Disability Action Plan 2009 - 2012

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Secretary's Foreword

The Treasury is committed to providing an organisational culture that embraces and actively promotes diversity. Having a Disability Action Plan demonstrates Treasury's commitment to providing a work environment that recognises the value of staff with different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences, to contribute to a vibrant organisation equipped to achieve our objectives.

The Disability Action Plan developed by the Treasury is based on the reporting framework of the Commonwealth Disability Strategy and is intended to ensure equal opportunities for people with disabilities to access and utilise government programs and services. It is supported by the principles and objectives of Treasury's Workplace Diversity Program.

Combined with Workplace Diversity, the Disability Action Plan will ensure that people with disabilities are able to fully participate and maximise their potential in the workplace.

While Treasury does not administer legislation or deliver programs that are targeted at people with disabilities, it recognises that, where relevant, the needs of people with disabilities should be considered when developing advice on policies and programs.

Valuing diversity and fostering an inclusive culture of tolerance and respect not only enriches the Treasury's work environment and policy advice, but also improves our ability to fulfil our mission of improving the wellbeing of the Australian People.

I thank staff members who have contributed to the development and review of the Disability Action Plan and I encourage all Treasury staff to participate in ensuring that the objectives are met.

SIGNED
Ken Henry
Secretary to the Treasury

Why does Treasury have a Disability Action Plan?

Treasury's Disability Action Plan provides a mechanism for coordinating the department's efforts to meet its responsibilities under the Commonwealth Disability Strategy regarding equity, inclusion, participation, access and, in particular, accountability. The Commonwealth Disability Strategy is about ensuring that everyone, regardless of their disability, is able to access the services that are available to the general Australian population.

In addition, the Disability Action Plan provides a means for ensuring that, in all areas of employment practice and recruitment, Treasury meets its obligations towards staff members and prospective staff members who have a disability.

Purpose

The purpose of Treasury's Disability Action Plan 2009-2012 is to outline the strategies and actions that Treasury will undertake over the next three years to achieve and reflect equity, inclusion, participation, access and accountability for people with disabilities. The Disability Action Plan ensures Treasury meets its legislative requirements under the Commonwealth Disability Strategy and is aligned with the National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy.

The legislative and policy context for the development of Treasury's Disability Action Plan 2009-2012 is outlined in Appendix A.

Objectives

Treasury's Disability Action Plan 2009-2012 has four key objectives, which are to:

Encourage a culture of tolerance and respect in the workplace by reflecting Treasury values in the management systems and everyday work practises.
Ensure that employees with disabilities have access to development opportunities and are encouraged to maximise their potential in the workforce.
Ensure that people with disabilities have access to Treasury premises and departmental information.
Attract and retain a diverse workforce which includes employees with disabilities.

Workplace Diversity Program

The Disability Action Plan is a key element of Treasury's Workplace Diversity Program. The Plan embraces those principles and objectives central to Workplace Diversity, where the Treasury values, encourages and utilises the contributions of people of different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Through Workplace Diversity, Treasury seeks to use the talent of all employees, recognise family responsibilities and encourage full participation in the workplace.

In line with recognising the diverse nature of staff experiences, backgrounds and circumstances, the Disability Action Plan is integral to ensuring that Treasury staff with disabilities are able to participate and develop to full potential within the department.

Consultation and Review

The Disability Action Plan is aligned with Treasury's Workplace Diversity Program and will be reviewed in 2012 in consultation with the Workplace Relations Committee, the Occupational Health and Safety Committee, disability employee specialists and Treasury staff.

Further Information

Information or advice on the Disability Action Plan is available from the Organisational Wellbeing Team, Human Resources Division (ext 2979, 3364 or 3785).

Treasury's Disability Actin Plan 2009-2012

The strategies and actions identified to assist Treasury meet the objectives of the Disability Action Plan are detailed below.

1. Encourage a culture of tolerance and respect in the workplace by reflecting Treasury values in the management systems and everyday work practises.

Action	Timeline	Performance indicator
Communicate the Disability Action Plan to all staff and ensure availability to all staff and the general public.	Annual	DAP available via internet and intranet. Information included in new-starter induction program. Registered with the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC).
Workplace Diversity and Disability Action Plan information included in Annual report.	Annual	Useful and appropriate information included.
Training/awareness programs provided to managers and employees on disability and mental health issues.	Ongoing	Regular seminars scheduled as part of Treasury's Health and Wellbeing program.
Training/awareness programs offered to colleagues on specific needs of people with disability in their work area.	As required	Information sessions organised for teams, in consultation with the Organisational Wellbeing Team.
Develop Manager awareness of OH&S and rehabilitation services and support offered.	Ongoing	Information sessions provided. Information provided in the Managers' Portal and Injury Management and Workers' Compensation toolkit, via the intranet.
Trained Workplace Harassment Contact Officers.	Ongoing	Promote and demonstrate appropriate behaviours in the work environment. Training register up to date.
Raise awareness of disability issues through celebration of International Day of People with Disability.	3 December 2009 Annual	Successful implementation of event and promotion of wider community events.

2. Ensure that employees with disabilities have access to development opportunities and are encouraged to maximise their potential in the workforce.

Action	Timeline	Performance indicator
Managers encourage staff with disabilities to develop appropriate skills.	Ongoing	Access to training programs and arrangement of any equipment needed.
Learning and development programs are designed to be inclusive of people with disabilities.	Ongoing	Employees with disabilities attend training opportunities.
Ensure Performance Management System processes, including training, articulate Treasury's commitment to workplace diversity.	Prior to appraisal cycles	Managers and staff aware of responsibilities in relation to diversity.

3. Ensure that people with disabilities have access to Treasury premises and departmental information.

Action	Timeline	Performance indicator
Ensure current departmental premises are accessible to people with disabilities.	Ongoing	People with disabilities are able to access buildings and facilities.
Workstation adjustment monitored for staff with disabilities.	Ongoing	Equipment and suitable working environment provided for staff with disabilities. Reasonable adjustment requests met as practicable. IT upgrades consider the compatibility of any assistive technology used in the department.
Provision made for staff with disabilities in emergency, evacuation and safety procedures.	Review at each trial evacuation	Emergency, evacuation and safety procedures include relevant information for staff with disabilities. Fire Wardens and First Aid Officers are aware of any staff with specific needs in their designated area.
Relevant information about Treasury and its business available on the internet and intranet in alternate formats.	Ongoing	Internet sites comply with Government online accessibility requirements. TTY access available for departmental information.

4. Attract and retain a diverse workforce which includes employees with disabilities.

Action	Timeline	Performance indicator
Recruitment processes are merit based.	Ongoing	Selection panels are appropriately trained and aware of disability issues.
Job advertisements explicitly encourage people with a disability to apply.	Ongoing	Monitor applicant diversity data.
Recruitment agencies utilised by Treasury support and encourage the employment of people with a disability.	Ongoing	Monitor applicant diversity data.
Effectively utilise disability employment networks when recruiting new staff.	Ongoing	Establish relationship with employment networks.
Ensure Treasury's flexible working arrangements and employment conditions are promoted through the recruitment process.	Ongoing	Information included in Managers' Portal. Information included in new-starter induction program.

Appendices

Appendix A

Legislative and policy context of Treasury's Disability Action Plan 2009-2012

There are three tiers of legislation and policy that govern the development and implementation of Treasury's Disability Action Plan:

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the 1993 United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities provide the legislative framework for the Australian Government's approach to people with disability
The Commonwealth Disability Strategy 1999 is a practical framework that obliges Commonwealth organisations to remove barriers that prevent people with disability from gaining access to policies, programs and services
The National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy 2009 sets out a number of priority actions to assist Australians with disability, including mental illness, into work. It recognises the importance of education and training as a pathway to sustainable employment, and the role of employers in increasing employment opportunities for people with disability.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992

The Discrimination Act, which came into effect on 1 March 1993, makes it unlawful to discriminate on the basis of disability. The objects of the Discrimination Act are (section 3 of the Discrimination Act):

to eliminate, as far as possible, discrimination against persons on the ground of disability in the areas of:
1. work, accommodation, education, access to premises, clubs and sport; and
2. the provision of goods, facilities, services and land; and
3. existing laws; and
4. the administration of Commonwealth laws and programs; and
to ensure, as far as practicable, that persons with disability have the same rights to equality before the law as the rest of the community; and
to promote recognition and acceptance within the community of the principle that persons with disability have the same fundamental rights as the rest of the community.

The Discrimination Act recognises that people with disability have the same fundamental rights as other people and should have equal opportunities to participate in community life.

The Commonwealth Disability Strategy

The Commonwealth Disability Strategy provides a practical framework to meet the Commonwealth's obligations under the Discrimination Act and the Standard Rules and encourages organisations to:

Provide information in accessible formats;
Employ people with disability;
Purchase accessible services;
Recognise people with disability as consumers of services;
Consult people with disability to find out what they need; and
Use existing planning instruments to plan for and take into account the needs of people with disability.

The Disability Strategy is based on the following five broad principles:

Equity: People with disability have the right to participate in all aspects of the community including the opportunity to contribute to its social, political, economic, and cultural life;
Inclusion: All mainstream Australian Government programs, services and facilities should be available to people with disability. The requirements of people with disability should be taken into account at all stages in the development and delivery of these programs and services;
Participation: People with disability have the right to participate on an equal basis in all decision-making processes that affect their lives;
Access: People with disability should have access to information in appropriate formats about the programs and services they use; and
Accountability: All areas of Australian Government organisations should be clearly accountable for the provision of access to their programs, facilities and services for people with disability. This includes specifying the outcomes to be achieved, establishing performance indicators and linking reporting on outcomes of the Strategy to mainstream reporting mechanisms.

National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy

The objective of the National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy is to increase the employment of people with disability in the labour market and, in turn, to promote social inclusion and improve national economic productivity.

The development of the Strategy was based around four broad principles:

Participation in employment leads to greater social inclusion by increasing a person's financial independence, social networks, self-confidence and self-esteem.
Equal opportunity. Removing barriers that restrict employment, education and training opportunities for people with disability is essential for the creation of an equal opportunity society.
Sustainable employment. Employment must be more than churning people through short-term jobs. To enable social and economic inclusion, jobs for people with disability need to be sustainable, which may require additional support.
Public support. Employing people with disability benefits the whole community. Many people with disability already work and their skills and talents make a considerable contribution to the nation. This needs to be more widely understood to build support for further reform.