the education community, was established in the Territory in September 2004. The board will ensure teachers employed throughout the NT have suitable qualifications, have undergone a criminal history check and are encouraged to commit to ongoing professional development. Some 3991 teachers have registered. Through the board, teachers can contribute to the development of professional standards that aligns with the National Framework for Professional Standards for Teaching, as agreed to by State and Territory Ministers of Education in 2003.

Infrastructure development and maintenance - improving school infrastructure to build better working, living and learning environments

LAPTOPS: A total of 2 389 laptop computers were allocated to teaching staff, and distance and online learning services were extended.

CYBERSPACE: An additional $2.25 million was allocated to improve information technology infrastructure in schools. Network capacity was increased by 25% to 8.5 megabytes. School servers were upgraded to support the Windows XP operating system and the Basic eLearning Toolset learning management system, and to provide more storage space. Centris was introduced to provide a central repository for student information collected from the student administration management system (SAMS) and to allow tracking of students as they move between schools. The NT Schools portal was introduced to provide web access to services and curriculum content available within the NT education network and access to email, personal and shared files.

ONLINE: The NT Schools Portal was extended to all schools to provide web access to services and curriculum content, and access to LATIS email accounts.

Plans are being developed to upgrade computer and communications infrastructure installed under the LATIS program. The new service will be introduced within the next 18 months.

VIA SATELLITE: Interactive Distance Learning (IDL) lessons have continued for schools of the air and the Northern Territory Open Education Centre.

An Interactive Distance Learning studio will be established at Katherine School of the Air in 2005, to enable the school to provide full time IDL lessons.

SUPPORT IN RED CENTRE: The Capability Development Unit established to support ‘at risk’ schools in the Schools North area continued to provide support to Top End schools. The success of the program has resulted in a unit being established in Alice Springs.

HELPING HAND: To address the administrative disadvantage of small remote schools, a Teacher Support Unit has been set up to manage housing issues and day-to-day administration issues for the Barkly region’s 15 remote schools. This 12-month pilot will be evaluated at the end of 2005.

FURNITURE: An additional $750 000 was allocated for new houses in remote communities and to upgrade furniture for teachers working in remote communities.


Government EducationSCHOOL EQUIPMENT: Funding of $500 000 was allocated for capital equipment needs such as desks, chairs, photocopiers, video recorders, whiteboards and lawnmowers for urban and remote schools and community education centres.

SMALL SCHOOLS: $300 000 was allocated to set up a $5 000-per-school grants program to assist government schools purchase books, information and communication technology, furniture, fittings and playground equipment. Funds were allocated to 64 schools. From 2005-06, two rounds of applications will be invited annually under the program.

MARVIN: Funding of $275 000 has been allocated over three years for the acquisition and support of Marvin software. Marvin allows students to create animated presentations by combining their own images and voices with a range of pre-defined characters. By the end of 2005, all schools will have access to the software, which will improve educational outcomes for all students and provide access to quality education that leads to employment, training or further education.

100 TEACHERS: Programs beginning in 2001-02 to recruit 100 additional teachers, introduce a student bursary scheme, establish an alternative education provision scheme and recruit more school attendance officers have been achieved.

SECONDARY REVIEW: The Priority Education Team was established in January 2004 to facilitate public consultation on the Report on Future Directions for Secondary Education in the Northern Territory (Ramsey, 2003). Following the consultation, the NT Government launched Building Better Schools, a four-year strategy to improve secondary education in the NT.

BUILDING BETTER SCHOOLS: The $42 million initiative to improve secondary education in the NT over the next four years began in February 2005. The package comprises:

• $15.37 million invested in students and learning

• $5.41 million to support Territory teachers

• $15.84 million invested in Indigenous Education

• $1.87 million to develop a leading edge distance education service

• $3.19 million to build stronger school communities.

Of the 24 funded initiatives, work has begun on:

• providing qualified counsellors for secondary schools

• establishing collaborative trials for remote areas

• establishing pools of specialist teachers to support face-to-face teaching in remote schools

• developing a leading-edge distance education service

• establishing professional learning communities

• expanding the range of vocational, enterprise and VET curriculum

• improving the delivery of vocational and enterprise learning and VET programs

• creating a more equitable staffing formula

• improving data collection, analysis and reporting

• developing learning profiles to record student progress


Government Education• establishing an Indigenous Students’ Leadership and Mentorship Program

• establishing a Chief Executive’s Student Forum program

• expanding the Capability Development Unit.

ACCELERATED LITERACY: The Accelerated Literacy pilot program was introduced to a further 14 schools, bringing the total to 20. By the end of 2004, the program involved 1446 target students, 751 of whom were continuing students. A further 121 teachers and about 80 non-teaching staff have been trained in the methodology. Charles Darwin University has undertaken an analysis of available data, which shows measurable improvements in literacy levels for accelerated literacy students. In 2004, the NT Government’s commitment of funds increased to $1.95 million. The Australian Government has committed $8.6 million over four years until 2008.

IMPROVED TESTING: A nationally credible literacy and numeracy testing program for years 3, 5 and 7 students has been established. The Multi-level Assessment Program (MAP) has been implemented through the partnership between Curriculum Corporation and DEET’s Curriculum Services Branch and Business Information Services Branch. This partnership has delivered improved quality and consistency of test design, specifications, data capture and analysis. Because Curriculum Corporation has been principally responsible for the development, administration and data capturing of the testing, DEET personnel have been better able to target their support to schools, assisting in analysing MAP data to inform whole-of-school and classroom planning, tracking student achievement and supporting educators.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: The additional $250 000 for Inclusion Support has helped schools integrate 525 students with disabilities into regular school settings and support their needs to enable them to fully access the curriculum and improve their participation and outcomes.

CENTRALIAN COLLEGE: An additional one-off grant of $3 million was allocated to Charles Darwin University to build a higher education facility in Alice Springs ($2.5 million) and to meet additional costs associated with the merger with Centralian College ($500 000).

CDU PARTNERSHIP: DEET contributed to the NT Government-Charles Darwin University (CDU) Partnership Agreement, building resident capacity to address the Territory’s significant community development challenges and skill shortages. Partnership activities included the National Accelerated Literacy Program and the Information Communication Technology (ICT) Teacher Technologies Capabilities Working Group to progress the integration of ICT to transform teaching and learning practice. An alliance between DEET and the School for Social and Policy Research (SSPR) within CDU’s Institute of Advanced Studies has seen mutual problem solving in key areas such as the Evaluation of Literacy Approaches Project, the DEET data warehouse enhancement and a review of DEET’s school-based staffing allocation methods. Dr Tess Lea shares a dual appointment as Director SSPR and General Manager, Business Planning and Information Division, to build expertise in areas of critical skill shortage for education policy analysis and evaluation.

The DEET-CDU EHS (Education Health and Science Faculty) Coordinating Group improved joint marketing of CDU courses to secondary students. The group also facilitated initiatives to promote science and technology in secondary and higher education, such as the science and technology awareness raising (STAR) program.

BATCHELOR: The Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education (BIITE) Amendment Bill 2005 and Charles Darwin University (CDU) Amendment Bill 2005 were introduced to incorporate the new requirements of the National Governance Protocols for Higher Education Institutions, bringing governance for BIITE and CDU in line with national best practice.



Improved educational outcomes for Indigenous students - providing access to quality teaching and learning to meet Indigenous students’ needs

WADEYE: The Thamarrurr Region’s Council of Australian Government (COAG) Indigenous Community Coordination Pilot (ICCP) was launched in Wadeye in March 2003. The project involves a coordinated, all-of-government approach to servicing the Thamarrurr region. This is vital work given that Wadeye is the Territory’s largest Indigenous community and is expected to be the fourth largest town by 2023. Enrolments at the local Catholic school rose from 467 in 2004 to 582 in 2005. The NT Government has provided $5.5 million to fund school infrastructure at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Thamarrurr Catholic College, including a secondary facility worth $2.2 million and six additional houses worth $2.4 million.

FOUR-YEAR PLAN: The development of a new four-year plan for Indigenous education is underway. It will build on the progress of the Indigenous Education Strategic Plan 2000-2004, developed as a result of the Learning Lessons Review, and will identify strategies to support improved educational outcomes and opportunities for Indigenous students.

KALKARINGI: In May 2005, the Kalkaringi Community Education Centre opened its new secondary facility, which includes classrooms, an information technology study space, a multi-use science and home economics space, and administration and ablution facilities.

AIEWs: An additional $1.2 million was allocated in 2004-05 to fund the continued employment of Aboriginal and Islander Education Workers. The program, which was previously funded by the Australian Government, assists with increasing Indigenous student enrolment, attendance and retention, literacy, numeracy and other educational outcomes.



Future priorities

• Improve access to education for Indigenous students and improve their educational outcomes

• Conduct a school-wide survey to assess the effectiveness of the Laptops for Teachers Program in schools

• Facilitate improved management reporting through the refinement of the corporate data warehouse and its end-user capacities

• Continue to engage stakeholders in the planning and implementation of Building Better Schools initiatives which include:

- supporting teachers to provide good teaching and learning through the development of a teaching and learning framework

- expanding support for special pedagogies to support students with special needs

- developing programs to encourage parents and teachers to work together more

- providing pathways mentorship to assist students to prepare for their future

- establishing an Interactive Distance Learning studio at Katherine School of the Air

- undertaking further community consultation on the development of leading-edge distance education service and on implementing middle years approaches.

62 Non-Government Education > DEET Annual Report 2004-05




Practice


for All Students





Training


Training Services

Outcomes

Outputs

Output Groups



Health & Safety

Primary Education

Secondary Education

Preschool Education

Primary Education

Secondary Education


Tertiary Education

63DEET Annual Report 2004-05Non-Government Education >

Non-Government EducationThis section reports on the provision of financial support to the education of Territory students in the non-government education sector.

OutcomeChoice of quality education alternatives for Territory students.

Primary Education

Administration of Commonwealth and Territory grants for non-government primary schools.


Estimate2004-05

Actual

Quantity

Schools providing primary education 25 28

Total primary student enrolments 5 117 5 1181

Indigenous primary student enrolments 1 397 1 1381

Grants

Grants administered in accordance with policy 100% 100%

Timelines

Education delivered during designated four terms 100% 100%

Cost



Secondary Education

Administration of Commonwealth and Territory grants for non-government secondary schools.


Estimate2004-05

Actual

Quantity

Schools providing secondary education 17 19

Total secondary student enrolments 3 505 3 6451

Indigenous secondary student enrolments 1 237 1 2641

Students enrolled in one or more VET subjects 290 320

Grants

Grants administered in accordance with policy 100% 100%

Timelines

Education delivered during designated four terms 100% 100%

Cost



64 Non-Government Education > DEET Annual Report 2004-05

Non-Government EducationFigure 41 Enrolments (non-government schools) 2000-2004


Figure 42 Enrolments by school type (non-government schools) 2000-2004


4 000

3 000

2 000

1 0000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

5 000

6 000

8 708

7 000

8 000

9 000

10 000


8 692 8 786 8 773 8 981

6 4526 3416 4026 3216 189

2 519 2 371 2 384 2 432 2 529

4 000

3 000

2 000

1 0000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

5 000

6 000 5 177

Preschool Primary Total

5 198 5 246 5 093 5 118

218231209210222

3 6453 4493 3313 2843 309

65DEET Annual Report 2004-05Non-Government Education >


Increased funding

Capital and interest assistance to the non-government school sector to expand and improve schools’ infrastructure has been supported through increased funding of $500 000.

Funding was approved for 10 projects at various non-government schools for the construction of additional classrooms, general learning areas, extensions and upgrades. These projects support the provision of approved educational facilities at non-government schools in the NT.

Additional financial assistance has been provided to non-government schools to reflect increased education delivery costs associated with curriculum, special student services and information technology.

In line with the policy for Recurrent Per Capita Funding for non-government schools, per capita rates are calculated from the preceding financial year’s actual expenditure adjusted for non recurrent costs and costs for services which these schools can access directly. The Recurrent Per Capita Rates for 2003-04 increased by an average of 6% over the previous year and the additional $600 000 was used to meet the increased payments to schools during 2003-04.

Future priority

The Non-Government School Ministerial Advisory Council will play a role in advising the Minister on proposed government accountability measures for non-government sector schools.

66 Training > DEET Annual Report 2004-05

Training



Practice


for All Students





Training


Training Services

Outcomes

Outputs

Output Groups



Health & Safety

Primary Education

Secondary Education

Preschool Education

Primary Education

Secondary Education


Tertiary Education

67DEET Annual Report 2004-05Training >

TrainingThis section details achievement in the provision of training against the NT Government Budget and DEET’s Six-Point Plan.

OutcomeTraining opportunities for Territorians and particularly Indigenous Territorians are maximised.

Training

DEET provides vocational training that meets the present and future needs of government, industry and the community, and which is nationally recognised in accordance with the Australian Quality Training Framework.


Estimate2004-05

Actual

Quantity

Annual hours curriculum delivered (as per DEST reporting) 3.28m 3.69m*

Quality 100% 100%*

Registered Training Organisations, compliance with Australian Quality Training Frawework (audit)

2.5%

4.43%**

Level of invalid student enrolments (audit)

Successful training completions 70% 65%*

Timelines

Resource agreements issued and monitored within appropriate timeframes

85%

90%*

Agreed timeframes met for submission of information to national agencies

100%

100%*

Cost

Average cost per hour of annual hours curriculum $17.29* $18.30

* Relates to 2004 calendar year

** Information technology issues at the RTO level were the main cause of invalid enrolments rising. This was due to RTOs transferring to new student administration systems at the end of 2004.


TrainingFigure 43 Annual hours of curriculum for VET 2000–2004


AHC delivery has increased by 11% over the five-year period 2000-2004 (Australian National Training Authority adjusted).

Figure 44 Annual hours of curriculum for VET 2000–2004 (by Indigenous status)


Overall, training activity for Indigenous Territorians increased by 29% over the five-year period, compared with a 26.4% increase for non-Indigenous Territorians.

ANTA Activity (A HC m)

4

3

2

1

0

5

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

3.328

3.806 3.710 3.6123.696

3

2

1

0

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

1.8752.235 2.159 2.093

2.371

Indigenous (A HC m) Non-Indigenous (A HC m) Not Stated (A HC m)

1.005

1.441 1.442 1.436 1.297

0.4480.131 0.109 0.083 0.028


Training

Key achievements

Building the NT Workforce – facilitating employment and training opportunities for Territorians, especially Indigenous Territorians

Workforce Employment and Training Strategy

The Workforce Employment and Training Strategy delivers the government’s vision, strategic direction and key priorities for the Jobs Plan – Building the Northern Territory Workforce.

The following represent key outcomes achieved against the Workforce Employment and Training Strategy1.

TRY-A-TRADE: DEET targeted middle secondary students with the Try-a-Trade event that provided hands-on experience in 10 trade areas including tiling, plumbing, roofing, electrical, hospitality and hairdressing. Young people were guided by qualified trades personnel with Group Training NT, Territory Construction Association and the New Apprenticeships Centre offering on-the-spot advice on apprenticeships and traineeships.

PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PATHWAYS: To increase the uptake of apprenticeships and traineeships, the successful 2003 trials into pre-apprenticeship training were expanded with additional programs being introduced across the hospitality, welding and construction industries during 2004.

PRE-VOCATIONAL PROGRAM: In 2004, $595 980 was allocated for the development and delivery of 12 discrete pre-vocational training programs that responded to industry and community needs. The programs included training:

• for employment at the Wickham Point Liquefied Natural Gas Plant

• to assist local industry to access employees to fill vacancies caused by the recruitment to the Wickham Point project

• for employment on the Department of Defence project at Bradshaw Station

• to assist young Territorians in the transition from school to work.

INDIGENOUS APPRENTICES: A support program for Indigenous apprentices and trainees has been implemented to provide better pathways and support for Indigenous Territorians. Examples of pre-vocational programs delivered in partnership with industry and remote communities are:

• A program to assist local Indigenous Tiwi men gain traineeships in the Sylvatech forestry operation on Melville Island. Of the 10 students enrolled in the course, seven have since undertaken Certificate III courses in Forest and Forest Products traineeships.

• An aquaculture program to train community members to harvest crocodile eggs and live crocodiles. Of the nine who began the program, seven have completed the course and have the opportunity to progress to a Certificate II qualification.

• A horse riding and horse care course that was developed after pastoralists near Elliot sought assistance to boost Indigenous employment in the beef cattle industry.

SCHOOL APPRENTICESHIPS: DEET continues to support initiatives that improve participation in school based new apprenticeships (SBNAs). Two initiatives are being implemented through group training organisations, with one supporting the implementation of SBNAs across the whole NT and the other focusing on the Katherine region. The number of students who began school based new apprenticeships decreased from 145 in 2003 to 139 in 2004. 1See Employment section for reporting against Jobs NT and Workforce NT.


TrainingTRAINING PROFILE: DEET compared labour market data (from the Workforce NT Report) with training data in 2004. The analysis was carried out to provide a better validation tool with which to consider submissions for funding under recurrent and user-choice programs. The analysis was also used to establish a trend across industry sectors and determine whether DEET was purchasing the right training to meet industry demand. The analysis showed that registered training organisations’ (RTOs) delivery for user-choice correlated closely with labour market demand. RTOs delivery under recurrent funding correlated closely to the labour market analysis in the ‘hard’ industry sectors, such as metals, engineering and automotive.

REGIONAL AND COMMUNITY TRAINING: DEET implemented initiatives to improve regional and remote training delivery through NT Regional Training Centres (RTC). These facilities are now equipped with computers and the capacity for interactive distance learning and have enhanced community access to NT funding programs such as Flexible Response, Community Response and the Training for Remote Youth programs. The four centres are located in Nhulunbuy, Katherine, Jabiru and Tennant Creek and now provide registered students with 24-hour, seven-day-a-week access to a learning facility.

QUICK RESPONSE: Flexible Response Funding (FRF) supports new training activities that are identified by communities and that lead to employment or increase opportunities for participants to enter the workforce. FRF is able to respond quickly to new and emerging training requests and provides pathways for career development or to further education and training for Indigenous people in regional and remote areas. A funding budget of $1.8 million is available, with actual expenditure of $1.721 million for the 2004-05 financial year (as at 31 May 2005).

REMOTE YOUTH: In 2004-05, funding of $1.1m was provided for the Training for Remote Youth (TRY) program in vocational education and training. TRY programs are aimed at Indigenous youth aged from 14-19 living in regional or remote localities. They focus on training activities that encourage youth to re-engage in school and further their education, increase their work skills and gain employment. Some 545 Territorians participated in one or more VET training programs under TRY.

VET IN SCHOOLS: The aim of VET in Schools is to provide students with training in an industry area that meets their needs, and which is a Territory economic development priority. A total of 1 851 students were participating in VET in Schools activities in 2004 compared with 1 911 in 2003. However, the average number of units of competence that students undertook increased from 9.7 in 2003 to 11.7 in 2004. The average number of annual hours curriculum per student also increased from 247.8 in 2003 to 300.8 in 2004.

NEW APPRENTICESHIPS: The 3 200 apprentices ‘in training’ as at 30 June 2005 represented an increase of more than 500 over 2003-04. Some 35% were undertaking training in the traditional trades and 24% were Indigenous Territorians.


Training

Future priorities

• Indigenous Territorians participate in better-targeted training and employment

• More Territorians are ready for job opportunities

• More Territorians begin and finish an apprenticeship / traineeship

• More regional and remote Territorians have the skills to suit available jobs

• VET is widely promoted and relevant information is widely available

• VET delivers high quality recognised training to Territorians

• Systems, processes and reporting arrangements are streamlined to add value and better meet local and national responsibilities.

Corporate Governance

74 Corporate Governance > DEET Annual Report 2004-05

Corporate GovernanceCorporate governance refers to the way DEET is led and managed to achieve its strategic goals and operational objectives. It is about promoting the department as a public sector organisation that is open, transparent, accountable and which values high ethical standards. Corporate governance also provides guidance on the way we conduct ourselves when carrying out DEET business.

A Corporate Governance Handbook was prepared in 2002-03 to enhance the promotion and understanding of corporate governance within DEET. The handbook explains the broad principles, concepts and elements of corporate governance in the public sector and outlines the specific accountabilities and requirements in DEET.

Annual AssessmentIn May 2005, the Executive Group agreed to self assess the state of DEET’s corporate governance arrangements. This followed similar assessments in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 when the checklist contained in the Australian National Audit Office 1997 publication, Applying Principles and Practice of Corporate Governance in Budget Funded Agencies, was used as the self assessment tool. The results from the May 2004 exercise were analysed and were presented to the Executive Group in July 2004.

Principles of Corporate Governance within DEET

1. Leadership The Chief Executive, Executive Group, directors, principals and managers provide leadership by example in articulating a coherent set of governance principles throughout DEET, and ensure that adequate checks and balances are in place. Responsibility and an understanding of the relationships between DEET and its stakeholders should be clearly articulated.

2. Integrity All staff are expected to be honest, objective and to have a high standard of propriety and probity in the stewardship of public funds and management of DEET. Corporate governance depends on the personal standards and professionalism of all individuals in DEET.

3. Commitment Commitment from all staff is required to effectively implement all elements of corporate governance. This includes better communication, systematic corporate management, emphasis on corporate values and ethical conduct, risk management, and quality service provision.

4. Accountability In working towards DEET’s corporate objectives, all staff are to identify their roles and responsibilities and be responsive and accountable for their actions.

5. Transparency Transparency in decision-making processes and actions, including in consultations with stakeholders and monitoring and reporting performance, enhances accountability and good corporate governance in DEET.

6. Integration The various elements of effective corporate governance in DEET are to be integrated into a coherent corporate approach in meeting Northern Territory Government objectives.

7. Social Responsibility All DEET staff are committed to ethical standards and an appreciation of the social, economic and environmental impact it has on the community.

75DEET Annual Report 2004-05Corporate Governance >

Management EnvironmentThe diagram shows DEET’s senior management as at 30 June 2005.

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Management Environment

LeadershipPrime responsibility for DEET’s strategic leadership and management rests with the Chief Executive and Executive Group.

The Executive Group is the department’s key strategic planning and decision-making body. It determines strategic directions, key performance indicators and policies at the highest level, oversees departmental operations and manages outcomes.

Following the introduction of revised executive management arrangements on 14 February 2005, the Executive Group comprises the Chief Executive, three Deputy Chief Executives, two Executive Directors, three General Managers Schools, a General Manager Business Planning and Information, General Manager Indigenous Education, Director NT WorkSafe and the Chief Financial Officer.

The group met every three weeks during 2004-05.

Regional visits were made to Elcho Island, Tennant Creek, Jabiru, Katherine and Alice Springs in 2004-05, with the remainder of Executive Group meetings during that period being held in Darwin. Executive Group members take the opportunity to visit schools and other educational facilities during regional visits and, on occasions, to participate in community activities.

The Chief Executive chairs a teachers’ forum in conjunction with each regional visit, during which he and other Executive Group members discuss current education-related issues and respond to questions and comments of participating teachers.

Departmental observers are invited to attend and participate in Executive Group meetings. In Darwin, this comprises two school principals and one director. For regional visits, three principals are invited.

Other departmental officers attend as necessary to make presentations to the Executive Group and invitations are also periodically extended to representatives from other agencies to address the group on particular issues.

Membership

Members of the Executive Group at 30 June 2005:

Chief Executive

Peter was appointed in May 2000 as the Chief Executive of the then Department of Education. Prior to that Peter headed up Territory Health Services for three and a half years. He was previously Chief Executive of Mines and Energy after having held senior executive positions in two other economic development departments in the Northern Territory. Before coming to the Territory, Peter worked in Papua New Guinea for 16 years in the secondary and tertiary education sectors. He holds qualifications in science, management and education. Peter retired as Chief Executive on 29 June 2005.

Acting Chief Executive

Ken has been Acting Chief Executive since February 2005. He joined the then Department of Education in May 2000. Prior to that he was General Manager Finance and IT for the Department of Corporate and Information Services. Ken has also held senior positions in the Department of Health and Community Services and the former Department of Transport and Works. He has been with the Northern Territory Public Sector since arriving in the NT in 1976 as an auditor with the Australian Auditor-General’s Office. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce, Post Graduate Diploma in Public Sector Senior Executive Management and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Mr Ken Simpson

Mr Peter Plummer



Deputy Chief Executive Employment Services

John was appointed as Deputy Chief Executive responsible for Employment, Training and WorkSafe in February 2005, following a period as Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training from May 2004. Before this, he held executive positions in the Queensland Public Service, including General Manager Training Services with the Department of Employment and Training, General Manager Workforce Services with the Department of Employment, Training and Industrial Relations, and Director Workplace Relations with the Department of Training and Industrial Relations. He also held senior management positions in the Queensland Department of Education and has business and industrial relations qualifications.

Acting Deputy Chief Executive Resource Management and Schools

John has been involved with education for 36 years. He is currently acting as Deputy Chief Executive Resource Management and Schools. He came to the Northern Territory in 1972 and, apart from three years on Christmas Island, has been here ever since. John is a former Principal of Taminmin High School and Darwin High School and has been General Manager Schools, Darwin and Katherine for the past five years. He has qualifications in science, education and the Public Sector Executive Development Program.

Acting Deputy Chief Executive Education Services

Ken was appointed as Acting Deputy Chief Executive Education Services in February 2005. He has worked in the Northern Territory for the past 26 years, having started his teaching career at Papunya in 1978 as a young graduate from Western Australia. He is the former Braitling Primary School Principal and has worked as Principal in Katherine and remote Central Australian community schools. His career has also included a stint as a Regional Superintendent in Tennant Creek and Alice Springs, work in the Department of the Chief Minister and as a Ministerial Officer. He was General Manager School Services between 2002 and 2004. Ken holds a Bachelor of Education, Graduate Diploma in Public Sector Executive Management and Diploma of Teaching.

Acting Executive Director Strategic Initiatives

In February 2005, John was appointed Acting Executive Director Strategic Initiatives responsible for Building Better Schools, Indigenous Education and the new Palmerston Senior Secondary College. Prior to that he was General Manager Schools, Arnhem and Palmerston. He is a former Darwin High School and Katherine High School Principal. Before coming to the Northern Territory in 1984, he worked as a teacher in Tasmania and India. He has also served in the Commonwealth Public Service in both the Social Security and Defence Departments. John holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and has completed the Northern Territory Public Sector Executive Development Program.

Mr John Hassed

Mr John Dove

Mr Ken Davies

Mr John Glasby



Executive Director Central Australia

Rita was appointed Executive Director Central Australia late in 2004. She joined the Department of Education in 1979, starting as a teacher at Numbulwar. Rita previously worked in Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia in various positions, including in private enterprise and the Commonwealth Public Service. After three years in Numbulwar, she taught in Darwin and Palmerston secondary schools. Rita has also worked in a range of advisory and management positions covering curriculum, professional development, policy and strategy development and review. She holds a Master of Education Degree, a Graduate Diploma in Intercultural Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management.

General Manager Business Planning and Information

Tess was appointed General Manager Business Planning and Information in April 2005, while in a concurrent position as Director School for Social and Policy Research at Charles Darwin University. She has operated in research, evaluation, policy and management roles in both the Northern Territory and Australian Governments, focusing on health, housing and education. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons 1 and PhD (Anthropology) and has research interests as an institutional ethnographer on the gap between evidence and policy.

Acting General Manager Indigenous Education

Dorothy was appointed as Acting General Manager Indigenous Education in September 2004, following her time as Head of the School of Education and Humanities at the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education. Dorothy has been involved in policy development, strategic planning and research, and has worked as a practitioner, administrator and manager in the post secondary sectors of higher education and vocational education and training. She has formally studied English literature, education and law and holds a Bachelor of Arts, Diploma of Continuing (Adult) Education and a Master of Education. Dorothy has also been a representative on the Northern Territory Board of Studies and the Australian Council of Deans of Education.

Acting General Manager Schools (Palmerston Rural - Arnhem)

Peter was appointed Acting General Manager Schools in February 2005. His substantive position at DEET is with the Schools Division as Principal Systemic Support North, Capability Development Unit. Peter started his teaching career in Victoria before joining the Northern Territory Teaching Service in 1976. He was a primary classroom and senior teacher in Darwin schools before becoming Principal of Umbakumba School in 1980. He was also Principal at both Angurugu Community Education Centre and Alyangula Area School before transferring to Gray Primary School in 1992. In 2003, he transferred from Gray to the Schools Division where he set up the Capability Development Unit. Peter continues to work with principals and school communities to improve student outcomes.

Ms Rita Henry

Associate Prof. Tess Lea

Ms Dorothy Morrison

Mr Peter Clarke



Acting General Manager Schools (Darwin-Katherine)

Steve joined the then Northern Territory Department of Education in July 2000 after 23 years in the South Australian education system as a teacher, adviser, school counsellor and principal. Steve also acted as General Manager People and Learning during 2004. He is currently Acting General Manager Schools for the Darwin and Katherine regions and his substantive position is Principal of Nightcliff Primary School. Steve holds a Diploma of Teaching, Bachelor of Education and Graduate Diploma in Public Sector Executive Management.

Acting General Manager Schools (Central Australia)

Paul was appointed General Manager Schools in October 2004 after almost 12 years experience in remote parts of the Northern Territory. He is a former Borroloola Community Education Centre Principal and also Group School Principal of the Katherine Group School. Prior to working in the Northern Territory, Paul taught in the country areas of South Australia. He holds a Bachelor of Teaching and a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Sector Executive Management.

Chief Financial Officer

Trevor was appointed to his DEET role in May 2000 after working in senior executive positions in the Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries, Department of Industries and Development and Department of Lands and Housing. His main experience has been in financial and infrastructure management. He holds a Bachelor of Business, majoring in accounting, and postgraduate qualifications in management. He is currently completing a Masters of Public Sector Executive Management.

Director NT WorkSafe

Mark joined the Commonwealth Teaching Service in 1981 and taught at Yirrkala, Nhulunbuy and Wagaman Primary Schools. Over 14 years, he worked as an elected trade union official with the NT Trades and Labor Council, Australian Education Union and Community and Public Sector Union, and as a senior industrial advocate for the Australian Council of Trade Unions. He returned to the Northern Territory Public Sector in 1999 as a manager within the Human Resource Services Branch of the then Department of Education in the areas of Equity Programs, Teacher Staffing and Employee Relations. He became Director of NT WorkSafe in early 2002. Mark has maintained an active role in education, employment and training, arts, recreation and sporting areas throughout his 25 years in the Territory.

Mr Steve Marshall

Mr Paul Newman

Mr Trevor Saunders

Mr Mark Crossin



Advisory boards, councils and committees

Several advisory boards, councils and committees covering the three facets of DEET - Education, Employment and Training, and NT WorkSafe - have been established under the relevant Acts of Parliament administered by DEET. They support the Minister, Chief Executive and Executive Group in building the capacity of Territorians through education, training and employment.

Reporting directly to the Minister are the:

• Northern Territory Board of Studies

• Education Advisory Council

• Non-Government School Ministerial Advisory Council

• Ministerial Advisory Board for Employment and Training

• Work Health Advisory Council

• Scheme Monitoring Committee

• Nominal Insurer

• Learning Lessons Implementation Steering Committee.



Role Members

The NT Board of Studies consists of 16 members, including an independent chair appointed by the Minister. The board has a permanent observer from DEET and is supported by an executive officer.

The board advises both the Minister and the Chief Executive on curriculum policy in relation to:

- establishing and maintaining curriculum frameworks

- establishing and maintaining procedures for student assessment, reporting and certification

- monitoring, evaluating and reporting of student performances

- improving student outcomes

- Government policy that affects the board’s functions.

The board also cooperates and consults with prescribed authorities or bodies engaged in education and related matters.

It is involved with the issuing of certificates in respect of educational attainments.

It also maintains records of assessments in relation to students or former students, and can issue copies of such upon request.

The board met four times.

Board members are drawn from the following interest groups or bodies:

• Vacant - Chair (previous Chair, Prof Greg Hill, resigned in April 2005)

• Dee-Ann Vahlberg - parent of a child who attends a government school

• Patricia Hancock - parent of a child who attends a non-government school

• Dale Pascoe - parent of a child who attends a remote school

• Vacant - practising teacher (previous member, Leanne Rushforth, resigned in December 2004)

• Nadine Williams - Australian Education Union

• Vacant - post-school education (previous member, Nicholas Richardson, resigned in December 2004)

• Stephen Marshall - head teacher of a primary school

• Joanne Earl - head teacher of a secondary school

• Ken Davies - employee of the department administering the Education Act

• John Gaulke - Trades and Labor Council

• William Griffiths - Catholic Education

• David Cannon - Independent schools

• Terri-Ann Maney - one of two members who represent the interests of employers

• Kezia Purick - one of two members who represent the interests of employers

• Josie Douglas - Indigenous people.

The Education Advisory Council provides the Minister with an independent service of broadly based community advice not available from either DEET or specialist committees. The council is supported by an executive officer.

The council met four times.

The council consists of 16 members including an independent chair.

Members of the council are drawn from the following interest groups or bodies:

• Brian Devlin (Chair) - person with expertise in higher education

• Nadine Williams - Australian Education Union

• Peter Garrigan - NT Council of Government School Organisations

• Ian Gumbula - Indigenous communities



Role Members

• Khami Aughterson - migrant communities

• John Gaulke - trade unions

• David O’Callaghan - employer associations

• Kath Phelan - non-government schools

• Emma Smith - primary / secondary students

• Bev Wilson - remote communities

• Greg Gibbs - nominee of the Commonwealth Minister responsible for school education

• David Maclean - teachers

• Peter Plummer - Chief Executive or employee of the department administering the Education Act

• Scott Knight - additional member residing in Darwin

• Kaye Clapin - one of two additional members residing outside Darwin

• Wendy Troe - one of two additional members residing outside Darwin.

The Non-Government School Ministerial Advisory Council advises the Minister on matters relating to the non-government school sector, including funding and registration of non-government schools.

Matters considered included:

• planning and registration guidelines for new non-government schools

• accountability of non-government schools

• infrastructure issues affecting the sector.

The council met three times.

Membership includes an independent chairperson and nominees from DEET, the Association of Independent Schools of the NT, Catholic Education Office and the Christian Schools Association.

Members are:

• John Cossons (Chair)

• Kath Phelan - Association of Independent Schools of the NT

• William Griffiths - Catholic Education Office

• Jack Mechielsen - NT Christian Schools Association

• Ken Davies- Department of Employment, Education and Training

• Ken Simpson - Department of Employment, Education and Training

• Joanne Schilling (Executive Officer) - Department of Employment, Education and Training.



Role Members

The Ministerial Advisory Board for Employment and Training acts as a conduit between the community and industry and provides the Minister with strategic advice on a range of issues, projects and programs in relation to vocational education and training, employment and training strategies and training purchasing plans.

The board met six times.

Members are:

• Kim Ford - General Manager of CSM Group Ltd (Chair)

• Terri-Ann Maney - Chamber of Commerce Northern Territory

• Rose Wallis - Chair of the Cultural, Recreation and Tourism Training Advisory Council (resigned)

• Allan McGill - Chair of the Human Services Training Advisory Council

• Klaus Helms - Nhulunbuy regional community representative

• Roslyn Andrews - Victoria River District regional community representative

• Julie Ross - Alice Springs regional community representative

• Michelle Adams - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (resigned)

• Christopher Davies - Unions NT

• Mike Harrison - Vocational Education and Training practitioner

• Greg Gibbs - Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Technology

• Mike Burgess - Chief Executive, Department of Business, Industry and Resource Development

• Peter Plummer - Chief Executive, Department of Employment, Education and Training.



Role Members

The Work Health Advisory Council has the role of:

• inquiring into and report to the Minister on matters referred to it by the Minister

• investigating and making recommendations to the Minister about any matter under the Work Health Act or relating to the administration of the Act

• carrying out other functions as are imposed on it by or under the Work Health Act or any other act.

The council is supported by an executive officer.

The council met three times.

Members are:

• John Hassed (Chair) - Department of Employment, Education and Training

• Mark Crossin - Director NT WorkSafe

• Daryl Cameron - Group Manager WA & NT, Insurance Council of Australia

• Marcus Humphreys - Manager Workplace Relations, NT Chamber of Commerce & Industry

• Dianne Yali - NT Police Association

• Bruce McDonald - Unions NT

• Dr David Meadows - President, Australian Medical Association NT

• Kezia Purick - Chief Executive Officer, NT Minerals Council Inc

• Louise Bilato - Director, NT Association of Rehabilitation Providers

• Dick Guit - Territory Construction Association

• George Roussos - Cridland Lawyers

• Cathy Spurr - Halfpennys.

The Scheme Monitoring Committee has the role of:

• monitoring the viability and performance of the workers’ compensation scheme

• monitoring premium rates offered for workers’ compensation in the Territory

• receiving submissions from persons relating to premium rates charged for workers’ compensation insurance policies in the Territory or elsewhere

• monitoring and publishing data on overall underwriting results

• advising the Minister on the basis of its consideration of information obtained by it.

The committee is supported by an executive officer.

The committee met twice.

Members are:

• Mark Crossin (Chair) - Director NT WorkSafe

• Daryl Cameron - Group Manager WA & NT, Insurance Council of Australia

• Marcus Humphreys - Manager Workplace Relations, NT Chamber of Commerce & Industry

• James Burke - Australian Liquor, Hospitality & Miscellaneous Workers Union

• George Roussos - Cridlands Solicitors

• Gillian Harrex -Trowbridge Deloitte

• Colin Chilcott - QBE Insurance

• Peter Wall - Allianz Australia Insurance Limited

• Geoff Anstess - Manager Rehab & Comp, NT WorkSafe

• Colleen Sutherland - (Executive Officer) NT WorkSafe.



Role Members

The Nominal Insurer is established under Section 150 of the Work Health Act. The chairman reports annually to the Minister. As the Nominal Insurer is managing the claims affected by the HIH collapse and also collecting the levy introduced to fund those claims, the update on the HIH levy has been included in the Regulation of Occupational Health and Safety section.

The Nominal Insurer met 12 times.

Members are:

• Bill Roy - formerly Allianz Australia Insurance Ltd (Chair)

• Colin Chilcott - QBE Insurance Ltd

• John Tsouroutis - Terrritory Insurance Office

• Geoff Anstess - NT Government.

The Learning Lessons Implementation Steering Committee reports directly to the Minister and is responsible for:

• providing advice and recommendations to the Minister on priorities and directions for DEET in Indigenous education

• overseeing the implementation of the Learning Lessons recommendations and the Indigenous Education Strategic Plan.

The steering committee has 14 members of whom 11 are Indigenous.

Secretariat support is provided by the Learning Lessons Team in the Indigenous Education Division.

The steering committee held full meetings, which included workshops to develop a model for the new Indigenous Education Consultative Body (IECB).

Members are:

• Co-Chair: Esther Djayhgurrnga - Principal, Gunbalanya CEC

• Co-Chair: The Hon Bob Collins (absent due to ill health)

• Interim Co-Chair Akarriyuwu Hill (Acting Director, Department of Community Development Sport & Cultural Affairs

• Pat Anderson - Executive Officer, Aboriginal Medical Service Alliance of the NT (AMSANT)

• Beverley Angeles - Alice Outcomes Gap Youth Centre - Teacher

• Carmelita Dunn - General Manager, Indigenous Education Division, DEET

• Kilipayuwu Puruntatameri - Relief Teacher, Murrupurityanuwu Catholic School

• Patrick Puruntatameri - Teacher, Milikapiti School

• David Ross - Director, Central Land Council

• Valda Shannon - Aboriginal Health Worker, Kakadu Health Services

• Didamain Uibo - Project Officer, DEET Indigenous Capacity Building Unit

• Warren Williams - Vice President Yuendumu Community Council, Correctional Officer, NT Correctional Services

• John Glasby - A/Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives

• Susan Smith, Indigenous Group Manager DEST.


Legislative FrameworkDEET, on behalf of the Minister for Employment, Education and Training, is responsible for administering seven Acts and nine pieces of associated subordinate legislation, covering government areas relating to education, employment and training, and work health.

These include:

Dangerous Goods Act

Dangerous Goods Regulations

Dangerous Goods (Road and Rail Transport) Act

Dangerous Goods (Road and Rail Transport) Regulations

Education Act

Education (Board of Studies) Regulations

Education (College and School Councils) Regulations

Northern Territory Employment and Training Act

Radioactive Ores and Concentrates (Packaging and Transport) Act

Radioactive Ores and Concentrates (Packaging and Transport) Regulations

Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Act 2004

Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Regulations

Work Health Act

Work Health Court Rules

Work Health Regulations

Work Health (Occupational Health and Safety) Regulations

Risk ManagementSound corporate governance arrangements require appropriate processes and practices to be established to manage all significant risks associated with the organisation’s operations and the achievement of its goals. DEET uses the Australian Risk Management Standard processes to conduct its Strategic Business Risk Assessments. These assessments are carried out every two years, and all departmental areas are surveyed for elements of risk, to identify where the accountability, operations and objectives of the department may be adversely affected.

outlook DEET incorporates risk management and assessment into its planning processes in all areas. Results from these assessments will be used to update the internal audit plan for 2004-05 and beyond. The department will also undertake a Strategic Business Risk Assessment in October-November 2005.


Audit and Risk Management Standing CommitteeThe primary objective of the Audit and Risk Management Standing Committee is to assist the Chief Executive and Executive Group to meet statutory and accountability responsibilities relating to DEET’s internal control and risk management arrangements.

One of the committee’s major tasks was to redefine and renew its terms of reference. A preliminary review was undertaken in December 2004. Further work was undertaken and considered by the committee at its June 2005 meeting.

The committee met on 20 September and 20 December 2004 and on 21 March and 20 June 2005.

The Auditor-General has been invited to attend all committee meetings. During the reporting period, he attended the December 2004 meeting and his representative, Ms Susan Cooper, attended the meetings indicated above.

In August 2004, DEET responded to queries from the Public Accounts Committee on matters concerning risk assessment and the links between risk assessment and DEET’s strategic internal audit program.

During the reporting period, the department also responded to matters raised in the Auditor-General’s November 2004 and February 2005 reports to the Legislative Assembly. These matters were originally raised with, and responded to by, the department through individual reviews and audits. These are described below.

outlook A number of reviews are nearly complete, including a review of Business Continuity Planning within DEET and various reviews undertaken by the Auditor-General.


Audit and Risk Management Standing Committee

Internal Audits undertaken as part of the Internal Audit Program within the period

AudtAudit Outcome / Recommendation Summary

Action

Post-implementation review of the Student Administration and Management System (SAMS)

The review made 10 recommendations concerning management of large software suite and contracts.

The department accepted nine of these, but rejected a recommendation concerning a ‘register of good practice’. DEET regarded this as an integral part of all current planning, rather than a separate register.

Review of Complaints Handling The overall finding is that the current system works, it is reasonably effective, it has some inefficiencies and it largely provides DEET and its clients with value for money. The consultant made a number of recommendations.

DEET’s Executive Group considered these recommendations at its May 2005 meeting.

Indigenous Education Strategic Initiatives Program (IESIP) acquittal and review

An unqualified audit opinion was issued. A management issue concerning roll-over of funds was raised.

DEET raised this issue with the Commonwealth DEST as a matter of ongoing discussions about this program.

Auditor General Audits within the department


Action

ANTA Acquittal Report (for the period ending 31 December 2003)

The Auditor-General found that:

a) the 2003 acquittal statement specifies the funds spent in respect of the year ended 31 December 2003, and

b) the amount spent was for the purposes for which it was allocated to the Northern Territory by the Australian National Training Authority.

Previous problems with this area had been addressed resulting in an unqualified audit.




Action

AVETMIS Acquittal Report (for the period ending 31 December 2003)

The Auditor-General noted: the summary revenue and expenditure information contained in the attached certified return presents fairly the revenue and expenditure for the year ended 31 December 2003, in accordance with the requirements of the Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical Standard for Vocational Education and Training Financial Data.

Previous problems with this area had been addressed resulting in an unqualified audit.

End-of-year Compliance Audit 2003-04

The Auditor-General’s report noted the agency’s accounting and control procedures were found to be generally satisfactory. However, there was one issue concerning timing and finalisation of documentation for audit.

DEET has raised the matter of timing for this audit in relation to NT Treasury timings for finalisation of accounts, in order to ensure audit commences with finalised balances.

Growth Funding (Employment and Training) Acquittal

The audit was not qualified, but there was a management issue raised concerning the delays in submitting returns.

DEET has instituted a schedule of all audits and acquittals due which is now a feature of Audit and Risk Management Committee agendas.

METIS The Auditor-General found in relation to payments made by the Department to Metis in April 2004 the department did not comply fully with the requirements of procurement policy.

Senior management of DEET became aware of the lapse of standard procedures in this instance before this audit commenced. The Chief Executive had notified the Minister of this lapse in May 2004. Since that date, DEET implemented procedures to ensure there will be compliance with procurement policy.




Action

Ex-gratia payments The Auditor-General noted that the department’s policies in treatment of out-of-court payments may be less than clear in the reporting of legal expenses.

The department contacted NT Treasury requesting clarification and policy concerning the treatment of these amounts.

Fraud control across agencies The audit identified an inconsistent approach between the selected agencies to the adoption of fraud control arrangements from no fraud control arrangements at some agencies to detailed arrangements consistent with the Commonwealth Government Fraud Control Guidelines at one agency.

DEET reviewed the DCIS fraud prevention and control policies and incorporate relevant areas and material into its publications, including the Schools Management Handbook, the Corporate Governance Handbook and the Accounting and Property Manual.

Jabiru Area School Indigenous Heritage Education Project Acquittal

The Auditor-General issued an unqualified audit opinion with two management issues. These concerned matters involving staffing for the project, and scheduling of the audit.

Since the start of the project, DEET has implemented changes in procedures to ensure that scheduling of audits is in compliance with agreements, and that staff working on projects are accurately costed against those projects.

Executive Contract Officers’ Performance Measurement across agencies

The Auditor-General found: Assessment satisfactorily completed and no issues were raised during the course of the audit.

Noted by Audit and Risk Management Committee.


Improving Communications Across DEETEffective internal communications are important to DEET. Listed below are some initiatives that enhance communication within the department, including obtaining feedback about our directions.

Voice of DEETVoice of DEET was launched in April 2004 as a means of identifying where significant improvements needed to be made within the department. Feedback from group sessions held across the Territory became an integral part of the future planning of the department. As a result, areas considered to be progressing well and key areas considered in need of improvement were identified. A range of initiatives have been put into place to address these issues over the past 12 months.

Focus sessions were held again in 2005 in Darwin, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine and Nhulunbuy. More than 200 staff from across DEET participated in 26 facilitated sessions. Feedback from Voice of DEET 2005 reflected the view that progress had been made in all the areas identified as needing improvement in 2004. It also underlined areas where participants believe further improvement is needed.

From the CE to You website This website, launched in April 2004, serves as an ongoing communication link from the Chief Executive to all DEET staff and is updated every two weeks. The site features a CE’s column highlighting DEET initiatives and achievements, newsroom highlights which list topical DEET news articles and a CE Congratulations section, where staff are nominated by their peers for success in the workplace and congratulated by the CE.

inFORM newspaperinFORM is a 16-page departmental newspaper produced six times throughout the school year and features articles from the business areas of Education, Employment and Training and NT WorkSafe. Articles cover DEET initiatives and success stories as well as school, stakeholder and individual achievements. Contributions by staff are encouraged. More than 3000 copies of each edition are printed, with copies circulated throughout schools, DEET corporate offices, stakeholder groups and other government agencies.

Staff e-NewsStaff e-News, launched in June 2005, is an electronic newsletter distributed weekly to all DEET staff via email. Staff e-News comprises a noticeboard of information about staff milestones and achievements, and an update that points to new resources on the DEET Staff website.

CE Breakfast / CE LunchCE Breakfast and CE Lunch sessions were launched in mid-2004, opening direct communication channels between the Chief Executive and junior corporate staff and (separately) principals. Groups of eight junior staff are invited to breakfast with the Chief Executive and six principals are invited to lunch. The meetings, held regularly throughout the year, provide both a forum for open discussion and an opportunity to share information between the CE and invitees.


Improving Communications across DEET

Internet / Staff WebsiteThe department’s internet and staff websites serve as both current information sources and as communication tools. They provide updates on departmental activities, strategic direction, policy and procedure, DEET news stories, professional learning, training opportunities and important messages about departmental initiatives.

A redevelopment of DEET’s internal and external websites began in 2004. The new DEET website was launched in December 2004 and the new staff site in May 2005. The staff site is accessible by all DEET staff with school-based staff able to access the site after hours and remotely.

Cluster CapersCluster Capers, a newsletter for principals and other school staff, is published eight times throughout the school year. It contains an editorial from one of the three general managers schools, a report from each school cluster, information that needs to be disseminated to school staff, recent and forthcoming changes to principals’ positions and important dates for the following weeks. The newsletter is emailed to senior office-based staff and placed on the schools portal of the LATIS website for staff in schools.

DEET DirectoryThe DEET Directory is a web-based information source providing contact details for organisations and individuals associated with DEET. It is available to DEET work units via the corporate network and to government schools via the school portal at http://www.directory.deet.nt.gov.au

Communications with Clients and StakeholdersImproved employment, education, training and safety outcomes require strong and positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including structures and organisations within or closely related to DEET. Mechanisms and strategies established to assist the department to achieve this are listed below.

ClustersA cluster is a self-managing, cross-school sector grouping of schools based on geographic proximity. The cluster model was designed as a supportive network of schools and a means of communication and interaction between schools and non-schools sectors. It encourages schools to work together on cooperative planning exercises and develop common policies and procedures to optimise the use of resources.

Portfolio PrincipalsA portfolio principal is selected from within a cluster and aligned with one of the divisions or branches. Each cluster has seven portfolio principals. The purpose is threefold:

• clusters have a formal channel, through the portfolio principal, for raising system-level concerns with general managers and directors

• directors or general managers have a formalised means of consulting with schools whenever operational or policy changes are being considered in their area

• principals develop an improved understanding of operational parameters and have input into the decision- making processes of the department.


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Communications with Clients and Stakeholders

Group School PrincipalsGroup principals manage a group of small schools in their region. Each of the six groups have financial and administrative support, including an assistant principal based in a central location. The teaching principals now have far less administrative paperwork, particularly in the financial area, with these tasks mainly handled by the group school. Group school principals have developed a strong supporting network of schools that allow teaching principals to concentrate on their professional teaching tasks.

School CouncilsAn effective working relationship between parents and schools is a critical factor in the educational performance of students. The school council is a body corporate with members elected by the school community under an approved constitution. It assumes relevant functions conferred on it under the Education Act or the Education (College and School Councils) Regulations, including the management of the school’s annual financial budget. These councils represent the aspirations of parents in that community and Territory schools work very closely with their school councils in developing Action Plans for School Improvement.

Training Advisory CouncilsThe Territory’s Training Advisory Councils (TACs) are important vehicles for industry participation in, and support for, training. Their role includes provision of advice on training matters to government, industry and the wider community. The Northern Territory has six TACs and each has a board that consists of representatives from peak industry bodies, enterprises, employee associations, and in some cases relevant government agencies. Operational support funding is provided through the Employment and Training Division.

Construction Industry Forum A construction industry forum has been established to discuss issues in regard to the construction industry. Members of this group meet with various subgroups of the industry, eg scaffolders and master plumbers. This group also provides input into the National Construction Working Group sponsored by the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission.

Community Engagement The Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET) is committed to providing real opportunities for communities to participate in determining solutions and informing policy. DEET’s Community Engagement Charter promotes community engagement as part of our way of doing business, enabling us to make informed decisions, develop effective policies, deliver high quality education and training programs and provide opportunities for Territorians to contribute to DEET programs. A copy of the charter has been distributed to each school and business areas for implementation where appropriate.

Principles of the charter have already proven highly successful in recent initiatives such as Building Better Schools. Evidence of this includes the consultancy company Socom’s recent success in winning the prestigious International Public Relations Association (IPRA) award for Excellence in Communication by Governments for its ‘Voice in our Future’ community consultation program - part of the NT Government’s secondary education review.

Information ActThe DEET Freedom of Information and Privacy Unit continues to assist the department to work towards compliance with the Information Act. In 2004-05, DEET dealt with seven applications for access to government information, and 18 applications for access to personal information.


Workforce for the Future

96 Workforce for the Future > DEET Annual Report 2004-05

Workforce for the FutureThis section contains profile data on the DEET workforce, an overview of DEET People & Learning related committees and reports on activities and achievements during 2004-05 against the Six-Point Plan.

StaffingAs at 30 June 2005, there were 4482 employees.

Figure 45 Age distribution of all DEET staff

Source: Personnel Information Payroll System - DCIS

The age of DEET employees follows the same trend as in previous years, with 58% aged over 40. In keeping with government policy, DEET has responded to its vulnerability to an aging workforce by employing more youth. Numbers of employees in the 16-25 age group increased slightly (0.5%) in 2004-05, compared to 2003-04.

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97DEET Annual Report 2004-05Workforce for the Future >

StaffingFigure 46 All DEET staff by classification


The DEET workforce has remained stable in profile over the past couple of years showing an increase in staff of about 1%. The largest increase in numbers occurred at the AO2 classification level. This is due to the implementation of the EBA Administrative Officers Review.

Figure 47 Age distribution of Contract Principals by gender


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StaffingIn June 2004, DEET employed 74 Executive Contract Principals of which 30 (41%) were females and 44 (59%) males. This year there are 71 Executive Contract Principals including 33 (46%) females and 38 (54%) males. This indicates an increase in the number of women winning executive contract positions, which is proportional to their representation at the executive teacher level. This situation will be monitored continually in light of 62% of executive contract principals being in the over-50 categories.

Figure 48 Age distribution of Executive Teachers by gender


The department employed 623 executive teachers - 174 (28%) of them male and 449 (72%) female. The 43% of executive teachers who are 45 years of age or under provides a strong base from which to recruit principals.

Figure 49 Age distribution of teachers by gender


Of the 2092 teachers employed by DEET, 1 614 (77%) are female and 478 (23%) are male. Some 48% are under 40 years of age. The number of teachers in the under-25-year range increased by 0.3%. DEET will be able to manage the increase in expected teacher retirements in the next 5-10 years if the increase in staff in the under-25 group continues, and providing those teachers are retained.

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StaffingFigure 50 Number of DEET staff by classification and gender

Classification Male Female Total Staff

Administrative Officer 1 13 62 75








Assistant Teacher 43 236 279

Executive Contract Principal 1 17 18 35



Executive Officer 1 5 11 17

Executive Contract Officer 1 4 10 14

Executive Officer 2 0 3 3





Executive Teacher 1 6 20 26






Staffing

Classification Male Female Total Staff




Executive Contract Teacher 9 1 1 2

Graduate Trainee 1 3 4

National Indigenous Cadets 0 2 2

NTPS Apprentices 2 17 19

Professional 1 0 1 1



Physical 2 53 28 81

Physical 3 42 2 44

Physical 4 20 0 20

SBA 3 0 3

SCA2 1 2 3

SCA5 1 0 1

SCT 9 8 17

Technical 3 9 1 10

Technical 4 11 3 14

Technical 5 3 0 3

Teacher 469 1 606 2 075

Trainee 1 7 8

Total 1 097 3 385 4 482



StaffingFigure 51 All DEET staff by group and classification

Location Classification Male Female Total Staff

Corporate Administration 56 194 250

Executive Contract Principals

1 1 2

Executive Other 17 25 42

Executive Teachers 10 32 42

Other 2 22 24

Professional 1 0 1

Teachers 6 9 15

Technical 1 0 1

Corporate Total 94 283 377

Education (Schools) Administration 111 711 822

Assistant Teachers 43 238 281

Executive Contract Principals

37 32 69


Executive Teachers 164 417 581

Other 2 4 6

Physical 116 29 145

Professional 1 7 8

Teachers 472 1 605 2 077

Technical 5 0 5

Education Total 953 3 046 3 999

Employment & Training Administration 23 37 60


Other 0 1 1

Physical 3 0 3

Employ. & Training Total 28 40 68

Worksafe Administration 4 12 16


Technical 17 4 21

Worksafe Total 22 16 38

TOTAL 1 097 3 385 4 482



StaffingFigure 52 Teacher separations

Male Female Total

Non Resignations

Deceased 0 1 1

Dismissal 4 6 10

Retire - invalidity 1 0 1

Retire - maximum age 0 2 2

Retire - minimum age 1 6 7

Terminated - probation 3 2 5

Temporary contract completed 56 136 192

Sub Total 65 153 218

Resignations

Resign - no reason provided 50 161 211

Resign - contractor 1 6 7

Resign - career change 1 2 3

Resign - dissatisfied 0 2 2

Resign - family 2 11 13

Resign- health 1 3 4

Resign - interstate 3 9 12

Resign - personal 4 12 16

Resign - spouse moved 0 9 9

Resign - travel 1 5 6

Sub Total 63 220 283

TOTAL 128 373 501


The department experienced a 2% decrease in separations in 2004-05 compared to the same time last year. The 14% decrease in unplanned separations (all separations other than contract completions) indicates that staff turnover is decreasing. Reasons have not been specified in 75% of the resignations. DEET will implement an electronic exit interview in 2005-06 to assist with identifying reasons and developing targeted retention strategies.


Learning and Professional Development

Indigenous employmentDEET has a long-term commitment to increasing the recruitment and development of Indigenous staff.

In 2004-05, Indigenous employment was promoted through the following programs:

• National Indigenous Cadetship Scheme - eight cadets

• Indigenous Teacher Education Salary Scheme - six teacher education students

• Indigenous Tertiary Education Salary Scheme - three tertiary education students

• Interim Teacher Education Salary Scheme - four teacher education students

• New Apprenticeship Program - seven Indigenous apprentices

• Student Teaching Bursaries - two student teacher bursaries to Indigenous teacher education students

• Kigaruk Indigenous Leadership Men’s Leadership Development Program - eight participants

• Certificate III in Business – five current participants and one completed

• Certificate II in Business – one participant

• Assistant Teacher Professional Learning Pilot – 10 participants

• Professional Exchange Program – in development stage

• Indigenous Leaders Network (in development stage) – 18 participants

• Mentoring / Coaching Workshops – 28 participants.

The ‘More Indigenous Teachers in DEET Project’ was initiated in 2004. Stage one was completed in December 2004 and provides information and analysis on the history and policies around teacher education in the NT, issues and challenges around the recruitment, development and retention of Indigenous teachers in DEET, current programs and study support options and future considerations. Stage two began in February 2005 and, through a process of analysis, group collaboration and research, the project has identified target groups, key areas for growth and options to be developed into a 4-10 year plan to increase and sustain our Indigenous teaching workforce.

Professional learningA professional learning framework is being developed with supporting policy and guidelines to assist DEET employees and workplaces to plan, implement and evaluate appropriate professional learning. The principles underlying the Professional Learning Framework will build and embed a culture of lifelong learning and reflective practice that contributes to positioning DEET as an innovative learning organisation.

outlook The Indigenous Capacity Building Plan 2005-07 details strategies for establishing and retaining a highly skilled and knowledgeable Indigenous workforce throughout DEET. The plan is to be implemented by September 2005 through the continuation of the following projects:

• Indigenous Employment

• Professional Learning and Training

• Indigenous Information and Communication

• Indigenous Career Pathways

• Indigenous Data and Systemic Reporting Framework.


Learning and Professional Development

Approved Student Status

In accordance with By-Law 41 (Assistance with Studies) of the Public Sector Employment and Management Act, DEET supports employees seeking financial assistance or study leave to obtain or upgrade formal qualifications.

In 2004-05, $270 000 was allocated to the scheme and 88 placements were approved on the basis of relevance of study to DEET priorities, individual performance enhancement agreements and workplace strategic directions. Assistance is either fully or partially funded, enabling as many staff as possible to access the scheme.

Examples of courses undertaken by DEET employees under the Approved Student Status Scheme include:

• Education and Teaching including Early Childhood Education, Primary Education, Special Education, Indigenous Education, Australian Indigenous ESL Teaching

• Applied Science

• Information Technology

• Management

• Financial Services

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies

• Online Learning

• Careers Counselling

• Applied Linguistics

• Counselling

• Business Administration.

Special Study Leave

The Special Study Leave program provides for employees who undertake periods of service in defined remote areas of the Northern Territory to accumulate up to 40 credit points toward eligibility for paid study leave. Employees accumulating 20 credit points may apply for one semester of study leave on full pay or two semesters on half pay. Forty credit points will allow an employee to apply for two semesters of study leave on full pay.

Subject areas studied by DEET employees granted special study leave in 2004-05 are as follows:

• Education and teaching including teaching English as a second language, language and literacy, applied linguistics, Spanish, Italian and culture, Murin Patha language, arts and creative arts (writing and editing);

• Library and information services

• Business administration

• Indigenous education worker

• Information technology

• Counselling and family therapy

• Assessment and workplace training

• Manual arts

• Social ecology

• Public health

• Hospitality.

Professional Learning Events Calendar

The Professional Learning Events Calendar contains details of professional learning activities for DEET staff throughout the NT. It can be accessed via the staff website.


Workforce Development InitiativesThe DEET Workforce Development Strategy 2003-2005 aims to ensure effective, targeted professional learning and training that is aligned with system goals that meets the needs of staff throughout their careers.

Implementation of the strategy has progressed through the following projects:

• Professional Learning Policies and Guidelines

• Indigenous Capacity Building Plan

• Leadership Development Framework

• System Design Enhancement and Workforce Projections

• Performance Enhancement and Professional Learning Plans.

Performance Enhancement FrameworkThe framework was approved in February 2005 and a staged implementation across DEET workplaces is expected to be completed by the end of 2005.

Professional Learning Grants

Cluster Professional Learning Grants

Clusters throughout the Northern Territory received funds to assist with the provision of cluster-based professional learning initiatives. Staff needs were identified through the performance enhancement process, school action plans and cluster strategic plans and provided where common needs were identified. Some 2 372 teachers attended professional learning sessions. Major topics included Literacy and Numeracy, Tribes, Thinking Classroom and Boys in Education and Learning Together – Establishing Professional Learning Communities.

Northern Territory Joint Council of Professional Teaching Associations (NTJCPTA)

The NTJCPA received a grant to distribute to professional associations for professional learning. Fourteen professional associations received grants in 2004-05. These grants gave teachers the opportunity to explore the latest research into intellectual rigour in the classroom, and to use this information in conjunction with the Northern Territory Curriculum Framework and subject knowledge to enhance teaching practice and interact with other professionals.

Integration of ICT into teaching and learning practicePrograms to facilitate the integration of information and communication technology (ICT) across the curriculum have offered professional learning opportunities through the following ICT initiatives:

Professional learning in ICT integration

An ICT teacher continuum that provides a self-evaluation guide to indicate a teacher’s current level of ICT integration in classroom practice was developed in 2004. This was accompanied by an online survey, EdCap, which provides teachers and managers with a visual representation of their current position on the continuum and identifies professional learning opportunities to progress to the next phase.


Workforce Development Initiatives

Lighthouse Schools

The Lighthouse School program is a network of four schools, which promote effective leadership and innovative approaches to ICT integration to enhance teaching and learning. The four Lighthouse Schools are Larapinta Primary School, Nightcliff Primary School, Nightcliff High School and Katherine South Primary School.

Lighthouse Schools support -

• professional learning opportunities to promote effective use of ICT in the classroom for NT DEET teachers

• development of online resources that support innovative pedagogy

• modelling and facilitation of ICT applications leading to enhanced learning outcomes for students.

In 2004-05, Lighthouse Schools professional learning initiatives included:

• 234 teachers attending two one-day Lighthouse School practicums which focused on teaching practice and ways students can use ICT to support their learning

• 147 teachers and principals attended ‘snapshot tours’ of the Lighthouse Schools which involved classroom visits and activities that facilitated discussion on ways to adapt exemplary practice into their own schools

• Lighthouse School principals and assistant principals presented a paper on Lighthouse Schools and the change process at the 2005 NTDEET Leaders’ Forum.

Three Lighthouse School teachers presented ‘Lighthouse Schools and EsseNTial Learning’s’ and ‘The River of Learning’ model used at Katherine South Primary at the 2005 Teachers’ Conference.

Remote ICT partnerships

This professional learning opportunity enables remote school-based teachers to participate in a mentored partnership with a teacher experienced in integrating ICT in the classroom. An innovative and sustainable initiative, which integrates ICT, is developed and implemented at the remote school. The aim is to improve the learning outcomes of remote school students.

In 2004-05, Top End and Barkly Group Schools participated in Remote ICT Partnerships. In 2005-06 the Rivers, Central Storm and Arnhem clusters will become involved.

ICT Teacher Capability Project

The ICT Teacher Continuum is a self-evaluation tool that teachers can use to indicate their current level of capability in ICT integration in their classroom practice.

The continuum works through four phases of ICT integration, with each phase divided into three key areas:

• vision

• approach and ethics

• classroom ICT integration.

The continuum is accompanied by an online survey that provides teachers with a visual representation of their position on the continuum. It also identifies professional learning opportunities which teachers may access to enable their progress to the next level of capability in ICT integration. The continuum also links to the Performance Enhancement Framework and the survey is to be completed each year as part of this process.

A Charles Darwin University committee with DEET representation is continuing to develop units, modules and courses in ICT integration in the classroom in line with this continuum.


Workforce Development Initiatives

Online learning communities

Online learning communities were developed to foster collaboration and professional learning through technology. These communities have involved leaders, teachers, interns and students and have enabled interaction between urban and remote participants.

Sharing our Territory

This project saw continuing participation from 39 teachers in professional learning events with an increased profile of online learning projects. Leichhardt Lizard, a Northern Territory travel buddy, facilitated the integration of ICT, as demonstrated by 12 schools creating digital content used in the creation of an online car rally for early childhood classes, and eight classes participating in the car rally.

Further planned events will promote the use of online projects as a means of meaningful ICT integration.

ICT Coordinator Training

ICTC Training has continued with the aim of ensuring that each school has at least one member of staff trained as an ICT Coordinator to manage the ICT environment. Some 1 061 people have been trained, of which 711 remain in our schools.

Recruitment and Retention of Teaching Staff

Career fairsParticipation at career fairs and expos at selected universities potentially boosts awareness of DEET’s teaching opportunities among interstate and local recruits. As a consequence, recruitment enrolment from interstate graduates is expected to increase from 2005-06.

Teacher recruitment website The teacher recruitment website, launched in April 2005, has attracted more than 2 700 teacher applicants. The website has given DEET an increase of 401% in teacher applications, providing the department with a marked improvement in the range, skill set, experience and selection of teachers available.

DEET partnerships – Deakin UniversityDEET has initiated a number of partnership agreements aimed at addressing the recruitment and retention of quality teaching staff. The DEET / Deakin University Partnership provides a learning experience that encompass international and intercultural perspectives and experiences to support a culture of diversity and inclusiveness.

The purpose of learning experience for students is to:

• experience and work across diverse educational setting and school community in Australia

• develop competence in practical skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary to operate as competent teachers

• link knowledge gained through university courses to school communities


Recruitment and Retention of Teaching Staff• develop an informed understanding of Australia’s Indigenous people and cultures, and of the importance of the reconciliation process

• increase respect for Indigenous students through the process of education and learning.

In August 2004, 16 students engaged in a three-week practicum experience in Darwin and Palmerston schools.

DEET Partnerships – Charles Darwin University / DEET Pilot Mentoring Professional Learning Program

The Mentoring Professional Learning Program, established under the partnership agreement between Charles Darwin University (CDU) and DEET, began in February 2005. The program’s aim is to prepare teachers to better understand their role in sharing knowledge with pre-service teachers. The objective is to establish a program for DEET teachers to mentor pre-service teachers from CDU during practicum placements with a view to establishing a system-wide professional learning process.

Teacher orientationDEET has implemented a system-wide orientation program for newly-recruited teachers. Thirty seven teachers, including six recruits from Charles Darwin University attended the 2004 teacher orientation event in Darwin on 13 & 14 July. A further 94 recruits attended similar events in Darwin and in the Arnhem and Alice Springs regions on 18, 19 & 20 January 2005.

In meeting the department’s Recruitment and Retention Strategy initiatives, an extra day was allocated for the teacher orientation event dedicated to ‘Working, Living and Learning within Indigenous Communities’. The program was designed to provide a mix of cultural information and practical, strategy-building activities and suggestions for teachers who will be working with Indigenous children.

2005 Teacher Probation FrameworkA new Teacher Probation Framework, implemented in February 2005, reflects DEET’s position that the probation process is one of the most important phases in an employee’s career. Recruitment and selection are not finalised until a new teacher’s probation period has been confirmed. Teacher probation runs concurrently with the 12-month teacher induction process. Teacher Induction is a developmental and supportive process involving mentor guidance and professional learning modules.

Teacher Registration BoardThe Teacher Registration Board is an independent statutory body that was created under the Teacher Registration (Northern Territory) Act 2004. It reports directly to the Minister for Employment, Education and Training. The board is responsible for registering teachers, or granting authorisation to an employer to employ an unregistered person liaising with providers of teacher education and professional development in the Territory, supporting the development of appropriate teacher education courses, and developing a code of ethics for Territory teachers.


Leadership and Management Capability Building

Professional Learning Opportunities for Building Management CapabilityFunding is provided through clusters to target people management capability building. Some 428 managers, principals, assistant principals, registrars (and senior teachers in regional locations) attended People Management workshops in Darwin, Nhulunbuy, Groote Eylandt, Katherine, Alice Springs and Tennant Creek.

Sessions included:

• Dos, Don’ts and Clever Ideas for Recruitment

• People Management Tips and Defining Your Role

• Dealing with Poor Performance and Inappropriate Behaviour.

DEET Leaders’ ForumThis annual two-day forum brings together leaders from across DEET, Charles Darwin University, Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education and the non-government sector. Speakers at the April 2005 forum included: Dr Peter Ellyard, a futurist and strategist who works with nations, organisations, communities and individuals to develop long-term strategies to ensure future success, Dr Dale Spender, a researcher and promoter of cultural change associated with new technologies, and Dr Peter Cotton, an Organisational & Clinical Psychologist with primary expertise in organisational behaviour and employee wellbeing.

The forum also hosted an Indigenous panel that explored strategies for successful transition from school to work for young Indigenous people. The panel was made up of two members of the newly-formed National Indigenous Council: Professor MaryAnn Bin-Sallik and Joe Proctor, and the Larrakia Nation’s Kelvin Costello.

DEET allocated $470 000 in 2004-05 to professional learning for existing and future leaders. The range of programs and activities offered included the following:

• DEET Leaders’ Forum - attracted 230 participants

• Executive Development Program - three senior officers (one general manager and two directors)

• DEET Leadership Development Program - 23 principals and senior office-based managers completed

• Kiguruk Indigenous Leadership Men’s Leadership Development Program - eight participants completed

• Public Sector Management Program - 13 DEET participants began this national program for public sector managers across the three tiers of government (with 12 ongoing participants from the previous year and four graduating in the same period)

• The Emerging Leaders Program, which targets people that are emerging as future leaders of the organisation. Since 2002, about 180 DEET employees have begun the program in the Arnhem, Darwin City, Desert Oaks, Central Storm, Rivers, Palmerston & Rural, Northern Suburbs clusters and an additional Darwin City office-based program.

outlook A Leadership Development Framework designed to build the capacity of DEET staff to contribute effectively as leaders in the workplace was finalised. Implementation will begin in 2005-2006.


NTPS-Wide Strategies

Work Life BalanceDEET is one of three Northern Territory Public Sector (NTPS) agencies participating in a trial of work life balance initiatives conducted by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment (OCPE).

DEET workplaces involved in the pilot are:

• Darwin High School

• Curriculum Services

• Student Services

• Schools Division

• Building Better Schools

• NT WorkSafe

• Yuendumu CEC.

The pilot will assist in assessing what the operational impacts of implementing new or different work-life balance initiatives in the NTPS.

Willing & AbleThe OCPE launched the Willing & Able Strategy to support NTPS employees with disabilities. People & Learning represents DEET on the working party, which is made up of representatives from across the Northern Territory Public Sector.

Staff Scholarships and Awards DEET awarded or received a number of staff scholarships and awards in 2004-05, including:

• 21 Student Teacher Bursaries offered in 2005

• April 2005: 11 Remote Workforce Development Scholarships (OCPE) totalling $45 427

• April 2005: 5 Remote Workforce Development Grants (OCPE) totalling $67 976

• March 2005: 13 Remote Workforce Development Scholarships (OCPE) totalling $39 290

• March 2005: 7 Remote Workforce Development Grants (OCPE) totalling $90 067

• One Westfield Chief Minister’s Prize worth $12 000 was awarded to a secondary school teacher.


Industrial RelationsCommitments made in the NTPS 2003 Teachers and Educators Certified Agreement and the NTPS 2002–2004 Certified Agreement continued to be implemented in 2005. Major achievements were:

• Implementation of the provision for ‘cashing up’ airfares on a common date; specifically on the first payday on or after 1 May each year

• Standardisation of the recording of recreation leave credits in hours as opposed to days and hours

• Development and distribution of a service-wide strategy that defines, recognises and addresses the issue of bullying in the NTPS

• Implementation of the provision for ‘cashing up’ excess recreational leave credits for teachers and educators in office-based positions

• Implementation of the recommendations of the ‘Workloads of School-Based Administrative Officers’ Working Party.

The Teachers and Educators Enterprise Bargaining Agreement Working Party met regularly to guide the development of the 2005 agreement. The outcome was the NTPS 2005-2007 Teachers and Educators Certified Agreement that was signed by the negotiating parties in June 2005. The major commitments were:

• a 15.4% pay rise to be implemented in three instalments over the term of the agreement

• a 100% rental concession to apply to all staff residing in agency-supplied accommodation in remote localities

• a reduced maximum class size from 30 to 27 from the start of the 2006 school year.

Regular negotiations also took place to develop the NTPS 2004-2007 Certified Agreement. The major commitment was an 11% pay rise to be implemented in three instalments over the term of the agreement.

Education Consultative CommitteeThe Education Consultative Committee provides a forum for consultation on issues related to certified agreements, conditions of employment, work practices, professional matters and resource development. The committee includes representatives from DEET, the OCPE, the Australian Education Union (NT) and the Community and Public Sector Union.

Matters addressed included:

• Professional Learning

• Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S)

• Staffing Statistics including EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) data.


Occupational Health and SafetyThe DEET Occupational Health and Safety Coordination Committee has been re-established with revised membership and terms of reference.

The committee will facilitate cooperation between DEET and its employees in instigating, developing and carrying out measures designed to ensure the health, safety and welfare of staff. The key functions of the committee are to:

• Review and monitor the effectiveness of current policies / procedures and the development of new policies to meet the identified needs and ensure compliance with the Work Health legislation and regulations

• Oversee the functions of all workplace OH&S committees, convene and oversee sub-committees formed for the purpose of resolving specific OH&S issues

• Review and analyse statistics and reports relating to accidents, injuries and compensation, and make appropriate recommendations

• Monitor and review issues associated with the rehabilitation of injured employees

• Ensure all staff receive regular, relevant, effective training and information about workplace safety

• Remain informed of standards generally recommended or prevailing in other agencies

• Ensure that OH&S issues are addressed in the planning and implementation of any major workplace changes or new work processes.

The committee includes representation from secondary schools, primary schools, NT WorkSafe, Employment & Training Division, Financial Services, Central Australia, People & Learning, Australian Education Union, Community & Public Sector Union, Australian Liquor Hospitality & Miscellaneous Workers Union. Membership of the committee was expanded in June 2005 to include a member from Unions NT.

In May 2005, the committee received approval from the South Australian Department of Education and Children’s Services to adapt their OH&S manuals and guidelines to all schools and workplaces. Sub-committees will be formed to review the manuals and guidelines before their implementation, which is expected to take between one and two years.

outlook The DEET OH&S Management Plan has been developed to provide direction and guidance on how DEET will manage OH&S. The plan is under review and it is expected that it will be implemented in all schools and workplaces during the 2005-06 financial year.


Occupational Health and Safety

NT WorkSafe data for DEET

NT WorkSafe data for the period 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005 indicates that:

• 108 workers’ compensation claims were registered with NT WorkSafe

• 1 627 days were lost due to work-related injury (an increase of 31.9% from 2003-04)

• Compensation payments totalling $716 135 were made.

The 108 claims are made up of the following injury types:

• 49% - strains, sprains (down 4% on 2003-04)

• 10% - contusion with intact skin surface, crush (down 7% on 2003-04)

• 17% - disease others (up 10% on 2003-04)

• 8% - other injuries (up 7% on 2003-04)

• 6% - fractures & dislocations (down 4% on 2003-04)

• 6% - lacerations (down 2% on 2003-04)

• 4% - disease muscular (down 2% on 2003-04).

The following injury types accounted for days lost due to work-related injury:

• 35% - disease others

• 29% - sprains strains joints adjacent muscles

• 14% - other injuries

• 10% - contusions

• 9% - fractures and dislocations

• 3% - disease muscular.

Figure 53 DEET injury incidence


A 13% increase in claims coincides with an increase in days lost and costs per cost of claim.

100

75

50

25

0

125

2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05

1 627

Total Claims

Average Days / Total Claims

Total Claims Days Lost

Significant Claims

Average Days / Significant Claims

Significant Claims Days Lost

1 000

750

500

250

0

1 750

1 250

1 5001 562

108.0

95.0

109.0105.0

1 335

1 0851 199

1 2331 182

1 417

40.040.037.438.0

35.1

29.0 30.0

39.1

13.5 10.8 13.0 15.1


Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO)DEET is committed to meeting statutory EEO obligations and a work environment that is free from discriminatory practice and harassment.

During 2004-05 DEET worked with DCIS to ensure data accuracy. The data integrity audit was completed in 2005 and enables accurate workforce reporting and the implementation of MyHR. A re-alignment of management delegations has also occurred to allow for accurate line management reporting through PIPS and MyHR. Training and implementation of MyHR, which will incorporate promotion of the provision of EEO details, also occurred in 2004-05.

outlook In 2005-06, DEET will implement a systems project that integrates current relevant HR systems to improve its information management for workforce reporting and planning purposes.

In 2005-07 DEET will focus on improving the collection and reporting of EEO information throughout the department through a census.


Future Priorities• Build the capacity of Indigenous staff

• Align workforce planning and development with DEET business to enable employee diversity, innovation, enterprise and learning

• Address the ageing workforce via creative workforce strategies

• Enhance workforce wellbeing and satisfaction through:

- development and implementation of effective employee policies

- implementation of a DEET OH&S committee and framework

- a strategic Enterprise Bargaining Agreement process

• Attract, retain and support a high quality workforce through:

- targeted recruitment and orientation

- establishment of a People & Learning bureau service and People & Learning online service centre

- embedding a learning organisation

- succession planning and leadership / management development

• Deliver effective information management services to all DEET staff.

Financial Report

118 Financial Report > DEET Annual Report 2004-05

Financial Statement Overview

For the Year Ended 30 June 2005

The 2004-05 financial statements for the Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET) have been prepared on an accrual basis and provide information in respect of the financial performance, position and cash flow of the agency for the year.

Statement of Financial Performance Summary

Financial Performance2004-05 Actuals

$’000

2003-04 Actuals

$’000

Variance

$’000

Variance

%

Revenue 553 583 516 864 36 719 7.1%

Expenses 581 587 558 289 23 298 4.2%

Net Deficit 28 004 41 425 (13 421) (32.4)%

The operating result for 2004-05 is influenced by expenses that have not been funded and timing differences, where revenue is recorded in a different financial year than in which the expense was incurred.

Operating RevenueTotal operating revenue for 2004-05 was $553.6m. This comprised output revenue from the Northern Territory Government of $436.5m and revenue from grants and subsidies of $102.8m primarily from the Australian Government. In addition, there was notional revenue to recognise service charges of the Department of Corporate and Information Services (DCIS) of $11.9m. Other minor sources of revenue amounted to $2.4m. Operating revenue is presented graphically below:

Operating Revenue $553.6m

18.6%

78.8%

2.2%0.4%

Grants & Subsidies Output Revenue Others Services Received Free of Charge

119DEET Annual Report 2004-05Financial Report >


Operating ExpensesTotal operating expenses for 2004-05 were $581.6m. This comprised of employee expenses of $271.8m, administrative expenses of $102.2m and grants and subsidies expenses of $207.6m. Administrative expenses includes depreciation expense of $16.7m and notional charges from DCIS of $11.9m. Grants and subsidies expense include current grants of $196.2m and capital grants of $11.4m.

Operating expenses are presented graphically below:

Operating Expenses $581.6m

The operating deficit for 2004-05 is comprised of the following items:

Expense $’000

Employee Expenses - unfunded accrued expenses and related provisions 4 668

Depreciation Expenses - unfunded cost of the consumption of assets 16 729

Repairs and Maintenance Expense - transferred from the Department of Planning and Infrastructure

5 891

Timing Differences Revenue v Expense / Others 716

Net Deficit 28 004

The Northern Territory Government has elected to not budget for accrued employee expenses and related provisions in the transitional phase from cash to accrual accounting and budgeting. Agencies expect accrued employee expenses and related provisions to be incorporated into the budget during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 financial years.

Depreciation expense, that is the cost of the consumption of assets, is not funded via recurrent appropriations. The Northern Territory Government funds the upgrading, replacement and construction of new assets via capital appropriations. Certain expenses associated with the improvement of assets are initially recorded in the financial statements of the Department of Planning and Infrastructure (DPI), the agency responsible for the construction and repairs and maintenance of government assets, and then transferred to the agency that owns the asset as works in progress. DEET has elected to expense part of the works in progress in compliance with the guidance offered in the Treasurer’s Directions. There is no cash effect for these transactions.

Employee Expense Depreciation & Amortisation Grants & Subsidies Administrative Expenses Services Received Free of Charge

46.7%35.7%

12.6%2.1%

2.9%


Financial Statement OverviewThe timing differences occur when revenue is received in one year and expense is incurred in a later year. Current policy, as per the Treasurer’s Directions is not to recognise revenue in the period that it is due but to record the revenue when it is received.

Statement of Financial Position

Financial Position2004-05 Actuals

$’000

2003-04 Actuals

$’000

Variance

$’000

Variance

%

Total Assets 615 397 626 303 (10 906) (1.7)%

Total Liabilities 31 671 26 701 4 970 18.6%

Net Assets 583 726 599 602 (15 876) (2.6)%

An amount of $14.8m in cash and deposits was held by DEET at 30 June 2005. These balances represent Australian Government revenue received to sponsor recurrent programs including the Indigenous Education Strategic Initiatives Program (IESIP) and the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) Program for Vocational Education and Training (VET). Cash and deposits are also held to fund specific capital projects such as the Desert People’s Centre. These amounts are to be spent in the 2005-06 financial year.

The cash and deposits held do not match the balances that were to be carried forward from the 2003-04 financial year and the net of receipts and payments in 2004-05. During 2004-05 cash balances of $4.6m were used to fund operating expenses in DEET. This use of balances will be funded via an equity injection / Treasurer’s Advance of $3.9m and receipt of revenue of $0.7m in 2005-06.

Land and building assets were revalued during 2004-05. The Australian Valuation Office conducted these valuations. As a result, the recorded carrying value of land has increased by $0.5m and buildings decreased by $2.9m, over the period. The net decrease of $2.4m was adjusted against the Asset Revaluation Reserve. The building assets were also depreciated in accordance with the policy.

A reconciliation of carrying values of the agency’s land holdings is currently being undertaken. The reconciliation is a collaborative exercise involving the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, the Northern Territory Treasury and DEET. It is anticipated that the reconciliation will be completed during 2005-06. The financial impact of any potential reconciliation adjustments is expected to be on the accounts for Equity Capital, Accumulated Funds, the Assets Revaluation Reserve and Land Assets.

Current liabilities have increased during the year by $5.0m mainly due to the combined increase in accounts payable of $0.4m, an increase in accrued employee expenses and related provisions of $0.7m and an increase in employee entitlements and related provisions of $3.9m.

The net equity of DEET decreased by $15.9m during 2004-05. This is the cumulative result of the net operating deficit of $28.0m, equity injections and transfers-in of $14.5m and a decrease in the Asset Revaluation Reserve of $2.4m.

The equity injections and transfers-in of $14.5m resulted from transfers of completed capital works in progress from the Department of Planning and Infrastructure of $12.2m and additional equity funding of $2.3m to offset higher than expected operating expenses that were incurred in the 2003-04 financial year.



Statement of Cash Flows

Cash Flows2004-05 Actuals

$’000

2003-04 Actuals

$’000

Variance

$’000

Variance

%

Cash at Beginning of Reporting Period 13 198 11 382 1 816 16%

Receipts 564 267 525 070 39 197 7.5%

Payments 564 240 536 180 28 060 5.2%

Equity Injection 2 319 13 005 (10 686) (82.2)%

Purchase of Assets 666 - 666 -

Other Payments 54 79 (25) (31.7)%

Cash at End of Reporting Period 14 824 13 198 1 626 12.3%

The agency’s operating receipts of $564.27m and operating payments of $564.24m resulted in a net operating outflow of cash of $0.03m. The agency also received an equity injection of $2.3m to fund higher than expected operating expenses in a prior year.

Cash at the end of the reporting period was $14.8m. The cash and deposits held will be used in 2005-06 to construct major capital projects and implement Australian Government related programs. The details of the cash balances are disclosed under the commentary for Statement of Financial Position. The agency’s cash and deposits at 30 June 2005 increased by $1.6m during the year.

Significant Events During the YearA revaluation of property assets during the year resulted in an increment of $0.5m in land assets and a decrement of $2.9m in building asset values. The net decrease of $2.4m was adjusted against the Asset Revaluation Reserve.

The agency is required to incorporate the financial activities of government schools within the agency’s financial statements. A summary of the schools’ audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2004 was compiled and adjusted for apparent anomalies. Details of the analysis are available in note 1(e) to the financial statements. In compiling these results DEET completed an analysis of the schools’ financial statements and concluded there are significant weaknesses and inconsistencies in the schools’ financial data. It is not possible to present a true and fair position of the financial activities of schools in 2004-05. The information detailed in note 1(e) is indicative of the 2004-05 financial activities of government schools. A Financial Management Improvement Program for Schools has commenced to improve financial management in schools and the reliability of the schools’ data. The consolidation of school financial statements into the agency financial statements is to be completed by 2006-07.

During 2004-05, the agency initiated a two-day workshop in Central Australia for the Central Storm and Desert Oaks clusters, for the professional development of remote school registrars and principals. These workshops were provided in conjunction with workforce development grants provided by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment. The workshops were aimed at improving the financial management and accrual accounting practice skills for isolated and remote school principals, registrars and administrative staff, with an overarching objective of improving the financial management of schools.


Certification of Financial StatementsWe certify that the attached financial statements for the Department of Employment, Education and Training have been prepared in accordance with the prescribed format, the Financial Management Act and Treasurer’s Directions.

We further state that the information set out in the Statement of Financial Performance, Statement of Financial Position, Statement of Cash Flows and notes to and forming part of the financial statements, presents fairly the financial performance for the year ended 30 June 2005 and the financial position on that date.

At the time of signing, we are not aware of any circumstances that would render the particulars included in the financial statements misleading or inaccurate.

Ken Simpson Trevor Saunders

Acting Chief Executive Chief Financial Officer

30 September 2005 30 September 2005


Statement of Financial Performance

For the year ended 30 June 2005

Note2005 $’000

2004 $’000

Operating Revenue

Grants and Subsidies

Current 4 90 694 91 430

Capital 4 12 123 5 517

Sales of Goods and Services

Output Revenue 436 462 406 739

Other Agency Revenue 1 791 1 567

Miscellaneous Revenue 570 478

Services Received Free of Charge 16 11 943 11 133

Total Operating Revenue 2 553 583 516 864

Operating Expenses

Employee Expenses 5 271 745 254 308

Administrative Expenses 6

Purchases of Goods and Services 41 226 38 881

Repairs and Maintenance 23 891 22 442

Property Management 8 434 9 107

Depreciation and Amortisation 7 16 729 16 367

Other Administrative Expenses 1 231

Services Received Free of Charge 16 11 943 11 133

Loss on Disposal of Assets 3 5 14 445

Grants and Subsidies

Current 196 214 182 142

Capital 11 397 9 228

Finance Expenses

Interest Expenses 17 2 5

Total Operating Expenses 2 581 587 558 289

Net Operating (Deficit) 15 (28 004) (41 425)

Net Increase / (Decrease) in Asset Revaluation Reserve 14 (2 349)

Total Revenues, Expenses and Valuation Adjustments Recognised Directly in Accumulated Funds

(2 349)

Total Charges in Accumulated Funds from Non-Owner Related Transactions

(30 353) (41 425)

The Statement of Financial Performance is to be read in conjunction with the notes to the financial statements.


Statement of Financial Position

As at 30 June 2005

Note2005 $’000

2004 $’000

Assets

Current Assets

Cash and Deposits 8 14 824 13 198

Receivables 9 1 486 2 683

Prepayments 354 -

Total Current Assets 16 664 15 881

Non-Current Assets

Property, Plant and Equipment 10 598 733 610 422

Other Assets 10 - -

Total Non-Current Assets 598 733 610 422

Total Assets 615 397 626 303

Liabilities

Current Liabilities

Deposits Held - 20

Payables 11 5 046 3 823

Borrowings and Advances 12 7 35

Unearned Revenue - 110

Provisions 13 26 618 22 706

Total Current Liabilities 31 671 26 694

Non-Current Liabilities

Borrowings and Advances 12 - 7

Total Non-Current Liabilities - 7

Total Liabilities 31 671 26 701

Net Assets 583 726 599 602

Equity

Capital 14 646 074 631 597

Reserves 14 42 625 44 974

Accumulated Funds 14 (104 973) (76 969)

Total Equity 583 726 599 602

The Statement of Financial Position is to be read in conjunction with the notes to the financial statements.




Note2005 $’000

2004 $’000

Cash Flows from Operating Activities Inflows / (Outflows)

Operating Receipts

Grants and Subsidies Received

Current 91 529 91 430

Capital 12 123 5 517

Receipts from Sales of Goods and Services

Output Revenue Received 436 462 406 739

Other Agency Receipts 24 153 21 384

Total Operating Receipts 564 267 525 070

Operating Payments

Grants and Subsidies Paid

Current 197 103 181 168

Capital 11 408 9 218

Payments to Employees 267 136 257 407

Payments for Goods and Services 88 591 88 382

Interest Paid 2 5

Total Operating Payments 564 240 536 180

Net Cash From / (Used In) Operating Activities 15 27 (11 110)

Cash Flows from Investing Activities

Investing Payments

Purchase of Assets 10 666 -

Total Investing Payments 666 -

Net Cash From / (Used In) Investing Activities (666) -



Note2005 $’000

2004 $’000

Cash Flows from Financing Activities (continued)

Financing Receipts

Deposits Received (19) (49)

Equity Injection 14 2 319 13 005

Total Financing Receipts 2 300 12 956

Financing Payments

Finance Lease Payments 35 29

Total Financing Payments 35 29

Net Cash From / (Used In) Financing Activities 2 265 12 927

Net Increase in Cash Held 1 626 1 816

Cash at Beginning of Financial Year 13 198 11 382

Cash at End of Financial Year 14 824 13 198

The Statement of Cash Flows is to be read in conjunction with the notes to the financial statements.


Notes to Financial Statements


1. Statement of Significant Accounting Policies

a) Objectives and Funding

The role of the Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET) is to develop employment initiatives that will enhance the social and economic prosperity of the Northern Territory, develop Territory students through preschool, primary, secondary and vocational education and training (VET) programs and manage work health programs to ensure that people in the Northern Territory have a safe working environment.

The agency is predominantly funded by Parliamentary appropriations. The financial statements encompass all funds through which the agency controls resources to carry on its functions.

In the process of reporting on the department as a single agency, all intra agency transactions and balances have been eliminated except for financial activities of schools – refer note 1 (e).

b) Central Holding Authority

The Central Holding Authority is the ‘parent body’ that represents the Government’s ownership interest in Government controlled entities.

The Central Holding Authority also records all Territory items. Territory items are revenues, expenses, assets and liabilities controlled by the Government and managed by Agencies on behalf of the Government. The main Territory item is Territory revenue, which includes taxation and royalty revenue, Commonwealth general purpose funding (such as GST revenue), fines, and statutory fees and charges.

The Central Holding Authority also holds certain Territory assets not assigned to agencies as well as certain Territory liabilities that are not practical or effective to assign to individual agencies such as unfunded superannuation and long service leave.

Territory Items

The Central Holding Authority recognises all Territory items, therefore the Territory items managed by the agency on behalf of Government are not included in the agency financial statements. However, as the agency is accountable for the Territory items they manage on behalf of Government, these items have been separately disclosed in note 22, titled Schedule of Territory Items.

c) Basis of Accounting

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Financial Management Act and Treasurer’s Directions.

Except where stated the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the historical cost convention.

These financial statements do not comply with Australian Equivalents to International Financial Reporting Standards, as Australia is not adopting these requirements until reporting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2005. However the potential impact on accounting policies that will arise from the transition to the new standards is disclosed in note 23.

The following is a summary of the material accounting policies, which have been adopted in the preparation of the financial statements.

d) Changes in Accounting Policies

The accounting policies adopted are consistent with those of the previous year.



e) Consolidation

The delivery of education in the Territory is provided through a devolved system whereby school communities play an integral role in the provision of education activities. To facilitate this, school councils have been incorporated under the Education Act. Amongst the functions of a school council is the responsibility for financial management of the school’s activities. School councils are not responsible for the ownership of school land and buildings.

School councils are considered to be controlled entities as defined in Australian Accounting Standards AAS 24 Consolidated Financial Reports. As such, the agency is required to incorporate the financial activities of schools within the agency’s consolidated financial report. Consolidation will be undertaken using a phased implementation approach.

2004-05 is the third year the agency has been required to prepare financial statements on an accrual basis. Consolidated financial statements have not been prepared as schools’ financial data is not available in a uniform format and school councils cannot provide reliable data on an accrual basis. A Financial Management Improvement Program for Schools has commenced to improve financial management in schools and the reliability of the schools’ data. The consolidation of school financial statements into the agency financial statements is to be completed by 2006-07.

A summary of the audited financial accounts for schools for the year ended 31 December 2004 was compiled, adjusting for apparent anomalies. It should be noted that in compiling these results DEET has not undertaken an audit of the financial statements submitted to it.

Table 1 details the operating status by Cluster for the year ended 31 December 2004.

Clusters

City

$’000

Northern Suburbs

$’000

Rivers

$’000

Palmerston

& Rural

$’000

Arnhem

$’000

Desert Oaks $’000

Central Storm $’000

Total

$’000

Deet Funding 9 888 11 256 9 125 14 300 9 148 6 221 7 135 67 073

School Data

Revenue 13 679 13 273 10 209 14 693 14 611 10 730 5 140 82 335

Expenses 11 786 12 280 9 338 13 157 13 261 10 511 4 848 75 151

Operating Surplus 1 893 993 871 1 536 1 380 219 292 7 184

Table 1 should be read in conjunction with the following key observations noted:

• Inconsistencies noted in recognition of revenue, particularly the grant related revenue. The inconsistency is apparent since grant payments by DEET to schools total $67.1m in the twelve-month period to 31 December 2004 whereas Table 1 summary per school accounts indicate corresponding receipts of $82.3m. The difference may, in part, relate to grants being paid directly to schools by the Australian Government although traditionally the majority of revenue received by schools is paid via DEET.

• Financial statements are prepared on varying basis – cash, accrual and hybrid. The principles of accrual accounting have not been adopted by a large number of schools. A common practice adopted is to net off revenue and expenses of a similar nature.

• School council accrued employee expenses and related provisions have not been recognised in the majority of the financial accounts.


Notes to Financial StatementsTable 2 details a summary of the adjusted Equity position by Cluster for the year ended 31 December 2004.

Clusters

City

$’000

Northern Suburbs

$’000

Rivers

$’000

Palmerston

& Rural

$’000

Arnhem

$’000

Desert Oaks $’000

Central Storm $’000

Total

$’000

Total Assets 5 358 3 671 1 881 5 846 4 825 3 956 2 136 27 673

Funds at Bank / Investments

5 051 3 433 1 820 5 499 4 538 3 863 1 628 25 832

Other Assets 307 238 61 347 287 93 508 1 841

Total Liabilities 928 704 292 1 094 632 393 93 4 136

Net Equity 4 430 2 967 1 589 4 752 4 193 3 563 2 043 23 537

Table 2 should be read in conjunction with the following key observations noted, in addition to the observations noted in Table 1.

• A number of the financial statements have not recognised assets apart from the cash funds held at 31 December 2004.

• The majority of schools do not capitalise depreciable assets such as office equipment. Land and Buildings are capitalised in the financial statements of DEET.

• The principles of accrual accounting are not widely adopted for the recognition of trade creditors, employee entitlements and other creditors.

• There is inconsistent treatment of holding / clearing accounts in the financial accounts of the schools.

A true and fair status of the financial performance of the schools or their financial position is not possible given the limitations and weaknesses in the financial information that is available. The above information is indicative of the overall financial position of the Northern Territory Government schools.

f) Revenue Recognition

Revenue is recognised at the fair value of the consideration received net of the amount of goods and services tax (GST). Exchanges of goods or services of the same nature and value without any cash consideration are not recognised as revenues.

Output Revenue

Output revenue represents Government funding for agency operations and is calculated as the net cost of agency outputs after taking into account funding from agency revenue.

The net cost of agency outputs for output appropriation purposes does not include any allowance for major non-cash costs such as depreciation.

Revenue in respect of this funding is recognised in the period in which the agency gains control of the funds.


Notes to Financial Statements Grants and Other Contributions

Grants, donations, gifts and other non-reciprocal contributions are recognised as revenue when the agency obtains control over the assets comprising the contributions. Control is normally obtained upon receipt.

Contributions are recognised at their fair value. Contributions of services are only recognised when a fair value can be reliably determined and the services would be purchased if not donated.

Sale of Goods

Revenue from the sale of goods is recognised (net of returns, discounts and allowances) when control of the goods passes to the customer.

Rendering of Services

Revenue from rendering services is recognised in proportion to the stage of completion of the contract.

Sale of Non-current Assets

The profit or loss on disposal of non-current asset sales is included as revenue at the date control of the asset passes to the buyer, usually when an unconditional contract of sale is signed.

The profit or loss on disposal is calculated as the difference between the carrying amount of the asset at the time of disposal and the net proceeds on disposal.

Contribution of Assets

Contributions of assets and contributions to assist in the acquisition of assets, being non-reciprocal transfers, are recognised, unless otherwise determined by Government, as revenue at the fair value of the asset received when the entity gains control of the asset or contribution.

g) Goods and Services Tax

Revenues, expenses and assets are recognised net of the amount of goods and services tax (GST), except where the amount of GST incurred on a purchase of goods and services is not recoverable from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). In these circumstances the GST is recognised as part of the cost of acquisition of the asset or as part of an item of the expense.

Receivables and payables are stated with the amount of GST included.

The net amount of GST recoverable from, or payable to, the ATO is included as part of receivables or payables in the Statement of Financial Position.

Cash flows are included in the Statement of Cash Flows on a gross basis. The GST components of cash flows arising from investing and financing activities, which is recoverable from, or payable to, the ATO are classified as operating cash flows.

Commitments and contingencies are disclosed net of the amount of GST recoverable from, or payable to, the ATO.

h) Interest Expenses

Interest expenses include interest and finance lease charges and are expensed as incurred.

i) Cash and Cash Equivalents

For the purpose of the Statement of Financial Position and the Statement of Cash Flows, cash includes cash on hand, cash at bank and cash equivalent assets controlled by the agency. Cash equivalents are highly liquid short-term investments that are readily convertible to cash.



j) Receivables

The collectibility of debtors or receivables is assessed at balance date and both a specific and general provision is made for any doubtful accounts.

Debtors invoiced by the agency are normally required to be settled within 30 days.

k) Property, Plant and Equipment

Acquisitions

All items of property, plant and equipment with a cost, or other value, equal to or greater than $5 000 are recognised in the year of acquisition and depreciated as outlined below. Property, plant and equipment below the $5 000 threshold are expensed in the year of acquisition.

The cost of property, plant and equipment constructed by DEET includes the cost of materials and direct labour, and an appropriate proportion of fixed and variable overheads.

Complex Assets

Major assets are generally classified as a single asset with a uniform useful life rather than accounting for these as complex assets.

The major assets of the agency are school buildings. For recording purposes, all individual school buildings and associated infrastructure at a particular site are treated as a single asset, with a single useful life.

Subsequent Additional Costs

Costs incurred on property, plant and equipment subsequent to initial acquisition are capitalised when it is probable that future economic benefits in excess of the originally assessed performance of the asset will flow to the agency in future years. Where these costs represent separate components of a complex asset, they are accounted for as separate assets and are separately depreciated over their useful lives.

Construction Work in Progress

As part of Stage 1 of Working for Outcomes, the Department of Planning and Infrastructure (DPI) is responsible for managing general government capital works projects on a whole-of-government basis. Therefore appropriation for most capital works is provided directly to DPI and the cost of construction work in progress is recognised as an asset of that agency. Once completed, capital works assets are transferred to the agency.

Work-in-progress (WIP) arises from either minor new works or capital works items undertaken by DPI. The completed work-in-progress (WIP) transferred from DPI to DEET is either capitalised or expensed with reference to the $5 000 capitalisation threshold, a materiality test for minor new works and an improvement test for capital works.

Revaluations

Assets belonging to the following classes of non-current assets are progressively revalued on a rolling basis with sufficient regularity to ensure that an asset’s carrying amount does not differ materially from its fair value at reporting date:

• Land

• Buildings.

Fair value is the amount for which an asset could be exchanged, or liability settled, between knowledgeable, willing parties in an arms length transaction.

The unique nature of some of the heritage and cultural assets may preclude reliable measurement. Such assets have not been recognised in the financial statements.


Notes to Financial Statements The most recent land and building assets revaluation was completed on 30 June 2005 and was based on an independent assessment by the Australian Valuation Office (AVO).

A reconciliation of specific land holdings is currently being undertaken to ascertain carrying balances in the Statement of Financial Position. The reconciliation is a collaborative exercise involving the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, the Northern Territory Treasury and DEET. It is anticipated that the reconciliation will be completed during 2005-06. The financial impact of any potential reconciliation adjustments is expected to be on the accounts for equity capital, accumulated funds, the Assets Revaluation Reserve and land assets.

Buildings and improvements, excluding land, valuations are based on the estimated written down replacement cost of the most appropriate modern equivalent replacement facility having a similar service potential to the existing asset. Land is valued on an existing use basis subject to any restrictions or enhancements since acquisition.

Work in progress is not subject to revaluation and is measured on a cost basis. Other classes of non-current assets are not subject to revaluation and are measured on a cost basis.

Depreciation and Amortisation

Items of property, plant and equipment, including buildings but excluding land, have limited useful lives and are depreciated or amortised using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives.

Amortisation applies in relation to intangible non-current assets with limited useful lives and is calculated and accounted for in a similar manner to depreciation.

The estimated useful lives for each class of asset, for the current year, are in accordance with the Treasurer’s Directions and are provided as follows:

2005 2004

Buildings 50 Years 50 Years

Plant and equipment 4-10 Years 4-10 Years

Leased plant and equipment 1-5 Years 1-5 Years

Cultural assets 100 Years 100 Years

Assets are depreciated or amortised from the date of acquisition or from the time an asset is completed and held ready for use.

l) Leased Assets

Leases under which the agency assumes substantially all the risks and benefits of ownership are classified as finance leases. Other leases are classified as operating leases.

Finance Leases

Finance leases are capitalised. A leased asset and a lease liability equal to the present value of the minimum lease payments are recorded at the inception of the lease.

Lease payments are allocated between the principal component of the lease liability and the interest expense.



Operating Leases

Operating lease payments made at regular intervals throughout the term are expensed when the payments are due, except where an alternative basis is more representative of the pattern of benefits to be derived from the lease property.

m) Payables

Liabilities for trade creditors and other amounts payable are carried at cost which is the fair value of the consideration to be paid in the future for goods and services received, whether or not billed to the agency. Trade creditors are normally settled within 30 days.

n) Employee Benefits

Provision is made for employee benefits accumulated as a result of employees rendering services up to the reporting date. These benefits include wages and salaries and recreation leave. Liabilities arising in respect of wages and salaries and recreation leave expected to be settled within twelve months of the reporting date are measured at their nominal amounts based on remuneration rates, which are expected to be paid when the liability is settled.

No provision is made for sick leave, which is non-vesting, as the anticipated pattern of future sick leave to be taken indicates that accumulated sick leave is unlikely to be paid.

Employee benefits expenses are recognised on a net basis in respect of the following categories:

• wages and salaries, non-monetary benefits, recreation leave, sick leave and other leave entitlements

• other types of employee benefits.

As part of the introduction of Working for Outcomes, the Central Holding Authority assumed the long service leave liabilities of Government agencies, including DEET. The actual liability was transferred from agency ledgers during 2002-03.

o) Superannuation

Employees’ Superannuation entitlements are provided through the NT Government and Public Authorities Superannuation Scheme (NTGPASS), Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme (CSS) and non-government employee nominated schemes for those employees commencing on or after 10 August 1999.

The agency makes superannuation contributions on behalf of its employees to the Central Holding Authority or the non-government employee nominated schemes. Any liability for government superannuation is met directly by the Central Holding Authority and the agency has and will continue to have no direct superannuation liability.

p) Rounding of Amounts

Amounts in the financial statements and notes to the financial statements have been rounded to the nearest thousand dollars.

q) Comparatives

Where necessary, comparatives have been reclassified and repositioned for consistency with current year disclosures.



2. Statement of Financial Performance by Output GroupsE

mp

loym

ent

Go

vern

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atio

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2005

$’

000

2004

$’

000

2005

$’

000

2004

$’

000

2005

$’

000

2004

$’

000

2005

$’

000

2004

$’

000

2005

$’

000

2004

$’

000

Op

erat

ing

Rev

enue

Gra

nts

and

Sub

sidi

es

C

urre

nt56

868

538

812

41 1

7641

160

37 1

9310

154

12 3

7690

694

91 4

30

C

apita

l-

-6

172

-88

192

05

070

4 59

712

123

5 51

7

Sal

es o

f Goo

ds a

nd S

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ces

O

utpu

t Rev

enue

24 3

5515

070

334

853

321

774

36 4

8835

334

40 7

6634

561

436

462

406

739

O

ther

Age

ncy

Rev

enue

4666

1 34

499

349

935

249

91

791

1 56

7

Mis

cella

neou

s R

even

ue19

204

513

217

2118

1639

570

478

Ser

vice

s R

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ved

Free

of C

harg

e19

117

810

379

9 67

41

135

1 05

823

922

311

944

11 1

33

Rou

ndin

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ff(1

)

Tota

l Op

erat

ing

Rev

enue

25 1

7916

203

392

073

373

834

79 7

3474

532

56 5

9752

295

553

583

516

864

Op

erat

ing

Exp

ense

s

Em

ploy

ee E

xpen

ses

3 99

83

489

259

681

242

988

4 29

93

808

3 76

74

023

271

745

254

308

Adm

inis

trat

ive

Expe

nses

P

urch

ases

of G

oods

& S

ervi

ces

1 08

62

146

34 5

7530

814

3 72

64

193

1 83

91

728

41 2

2638

881

R

epai

rs a

nd M

aint

enan

ce4

1323

736

22 0

99(3

6)25

187

305

23 8

9122

442

P

rope

rty

Man

agem

ent

280

333

7 57

78

218

6140

516

516

8 43

49

107

D

epre

ciat

ion

and

Am

ortis

atio

n58

5915

947

15 5

786

1071

872

016

729

16 3

67


O

ther

Adm

inis

trat

ive

Exp

ense

s-

3-

205

-19

-4

-23

1

S

ervi

ces

Rec

eive

d Fr

ee o

f 19

117

810

379

9 67

41

135

1 05

823

922

311

943

11 1

33

P

rofit

/ Lo

ss o

n D

ispo

sal o

f Ass

ets

--

514

445

--

--

514

445

Gra

nts

and

Sub

sidi

es

C

urre

nt20

265

10 4

3464

148

65 0

2267

336

62 4

8044

465

44 2

0619

6 21

418

2 14

2

C

apita

l-

-58

23

205

4 15

73

831

6 65

82

192

11 3

979

228

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--

25

--

--

25

Rou

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Exp

ense

s25

882

16 6

5541

6 63

241

2 25

380

684

75 4

6458

389

53 9

1758

1 58

755

8 28

9

Net

Op

erat

ing

Sur

plu

s /

(Def

icit)

(703

)(4

52)

(24

559)

(38

419)

(950

)(9

32)

(1 7

92)

(1 6

22)

(28

004)

(41

425)

The

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2005 $’000

2004 $’000

3. Profit / Loss on Disposal / Transfer of Non- Current Assets

Proceeds from the Disposal of Non-Current Assets - -

Less: Written Down Value of Non-Current Assets Disposed 5 -

Loss on Disposal of Assets (5) -

Loss on Transfer of Assets - (14 445)

Profit / (Loss) on the disposal / transfer of non-current assets (5) (14 445) Note: Loss on transfer is the written down value of assets disposed without consideration.

4. Grants and Subsidies

Current

Commonwealth Grants 89 686 89 939

Other Grants 1 008 1 491

Capital

Commonwealth Grants 10 564 5 517

Other Grants 1 559 -

Total Grant and Subsidies 102 817 96 947

5. Employee Expenses

Salaries and Related Expenses 230 667 213 159

Payroll Tax 15 884 16 286

Fringe benefits Tax 2 354 2 056

Superannuation Expense 19 945 19 800

Workers’ Compensation 2 895 3 007

Total Employee Expenses 271 745 254 308


2005 $’000

2004 $’000

6. Operating Expenses

The net operating deficit has been arrived at after charging the following expenses:

Consultants’ Fees (1) 1 680 5 369

Advertising (2) 35 13

Marketing and Promotion (3) 854 626

Document Production 1 201 1 024

Legal Expenses (4) 890 116

Recruitment Expenses (5) 1 255 1 786

Training and Study Expenses 805 1 060

Official Duty Fares 2 174 2 268

Travelling Allowance 874 958

(1) Includes marketing, promotion an IT consultants.

(2) Does not include recruitment advertising or marketing and promotion advertising.

(3) Includes advertising for marketing and promotion but excludes marketing and promotion consultants’ expenses, which are incorporated in the consultants’ category.

(4) Includes legal fees, claim and settlement costs.

(5) Includes recruitment related advertising cost.

7. Depreciation and Amortisation

Buildings 16 644 16 247

Plant, Equipment and Others 85 120

Total Depreciation and Amortisation 16 729 16 367

8. Cash

Cash on Hand 15 1

Cash at Bank 14 809 13 197

Total Cash 14 824 13 198

9. Receivables

Current

Sundry Debtors 1 600 3 018

Less: Provision for Doubtful Sundry Debtors (114) (335)

Total Receivables 1 486 2 683




2005 $’000

2004 $’000

10. Property, Plant and Equipment

Land

At Cost 4 466 4 713

At Valuation 35 221 34 443

39 687 39 156

Buildings

At Cost 991 47 027

At Valuation 815 066 766 895

Less Accumulated Depreciation (257 852) (242 921)

558 205 571 001

Construction (works in progress)

At Capitalised Cost 666 -

666 -

Plant and Equipment

At Cost 664 697

Less Accumulated Depreciation (511) (487)

153 210

Leased Plant and Equipment

At Capitalised Cost 155 155

Less Accumulated Amortisation (149) (117)

6 38

Cultural Assets

At Cost 22 22

Less Accumulated Depreciation (6) (5)

16 17

Total Property, Plant and Equipment 598 733 610 422

The Australian Valuation Office (AVO) undertook revaluation of land and buildings at 30 June 2005 and 30 June 2003. The Policy for revaluations is described in note 1(k).



Land Buildings Construction (Works in progress)

Plant & Equipment

Leased Plant &

Equipment

Cultural Assets

Total

30 June 20052005 $’000

2005 $’000

2005 $’000

2005 $’000

2005 $’000

2005 $’000

2005 $’000

10. Property, Plant and Equipment (continued)

Reconciliations

Reconciliations of the carrying amounts of property, plant and equipment at the beginning and end of the current financial year are set out below:

Cost / Valuation

Balance at the Beginning of the Year 39 156 813 922 - 697 155 22 853 952

Additions - - 666 - - - 666

Disposals - - (12 158) (33) - - (12 191)

Transfers (Net) - 6 728 12 158 - - - 18 886

Revaluation (Net) 531 (4 593) - - - - (4 062)

Balance at the End of the Year 39 687 816 057 666 664 155 22 857 251

Accumulated Depreciation

Balance at the Beginning of the Year - 242 921 - 487 117 5 243 530

Depreciation and Amortisation - 16 644 - 52 32 1 16 729

Disposals - - - (28) - - (28)

Transfers (Net) - - - - - - -

Revaluation (Net) - (1 713) - - - - (1 713)

Balance at the End of the Year - 257 852 - 511 149 6 258 518

Written Down Value

Balance at the Beginning of the Year 39 156 571 001 - 210 38 17 610 422

Balance at the End of the Year 39 687 558 205 666 153 6 16 598 733



Land Buildings Construction (Works in progress)

Plant & Equipment

Leased Plant &

Equipment

Cultural Assets

Total

30 June 20042004 $’000

2004 $’000

2004 $’000

2004 $’000

2004 $’000

2004 $’000

2004 $’000


Reconciliations

Reconciliations of the carrying amounts of property, plant and equipment at the beginning and end of the current financial year are set out below:

Cost / Valuation

Balance at the Beginning of the Year 39 156 832 209 68 735 122 22 872 312

Additions - - 6 332 35 90 - 6 457

Disposals - (23 046) - (21) (6) - (23 073)

Transfers (Net) - 4 759 (6 400) (52) (51) - (1 744)

Revaluation (Net) - - - - - - -

Balance at the End of the Year 39 156 813 922 - 697 155 22 853 952

Accumulated Depreciation

Balance at the Beginning of the Year - 233 713 - 463 22 4 234 202

Depreciation and Amortisation - 16 246 - 75 45 1 16 367

Disposals - (7 038) - (21) (6) - (7 065)

Transfers (Net) - - - (30) 56 - 26

Revaluation (Net) - - - - - - -

Balance at the End of the Year 242 921 - 487 117 5 243 530

Written Down Value

Balance at the Beginning of the Year 39 156 598 496 68 272 100 18 638 110

Balance at the End of the Year 39 156 571 001 - 210 38 17 610 422



2005 $’000

2004 $’000


Purchase of Non-Current Assets

Payments for Construction Works in Progress 666 -

Total Purchase of Non-Current Assets 666 -

11. Payables

Trade Creditors 4 097 2 531

Accrued Salaries 756 -

Other Creditors 193 1 292

Total Payables 5 046 3 823

12. Borrowings and advances

Current

Finance Lease Liability (Note 18) 7 35

Non-Current

Finance Lease Liability (Note 19) - 7

Total Borrowings and Advances 7 42



2005 $’000

2004 $’000

13. Provisions

Current

Employee Benefits

Recreation Leave 18 939 17 343

Leave Loading 1 911 1 972

Recreation Leave Fares 1 702 -

Other Current Provisions

Other Provisions (Note i below) 4 066 3 391

Total Provisions 26 618 22 706

a) Reconciliation

Employee Benefits

Balance as at 30 June 2004 19 315 17 911

Reductions Arising from Payments / Other Sacrifices of Future Economic Benefits (Note ii and iii below)

(26 829) (25 455)

Additional Net Provisions Recognised (Note ii and iii below) 30 066 26 859

Balances as at 30 June 2005 22 552 19 315

The agency employed 3 811.5 employees as at 30 June 2005 (2004: 3 726.5 employees)

b) Reconciliation

Other Current Provisions

Balance as at 30 June 2004 3 391 2 160

Reductions Arising from Payments / Other Sacrifices of Future Economic Benefits (Note ii and iii below)

(2 279) (2 013)

Additional Net Provisions Recognised (Note ii and iii below) 2 954 3 244

Balances as at 30 June 2005 4 066 3 391

Note:

(i) Other current provisions relate to Fringe Benefits Tax, Payroll tax and Superannuation.

(ii) The expense during the year for Recreation Leave, Leave Loading and Fringe Benefits Tax is considered as additional provision for the year. Balance of the movement in these provision accounts is considered as payments made during the year.

(iii) Movement in the provision accounts for Recreation Leave Fares, Payroll tax and Superannuation is considered as additional provision for the year. No payments are made from these provision accounts.



2005 $’000

2004 $’000

14. Equity

a) Capital

Balance at the Beginning of the Year 631 597 612 260

Equity Injections 2 319 13 005

Equity Transferred In 12 158 6 332

Equity Withdrawals - -

Balance at the End of the Year 646 074 631 597

b) Reserves

Asset Revaluation Reserve

(i) Nature and Purpose of Reserve

The asset revaluation reserve includes the net revaluation increments and decrements arising from the revaluation of non-current assets in accordance with AASB 1041

(ii) Movements in Reserve

Balance at the Beginning of the Year 44 974 44 974

Revaluation Increment / (Decrement) on

- Land 531 -

- Buildings (2 880) -

Balance at the End of the Year 42 625 44 974

c) Accumulated Funds

Balance at the Beginning of the Year (76 969) (35 544)

Current Year Operating Surplus / (Deficit) (28 004) (41 425)

Balance at the End of the Year (104 973) (76 969)



2005 $’000

2004 $’000

15. Notes to the Statement of Cash Flows

Reconciliation of net operating surplus / (deficit) to net cash used in operating activities.

Net Operating Surplus / (Deficit) (28 004) (41 425)

Non-Cash Items

Depreciation and Amortisation 16 729 16 367

Bad Debts Written-Off - -

Provision for Doubtful Debts (221) 173

Equity Transfers-In for R&M 5 429 3 209

Assets Acquired for Nil Consideration - (18)

(Profit) / Loss on Disposal / Transfer of Non-Current Assets 5 14 445

Changes in Assets and Liabilities

Decrease / (Increase) in Receivables 1 418 (506)

Decrease / (Increase) in Prepayments (354) 142

Decrease / (Increase) in Property, Plant and Equipment - -

Decrease / (Increase) in Accounts Payable and Accruals 1 223 (6 242)

Decrease / (Increase) in Provision for Employee Benefits 3 912 2 635

Decrease / (Increase) in Other Provisions (110) 110

Net Cash Flows from / (used in) Operating Activities 27 (11 110)

Non Cash Financing and Investing Activities

Finance Lease Transactions

During the financial year the agency acquired plant and equipment / computer equipment and software with an aggregate fair value of $nil (2004: $nil) by means of finance leases.



2005 $’000

2004 $’000

16. Services Received Free of Charge

Corporate and Information Services 11 943 11 133

Internal Audits and Reviews 77* 38*

* Amounts not recognised in the Statement of Financial Performance

Financial Instruments

A financial instrument is any contract resulting in a financial asset of one agency and a financial liability of another agency.

a) Interest Rate Risk

The agency’s exposure to interest rate risk and the average interest rate for classes of financial assets and financial liabilities is set out below. The average interest rate is based on the outstanding balance at the start of the year.

Weighted Average Interest

Rate

Variable Interest

Under 1 Year

1 to 5 Years

Over 5 Years

Non-Interest Bearing

Total

% $’000 $’000 $’000 $’000 $’000 $’000

17. 2005 Financial Assets

Cash Assets 14 824 14 824

Receivables 1 486 1 486

- - - - 16 310 16 310

2005 Financial Liabilities

Accounts Payable 5 046 5 046

Lease Liabilities 7.5% 7 7

- 7 - - 5 046 5 053

Net Financial Assets / (Liabilities) - 7 - - 11 264 11 257

2004 Financial Assets

Cash Assets 13 198 13 198

Receivables 2 683 2 683

- - - - 15 881 15 881

2004 Financial Liabilities

Accounts Payable 3 823 3 823

Lease Liabilities 7.5% 35 7 42

- 35 7 - 3 823 3 865

Net Financial Assets / (Liabilities) - 35 7 - 12 058 12 016

Fixed Interest Maturity



b) Credit Risk

The agency’s principally deals with Government agencies. In respect of any dealings with organisations external to Government, the agency has adopted the policy of only dealing with credit worthy organisations and obtaining sufficient collateral or other security where appropriate, as a means of mitigating the risk of financial loss from defaults.

The carrying amount of financial assets recorded in the financial statements, net of any provisions for losses, represents the agency’s maximum exposure to credit risk without taking account of the value of any collateral or other security obtained.

c) Net Fair Value

The carrying amount of financial assets and financial liabilities recorded in the financial statements represents their respective net fair values.

2005 $’000

2004 $’000

18. Commitments

(i) Capital Expenditure Commitments

Estimated capital expenditure contracted for at balance date but not provided for and payable:

Within One Year

One Year and No Later than Five Years

Greater than Five Years

- -

Note: Capital expenditure managed via Department of Planning and Infrastructure not considered above.

(ii) Non-Cancellable Operating Lease Expense Commitments

Future operating lease commitments not provided for in the financial statements and payable:

Within One Year 103 61

One Year and No Later than Five Years 162 152

Greater than Five Years - -

265 213

The agency leases property under non-cancellable operating leases expiring from 1 to 5 years. Leases generally provide the agency with a right of renewal at which time all terms are negotiated.



2005 $’000

2004 $’000

(iii) Finance Lease Payment Commitments

Future finance lease commitments are payable:

Within One Year 7 37

One Year and No Later than Five Years - 7

Greater than Five Years - -

Less: Future Lease Finance Charge - (2)

7 42

Lease liabilities provided for in the financial statements:

Current 7 35

Non-Current - 7

Total Lease Liability 7 42

The agency leases plant and equipment (primarily photocopiers) under finance leases expiring with 1 year.

(iv) Other Non-Cancellable Contract Commitments

Other future commitments not provided for in the financial statements and payable:

Within One Year 52 241 49 531

One Year and No Later than Five Years 38 603 24 677

Greater than Five Years 1 864 1 547

92 708 75 755



19. Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets

a) Contingent Liabilities

Contract Indemnities / Guarantees

The agency has entered into a number of funding contracts or agreements with the Australian Government and other organisations. Included in these contracts and agreements are terms and conditions requiring the agency to provide either guarantees or indemnities to the funding bodies.

The contingent liability resulting from these undertakings is unquantifiable and no claims have arisen to-date. Each of the indemnities provided has been assessed not to pose a significant risk to the Territory.

b) Contingent Assets

The Department of Employment, Education and Training had no contingent liabilities or contingent assets as at 30 June 2004 or 30 June 2005.

20. Events Subsequent to Balance Date

No events have arisen between the end of the financial year and the date of this report that require adjustments to, or disclosure in these financial statements.



2005 $’000

Agency No of

Trans.

2004 $’000

Agency No of

Trans.

21. Write Offs, Postponements and Waivers

Write offs, waivers and postponements under the Financial Management Act

Represented by:

Amounts Written Off, Waived and Postponed by Delegates

Irrecoverable Amounts Payable to the Territory or an Agency Written Off

10 23 28 30

Losses or Deficiencies of Money Written Off

Public Property Written Off 5 1

Waiver or Postponement of Right to Receive or Recover Money or Property

Total 15 24 28 30

Amounts Written Off, Waived and Postponed by the Treasurer

Irrecoverable Amounts Payable to the Territory or an Agency Written Off

Losses or Deficiencies of Money Written Off

Public Property Written Off

Waiver or Postponement of Right to Receive or Recover Money or Property

Total - - - -

Write Offs, Postponements and Waivers Authorised

under Other Legislation15 24 28 30



2005 $’000

2004 $’000

22. Schedule of Territory Items

Territory Revenue and Expenses

Revenue

Sale of Goods and Services

Fees from Regulatory Services 507 146

Other Revenue 266 6

Total Revenue 773 152

Expenses

Central Holding Authority Revenue Transferred 773 152

Total Expenses 773 152

Revenue Less Expenses - -

Territory Assets and Liabilities

Assets

Other Receivables

Total Assets - -

Liabilities

Central Holding Authority Revenue Payable

Total Liabilities - -

Net Assets - -



23. Disclosing the Impact of Adopting Australian Equivalents to International Financial Reporting Standards (A-IFRS)

The agency is managing the transition to the A-IFRS. The agency has reviewed the new accounting standards to identify key issues and the likely impacts resulting from the adoption of A-IFRS. Treasurer’s Directions that may be issued in this context will be assessed at that point in time. The agency has attended education and training process to raise awareness of the changes in reporting requirements and the process to be undertaken.

This financial report has been prepared in accordance with current Australian accounting standards and other financial reporting requirements issued in the Treasurer’s Directions. The agency has completed an A-IFRS impact assessment statement and estimates that there will not be a significant impact on the financial position and financial performance following the adoption of A-IFRS. It should be noted that the actual effects of transition to A-IFRS may differ from early estimates, due to:

• change in facts and circumstances

• ongoing research being undertaken by the agency to assess the impact

• potential amendments to A-IFRS and their interpretations

• emerging accepted practice in the interpretation and application of A-IFRS.

At this point in time, the agency is not in a position to reliably estimate and quantify the impact of A-IFRS on its financial report. The likely key impact on application of the new standards is anticipated to be in the following areas:

Impairment Testing

AASB 136 Impairment of Assets is an Australian Equivalent International Financial Reporting Standard applicable to financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2005. AASB 136 will replace the current Australian standard AAS 10. However, unlike AAS 10, AASB 136 applies to all assets of not-for-profit entities. Therefore, all not-for-profit agencies will now have to assess and adjust, where necessary, assets for impairment.

Under the new standard, assets will be subject to assessment for impairment and, if there are indications of impairment, measurement of that impairment. The impairment test is that the carrying amount of an asset must not exceed the greater of (a) its fair value less costs to sell and (b) its value in use. ‘Value in use’ is the net present value of net cash inflows for for-profit assets and depreciated replacement cost for not-for-profit entities.

The agency currently has no for-profit assets.

The current practice followed by the agency with regard to its assets is to assess for indications of impairment. Where indications of impairment exist, the carrying amount of the asset is written down to higher of its net selling price or depreciated replacement cost.

The agency assets are predominantly land and school buildings with plant and equipment being immaterial in comparison.

The agency is of the view that its building and infrastructure assets that are valued at depreciated replacement cost are recorded at amounts greater than their recoverable amounts. Therefore, it is estimated that any material financial impact is unlikely.

The Northern Territory Treasury is expected to develop a Policy Brief to further assist in the application of AASB 136.



Revenue

Rules governing grants provided to entities are expected to be altered from a reciprocal/non-reciprocal approach to encompass in substance agreements whereby income in certain circumstances can be matched over the period the service is proved rather than treated as revenue in the year of receipt. It is possible that the related accounting standards may be amended to adopt the ‘matching’ approach. If amended, it is expected to delay recognition of grant revenue until the related goods or services are provided or specific grant conditions are met. However, at this stage, the timing and dollar impact of these amendments is uncertain.

Property, Plant and Equipment

It is expected that Treasurer’s Directions will continue to require property, plant and equipment assets to be valued at fair value and cost basis and that assets subject to revaluation to be accounted for on gross basis (i.e. accumulated depreciation is not written back on revaluation). No material impact is expected from these changes.

Employee benefits

AASB 119 requires present value measurement for all long-term employee benefits. The current practice is to account for all salaries, annual leave and sick leave at nominal value. The agency has long-term annual leave benefits and its measurement at present value, rather than nominal value, will decrease the employee benefits liability and annual leave expense.

In the public sector, benefits such as annual leave become unconditional over relatively short time periods and benefits are generally required to be cleared rather than accumulate. On this basis, an undiscounted approach would not be materially different from a discounted approach.

It is expected that the Northern Territory Treasury will issue an advice on calculation of these liabilities where it is material.

Financial Instruments

A-IFRS includes an option for entities not to restate comparative information in respect of financial instruments in the first A-IFRS report. It is expected that Treasurer’s Directions will require agencies to use this option. Therefore, the amounts for financial instruments presented in the agency’s 2004-05 financial statements are not expected to change as a result of the adoption of A-IFRS.

The agency will be required by A-IFRS to review the carrying amounts of financial instruments at 1 July 2005 to ensure they align with the accounting policies required by A-IFRS. An entity whose only financial assets were cash and receivables (including Goods and Services Tax and appropriations receivables) would continue to measure these at cost. An entity whose only liabilities were trade creditors and finance lease liabilities would record the former at cost and the latter in accordance with AASB 117 Leases. Accordingly, it is expected that the carrying amounts of financial instruments held by agency will not materially change as a result of this process.

Appendices

154 Appendices > DEET Annual Report 2004-05

AcronymsAIEW Aboriginal and Islander Education Worker

AQTF Australian Quality Training Framework

BIITE Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education

CDU Charles Darwin University

COAG Council of Australian Governments

DCIS Department of Corporate and Information Services

DEET Department of Employment, Education and Training

EAC Education Advisory Council

EEO Equal Employment Opportunities

FFPOS Full Fee Paying Overseas Students

ICCP Indigenous Community Coordination Pilot

ICT Information Communication Technology

IDL Interactive Distance Learning

IPRA International Public Relations Association

LATIS Learning and Technology in Schools

MABET Ministerial Advisory Board for Employment and Training

MAP Multilevel Assessment Program

NTCE Northern Territory Certificate of Education

NTJCPTA Northern Territory Joint Council of Professional Teaching Associations

OHS Occupational Health and Safety

RTC Regional Training Centre

RTO Registered Training Organisation

SBNA School Based New Apprenticeships

SAMS Student Administration Management System

SSABSA Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia

SSPR School for Social Policy and Research (Charles Darwin University)

TAC Training Advisory Council

TRY Training Remote Youth

VET Vocational Education and Training

155DEET Annual Report 2004-05Appendices >

How to Contact UsDepartment of Employment, Education and Training GPO Box 4821 Darwin NT 0801

Mitchell Centre55-59 Mitchell Street DARWIN NT 0800

Level 10

People and Learning (08) 8999 5659 Programs Unit (08) 8999 5801 Audit Services (08) 8901 4994 Records Management (08) 8999 5861 Teacher Registration Board (08) 8999 5963

Level 11 Employment and Training (08) 8901 1357 Legal Services (08) 8999 5886 Media and Marketing Services (08) 8991 4909 International Services (08) 8901 4904

Level 12 Information Technology Services (08) 8999 5980 Financial Services (08) 8901 4949

Level 13 Schools Division (08) 8901 1371 Indigenous Education (08) 8999 5602 Building Better Schools (08) 8999 5657

Level 14 Office of the Chief Executive (08) 8999 5858 Business Planning and Information (08) 8999 5793 Freedom of Information and Privacy (08) 8999 5796 Higher Education Services (08) 8999 5735 Ministerial Liaison (08) 8999 5762

General Enquiries Phone: (08) 8901 4909


Student Services Branch

Wulagi School Campus Brolga Street WULAGI NT 0812 Phone: (08) 8999 8787

Curriculum Services Branch

1st Floor Harbourview Plaza McMinn Street DARWIN NT 0800 Phone: (08) 8999 3707

Arnhem Education Office

Matthew Flinders Way PO Box 446 NHULUNBUY NT 0881 Phone: (08) 8987 0455

Alice Springs Education Office

Corner Bagot Street & Gap Road PO Box 1420 ALICE SPRINGS NT 0871 Phone: (08) 8951 7070

Alice Springs Employment and Training Office

Suite 77 Mezzanine Level Alice Plaza, Todd Mall PO Box 7897 ALICE SPRINGS NT 0871 Phone: (08) 8951 5870

NT WorkSafe

Ground Floor Minerals House 66 The Esplanade DARWIN NT 0800 Phone: 1800 019 115

November 2005 – moving to Plaza Building The Mall

Ground Floor NTG Centre 1st Street KATHERINE NT 0851 Phone: (08) 8973 8416

Peter Sitzler Building 67 North Stuart Highway ALICE SPRINGS NT 0871 Phone: (08) 8951 8682

156 Appendices > DEET Annual Report 2004-05

How to Contact Us

Barkly Group School

Tennant Creek Training Centre Staunton Street PO Box 459 TENNANT CREEK NT 0861 Phone: (08) 8962 4351

Katherine Group Schools

1st Floor NT Government House First Street PO Box 1246 KATHERINE NT 0851 Phone: (08) 8973 8900

Alice Springs Group School East 1st Floor Main Building Lot 431 Gap Road PO Box 1420 ALICE SPRINGS NT 0871 Phone: (08) 8951 7034

Alice Springs Group School West Back Building Lot 431 Gap Road PO Box 1420 ALICE SPRINGS NT 0871 Phone: (08) 8951 7046

Top End Group School

1st Floor Ludmilla Primary School GPO Box 39946 DARWIN NT 0801 Phone: (08) 8999 3208

Regional Training Centres

Nhulunbuy Training Centre Chesterfield Circuit PO Box 1435 NHULUNBUY NT 0881 Phone: (08) 8987 0484

Katherine Training Centre 19 Second Street Locked Bag 200 KATHERINE NT 0852 Phone: (08) 8973 8444

Tennant Creek Training Centre Staunton Street PO Box 29 TENNANT CREEK NT 0861 Phone: (08) 8962 4350

Jabiru Training Centre Van Delft St PO Box 645 JABIRU NT 0880 Phone: (08) 8979 2442

157DEET Annual Report 2004-05Appendices >

Northern Territory Department of Employment, Education and Training

GPO Box 4821

Darwin NT 0801

Telephone: (08) 8999 5511


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