Operational Structure Enabling legislation The Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia was established in 1894 and operates under the Public Sector Management Act 1994. Responsible Minister The Honourable DT Redman MLA Minister for Agriculture and Food; Forestry; Housing Delivering our by the numbers Protected $170 million industry and 800 jobs by working to reopen live export market to Indonesia Eradicated Queensland fruit fly, saving WA industry about $65 million per year Took lead role in about $30 million worth of major new Royalties for Regions projects Worked with grains industry to achieve a record harvest, passing the 15 million tonne mark Conducted almost $2 million worth of AGWEST overseas training and capacity building projects Inspected 177 170 imported plant lines Carried out 70 337 tests to certify health status of 231 shipments of livestock Developed WA Organism List containing 58 000 declared organisms Seized 46 239 kg of quarantine risk material Responded to 10 000 Pest and Disease Information Service enquiries Inspected 6331 livestock from interstate Delivered farm planning workshops to 620 businesses and 1100 people around WA Enrolled almost 200 staff in project management training Ensured 95 per cent of had completed Occupational Safety and Health training Intercepted 55 plant pests and diseases Established 42 new weather stations and a statistical seasonal forecast website Destroyed 32 European wasp Employed 7 trainees of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent Employed 6 new animal welfare inspectors Received 1 national Economic Development Award for our Indigenous Landholder Service.
Branch profile - The directorate supports sustainable economic development and growth in value through biosecurity surveillance and assurance; and industry innovation, consultation, planning and leadership. The focus is on developing partnerships across supply chains, achieving measurable productivity improvements, developing appropriate infrastructure, increasing market penetration and promoting excellence. Administered legislation The Minister for Agriculture and Food is responsible for the administration of a large number of related Acts. Responsibility for most of these is delegated to the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (the Western Australian Agriculture Authority): Aerial Spraying Control Act 1966 Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Taxing) Act 1995 Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Western Australia) Act 1995 Agricultural Produce (Chemical Residues) Act 1983* Agricultural Produce Commission Act 1988 Agricultural Products Act 1929* Agriculture and Related Resources Protection Act 1976* Animal Welfare Act 2002 Argentine Ant Act 1968* Beekeepers Act 1963* Biological Control Act 1986 Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Rates and Charges Act 2007 Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (Repeal and Consequential Provisions) Act 2007 Bulk Handling Act 1967 Exotic Diseases of Animals Act 1993 Fertilizers Act 1977* Gene Technology Act 2006 Genetically Modified Crops Free Areas Act 2003 Industrial Hemp Act 2004 Loans (Co-operative Companies) Act 2004 Marketing of Potatoes Act 1946 Ord River Dam Catchment Area (Straying Cattle) Act 1967 Perth Market Act 1926 Plant Diseases Act 1914* Agricultural Society Act 1926 Royal Agricultural Society Act Amendment Act 1929 Rural Business Development Corporation Act 2000 Seeds Act 1981* Soil and Land Conservation Act 1945 Stock (Identification and Movement) Act 1970* Diseases (Regulations) Act 1968* Tree Plantation Agreements Act 2003
Veterinary Chemical Control and Animal Feeding Stuffs Act 1976* Veterinary Surgeons Act 1960 Western Australian Meat Industry Authority Act 1976 Western Australian Meat Marketing Co-operative Limited (Shares) Act 2003 * Legislation to be repealed once Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 is proclaimed Other key legislation impacting on activities In the performance of its functions, the department complies with a number of relevant written laws and specialised legislation that impact upon operations: Auditor General Act 2006 Conservation and Land Management Act 1984 Contaminated Sites Act 2003 Corruption and Crime Commission Act 2003 Disability Services Act 1993 Electoral Act 1907 Electronics Transactions Act 2011 Emergency Management Act 2005 Environmental Protection Act 1986 Equal Opportunity Act 1984 Financial Management Act 2006 Firearms Act 1973 Forest Products Act 2000 Freedom of Information Act 1992 Government Employees Housing Act 1964 Health Act 1911 Industrial Relations Act 1979 Land Administration Act 1997 Library of Western Australia Act 1951 Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993 Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 Occupiers Liability Act 1985 Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1971 Poisons Act 1964 Public and Bank Holidays Act 1972 Public Interest Disclosure Act 2003 Public Sector Management Act 1994 Salaries and Allowances Act 1975
Social and environmental responsibility—ensuring that economic activity is managed in a socially and environmentally responsible manner for the long-term benefit of the state 1.Land managers and producers using best management practices 5. Reduced incidence and impact of environmental and community-based risks 1. Land management 5. Community & environmental risk management Stronger focus on the regions—greater focus on service delivery, infrastructure investment and economic development to improve the overall quality of life in remote and regional areas 2. An innovative and adaptive production sector which effectively manages risk 3. Competitive food and agriculture industries 2. Production systems solutions 3. Industry and regional support service delivery—greater focus on achieving results in key service delivery areas for the benefit of all Western Australians 4. Increased value of domestic and international trade 4. Market development
Plant Biosecurity staff responded rapidly after a female Qfly was discovered in the Perth suburb of Highgate in February 2011. Bill Trend, Bill Woods, Marc Poole and Darryl Hardie were in charge of the eradication program, which included surveillance, fly trapping and spraying of host plants such as fruit and street trees with an organic bait. Our officers inspected more than 20 000 Qfly traps and surveyed about 330 properties within the outbreak zone. The program ran between February and May last year. The eradication program was declared a success in July, two months after the last Qfly was found. The department remains vigilant against incursions of Qfly and maintains an extensive trapping network as an early warning system against infestation. DAFWA entomologists Darryl Hardie and Richard Johnston inspect a Qfly trap in the Perth suburb of Highgate, where a Qfly was detected. Financial targets Financial targets 2011/12 Target (1) $000 2011/12 Actual $000 Variation (2) $000 Explanation of variation cost of services (expense limit) (details from Statement of Comprehensive Income) 231 417 216 664 (14 753) The 6.4% decrease in expenditure is largely the result of the department driving efficiency measures in the second half of the financial year and reducing expenditure on services as less than anticipated income from research grants was received. Net cost of services (details from Statement of Comprehensive Income) 159 609 152 865 (6 744) A 4.2% decrease. Total equity (details from Statement of Financial Position) 287 767 297 428 18 661 The 6.7% increase is due to the transfer of the assets of the Agriculture Protection Board to the department. Net increase / (decrease) in cash held (7 687) 22 453 30 140 The variation is due to the accounting policy changes applied to Natural Resource
Service 5 - Community and environmental risk management Efficiency No data No data No data Net service cost as a factor of GVAP (%) 0.17 0.22 0.05 Public and private sector co-investment in initiatives related to this service as a factor of the net cost of this service (%) 54.1 39.2 (14.9) KPIs reported in 2010–11 are not used this year because the effectiveness KPIs had earlier been qualified by the Auditor General. 1. No targets were set for these (new) effectiveness KPIs at the beginning of the 2011–12 financial year. 2. Explanations for the variations between target and actual results are presented in Note 41 ‘Explanatory statement’ to the financial statements. Summary of outcomes, services and performance indicators Our mission is to work with our partners to develop the agrifood sector and manage the risks to the natural and biological resources on which it relies. We do this by collaborating to generate new products and knowledge that enable our agriculture and food industries to make appropriate and timely decisions about their future. Changes the last reporting period Part of our own transformation in preparing to undertake this mission has been to improve the way we assess our performance, both by better describing what we hope to achieve (our outcomes) and the mechanisms by which we achieve it (our services); and by having a better understanding of our successes and failures (our performance indicators of KPIs). To this end, we have developed a new suite of outcomes, services and indicators that were formally endorsed by Treasury in April 2012. Structure of this performance report Our new outcomes and services have been applied as the basis of our 2012–13 budget and will be reported in our 2012–13 annual report. As this year’s budget was based on the former outcomes and services, this current report reflects those statements. However, it is more meaningful to assess our performance against our new indicators. New efficiency indicators We established new indicators this year which better reflect our performance as an economic development department. Our job is to drive economic development in the agrifood sector and we do this by helping agrifood industries adopt practices and technologies that better enable them to seize opportunities and manage risks. Many of the products we deliver take the form of new knowledge and information and historically we have used the average cost of these as the primary gauge of our efficiency.
Purchased leave The provision for purchased leave relates to Public Service employees who have entered into an agreement to self-fund up to an additional 10 weeks’ leave per calendar year. The provision recognises the value of salary set aside for employees and is measured at the nominal amounts expected to be paid when the liabilities are settled. This liability is measured on the same basis as annual leave. Superannuation The Government Employees Superannuation (GESB) and other funds administer public sector superannuation arrangements in Western Australia in accordance with legislative requirements. Eligibility criteria for membership in particular schemes for public sector employees varies; according to commencement and implementation dates. Eligible employees contribute to the Pension Scheme, a defined benefit pension scheme closed to new members since 1987, or the Gold State Superannuation Scheme (GSS), a defined benefit lump sum scheme closed to new members since 1995. The GSS is a defined benefit scheme for the purposes of employees and whole-of-government reporting. However, it is a defined contribution plan for agency purposes because the concurrent contributions (defined contributions) made by the department to GESB extinguishes the agency’s obligations to the related superannuation liability. The department has no liabilities under the Pension Scheme or the GSS. The liabilities for the unfunded Pension Scheme and the unfunded GSS transfer benefits attributable to members who transferred from the Pension Scheme, are assumed by the Treasurer. All other GSS obligations are funded by concurrent contributions made by the department to the GESB. Employees commencing employment prior to 16 April 2007 who were not members of either the Pension Scheme or the GSS became members of the West State Superannuation Scheme (WSS). Employees commencing employment on or after 16 April 2007 became members of the GESB Super Scheme (GESBS). From 30 March 2012, existing members of the WSS or GESBS and new employees became able to choose their preferred superannuation fund. The department makes concurrent contributions to GESB or other funds on behalf of employees in compliance with the Commonwealth Government’s Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992. Contributions to these accumulation schemes extinguish the department’s liability for superannuation charges in respect of employees who are not members of the Pension Scheme or GSS. The GESB makes all benefit payments in respect of the Pension Scheme and GSS, and is recouped from the Treasurer for the employer’s share. Provisions - other Employment on-costs
(b) Receipts and disbursements are disclosed in note 45 in accordance with Treasurer’s Instruction 1103(15). No data 2012 $000 2011 $000 Non-current Accrued salaries suspense account (c) 2 352 2 070 Total non-current 2 352 2 070 (c) Funds held in the suspense account are to be used only for the purpose of meeting the 27th pay in a financial year that occurs every 11 years. Total restricted cash and cash equivalents 38 445 25 060 No data Note 18 – Biological assets No data 2012 $000 2011 $000 Livestock 1 405 1 929 Field crops 258 143 No data 1 663 2 072 Note 19 – Inventories No data 2012 $000 2011 $000 Current Inventories held for resale Raw materials and stores 1 217 1 380 Finished At net realisable value 55 118 Total current 1 272 1 498 No data
Post-acquisition reserve 4 715 5 162 216 285 221 673 Accumulated surplus / (deficit) Balance at start of period 26 022 49 019 Correction of prior period error - (38 184) Result for the period 2 415 15 219 Gain and loss recognised directly in equity (48) (32) Balance at end of period 28 389 26 022 No data No data No data Total equity at end of period 297 428 291 800 Note 31 – to the Statement of Cash Flows No data 2012 $000 2011 $000 Reconciliation of cash Cash at the end of the financial year as shown in the Statement of Cash Flows is reconciled to the related items in the Statement of Financial Position as follows: Cash and cash equivalents (note 16) 16 457 7 389 Restricted cash and cash equivalents: current (note 17) 36 093 22 990 Restricted cash and cash equivalents: non-current (note 17) 2 352 2 070 Reconciliation of net cost of services to net cash flows provided by/(used in) operating activities 54 902 32 449 Net cost of services (152 578) 139 797) Non-cash items: Net (loss)/profit from sale of assets (note 14) (199) 39 Depreciation and amortisation expense (note 9) 8 187 8 305 Doubtful debt expense (note 10) 196 190 Resources received free of charge (note 15) 4 447 1 269 Share of net (profit)/loss in joint venture using equity method (687) 933 (372) -
120 001 – 130 000 - - 130 001 – 140 000 - - 140 001 – 150 000 - - 150 001 – 160 000 - - 160 001 – 170 000 - - 170 001 – 180 000 - 4 180 001 – 190 000 2 1 190 001 – 200 000 1 - 200 001 – 210 000 2 1 280 001 – 290 000 - 1 320 001 – 230 000 1 - 330 001 – 340 000 - - 340 001 – 350 000 1 - 2012 $000 2011 $000 Total remuneration of senior officers 1 660 1 373 The total remuneration includes the superannuation expense incurred by the department in respect of senior officers. are no senior officers who are presently members of the Government Pension Scheme. Annual and long service leave cessation payments totalling $252 159 were made to two senior officers in 2011–12. Note 38 – Remuneration of auditor Remuneration paid or payable to the Auditor General in respect of the audit for the current financial year is as follows: No data 2012 $000 2011 $000 Auditing the accounts, financial statements and performance indicators 285 267
Note 42 - Financial instruments (continued) Aged analysis of financial assets No data Carrying amount $000 Not past due and not impaired $000 Past due not impaired Impaired financial assets $000 2012 Up to 1 month $000 1 – 3 months $000 3 months to 1 year $000 1 – 5 years $000 More than 5 years $000 Cash and cash equivalents 16 457 16 457 Restricted cash and cash equivalents 38 445 38 445 Receivables (a) 8 713 6 281 755 917 251 151 - 358 Amounts receivable for services 52 699 52 699 Available for sale financial assets 590 - 116 903 113 881 755 917 251 151 - 358 2011 Cash and cash equivalents 7 389 7 389 Restricted cash and cash equivalents 25 060 25 060 Receivables (a) 11 881 4 569 3 760 2 575 371 273 333 Amounts receivable for services 49 059 49 059 Available for sale financial assets 638 - 94 027 86 077 3 760 2 575 371 273 333 (a) The amount of receivables excludes the GST recoverable from the ATO (statutory receivables). Note 42 - Financial instruments (continued)
Note 46 - Disclosure of administered income and expenses by service Cooperative loans Commonwealth Grants NRM Program Total 2012 $000 2011 $000 2012 $000 2011 $000 2012 $000 2011 $000 2012 $000 2011 $000 2012 $000 2011 $000 Cost of service Expenses Grants, subsidies and transfer payments 10 500 4 300 - - 24 157 37 456 7 433 13 224 42 090 54 980 Interest payments - - 482 601 - - - - 482 601 expenses - - (24) 72 4 623 - 410 783 5 009 855 Total administered expenses 10 500 4 300 458 673 28 780 37 456 7 843 14 007 47 581 56 436 Income Service appropriation - - - - - - 5 000 5 000 5 000 5 000 Grants and contributions - 21 500 - - 24 941 26 812 - - 24 941 48 312 User charges and fees - - 10 10 - - - - 10 10 Interest revenue - - 765 527 774 307 - - 1 539 834 revenue - - - - - - - - - - administered Income - 21 500 775 537 25 715 27 119 5 000 5 000 31 491 54 156 Note 47 - Disclosure of administered assets and liabilities by service
WAMIA Cooperative loans Commonwealth Grants State NRM Program Total 2012 $000 2011 $000 2012 $000 2011 $000 2012 $000 2011 $000 2012 $000 2011 $000 2012 $000 2011 $000 Current assets Cash and cash equivalents 13 630 17 200 485 (2 159) 7 060 10 916 3 555 10 242 24 731 36 199 Receivables - - - - 143 507 290 - 433 507 Total administered current assets 13 630 17 200 485 (2 159) 7 203 11 423 3 845 10 242 25 164 36 706 Non-current assets Loan - - 6 170 11 120 - - - - 6 170 11 120 Interest Receivable - - - - 189 40 - - 189 40 Total administered non-current assets - - 6 170 11 120 189 40 - - 6 359 11 159 Total administered assets 13 630 17 200 6 655 8 961 7 392 11 463 3 845 10 242 31 522 47 865 Current liabilities Payables 6 750 - - - 169 - 160 - 7 079 - Borrowings - - 182 660 - - - - 182 660 Total administered Income 6 750 - 182 660 169 - 160 - 7 261 660 Non-current liabilities Borrowings - - 5 988 8 156 - - - - 5 988 8 156 Total administered non-current liabilities - - 5 988 8 156 - - - - 5 988 8 156 administered liabilities 6 750 - 6 170 8 816 169 - 160 - 13 249 8 816
framework, which is subject to continuous review, includes the following: risk management policy and procedure manual to ensure compliance with international risk management standard ISO31000, Treasurer’s Instruction 825 and the Public Sector Commissioner’s Good Governance Guide and Circulars integration of risk management with strategic planning development and implementation of a risk module within the project management system strategic risk management register. The department’s Audit Committee regularly monitors the completeness and effectiveness of the risk management framework. Finance committee The Finance Committee was established in December 2009 and meets on a monthly basis. The committee members are the Director General, the Chief Finance Officer and all Executive Directors. The role of the committee is to: determine options to address funding pressures within the department provide advice with respect to making significant financial decisions understand the status of program, tactic and priority resource investments highlighting resourcing issues determine the disbursement of the financial and FTE (people) resources. Other legal requirements Compliance with public sector standards and ethical codes Compliance issues that arose during the financial year 2011–12 regarding public sector standards: 2010/11 2011/12 Applications carried over 0 0 New applications received 6 5 Total applications 6 5 Breach claim lodged Recruitment, selection and appointment 2 4 Transfer 0 0 Grievance resolution 4 1 Outcome of claims handled Withdrawn in agency 1 2 Resolved in agency 3 0 pending in agency 1 0 Referred to PSC 1 3* Total applications completed 5 3 *The Public Sector Commission rejected two claims and identified a potential conflict in the other Compliance issues that arose during the financial year One matter dealt with a possible breach of the grievance resolution process pursuant to the public sector standards by our department, which was not substantiated by the Public Sector Commission. Four matters dealt with in accordance with the breach of discipline process pursuant to the Public Sector Management Act 1994: One matter of non-compliance with our policy on dealing with the Minister
Two matters of improper conduct—engaging in inappropriate email communications One matter of improper conduct—inappropriate conduct towards a colleague Two matters have been reported to the Corruption and Crime Commission relating to the possible misconduct of DAFWA officers. Significant action taken to monitor and ensure compliance included: internal policies were reviewed and updated to ensure consistency with changes to the legislative instruments that regulate public sector employment and two new Commissioner’s Instructions (Employment Standard and Filling a Public Sector Vacancy). Relevant staff attended briefings on the changes to the legislative requirements Contact Officer and Grievance Officer network updated and officers trained bi-annually Accountable and Ethical Decision Making training program continued Staff not compliant with the department’s mandatory training requirements have been advised in writing that training is to be completed within a specified timeframe. Ethics and integrity The department promotes ethical behaviour and integrity. For all new employees, an online induction course contains modules on ethics, integrity and the requirements of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2003 (PID). It is compulsory for all new employees to satisfactorily complete these modules. In addition, our mandatory online training course in Accountable and Ethical Decision Making has had excellent uptake since its commencement in 2010, with more than 82 per cent of employees having completed or partially completed the course. We also require all employees to complete the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) awareness course, which covers aspects of ethics and integrity. Freedom of information A description of the types of information and documents the department holds and how to access information under the Freedom of Information Act 1992 is contained in our FOI information statement. The statement is reviewed annually and is made available to the public on the department’s website. The number of FOI applications received in 2011/12 was similar to the previous year. Most applications related to regulatory matters under a range of statutes administered by the department. 2011/12 Applications carried over 4 New applications received 21 Total applications 25 Application outcome Applications transferred in full 3 Applications withdrawn 1 Applications processed 20 Total applications completed 24 Applications outstanding at 30 June 1 Application types Personal information requests 1 Non-personal information requests 20 Request to amend personal information 0 Complaints handling The department recognises that appropriate attention to the concerns of clients is an essential component of successful service delivery. Our Customer Compliments and Complaints policy helps to ensure complaints are handled fairly and efficiently. Clients are encouraged to complete the on our website.
The number of complaints received in 2011–12 was similar to the previous year. The nine complaints received related to a range of issues. The total is an acceptable level for the department given the large number of regulatory statutes we administer on behalf of the government. Types of complaints received 2011/12 Regulatory 0 Information accuracy and timeliness 2 Negligence/misconduct 6 Financial 1 Total 9 Record keeping plans As prescribed by the State Records Act 2000 and State Records Commission’s standards, we started a mandatory online recordkeeping awareness and induction course in 2004. The State Records Commission approved the department’s Functional Retention and Disposal Schedule RD2011014. This now completes the revision of the principle documents required for a complaints recordkeeping program, which started with a detailed review of the Recordkeeping Plan in 2009 followed by a revision of the Business Classification Scheme in 2011. Towards the end of 2011, the implementation of a department-wide document management system was approved. This finalises the configuration of the recordkeeping system, provides the ability to review existing corporate records and enables staff to apply the newly approved schedules and language. The project will include applying the revised General Disposal Authorities. A second stage will focus on digital recordkeeping for all staff. Detailed planning for this began in the latter part of 2011–12.
3. will continue to provide opportunities to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to retain the tradition for caring for agricultural and pastoral land We continued support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traineeships, with employment of trainees during the financial year. We enhanced our commitment to cadetships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. DAFWA previously recruited cadets in the veterinary, agriculture science and natural resource disciplines, but this has now been extended to include business management, communications and economics to increase the potential application pool. Department’s annual estimates All special purpose accounts held by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia are detailed in the department’s budget statements and financial statements. The of grants and contributions from both federal government and non-government sources for the next financial year (2012–13) is estimated at $44 million. For details of sources of special purpose funding, see Note 45, page 104 of the financial statements. Government policy requirements Occupational safety, health and injury management Performance 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 Government target Target Achieved (Yes/No) 2011/12 result Number of fatalities 0 0 0 0 Yes 0 Lost time injury/disease (LTI/D) incidence rate 1.98 1.51 0.82 0 or 10% improvement on the previous 3 years Yes 1.26 Lost time injury severity rate 6.9 14.3 10 0 or 10% improvement on the previous 3 years No 6.6 Percentage of injured workers returned to work within 26 91 83 94 Greater than or equal to 80% return to work within 26 weeks Yes 88 Percentage of injured workers returned to work within 13 weeks 91 76 94 Actual percentage Yes 82