Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Human Services, upon notice, on

27 April 2011:

With reference to the department and the agencies within the Minister's portfolio:

(1) What is the total number of staff currently employed.

(2) What is the total number of staff with a disability currently employed.

(3) What policies or programs are in place to encourage the recruitment of people with a disability.

(4) What retention strategies are in place for people with a disability.

(5) What career pathways or plans are on offer for people with a disability; if none, why.

(6) Are there any specific targets for recruitment and retention; if not, why not.

(7) What policies, programs or services are there to support staff with a disability.

(8) Can details be provided of any policies, programs, services or plans currently under development within the department and its agencies, concerning the employment of people with a disability.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Human Services has provided the following answer to the honourable

senator's question:

(1) The Human Services portfolio (the portfolio) employed 38,173 staff as at 31 March 2011.

(2) 1,426 staff who identify as having a disability.

(3) The recruitment policies of the portfolio are very much focussed on the need to ensure that people with disability are given every opportunity to apply for jobs within the portfolio, in particular:

(4) The following retention strategies are in place:

(5)   People with disabilities can access the following career pathway programs including:

(6) No workforce targets for people with disability are currently set for the portfolio. However, the portfolio is currently performing well in this regard with ongoing and non-ongoing staffing rate of 3.7% which is above the APS representation of 3.4%. Our disability staffing rate is also monitored on a monthly basis by the Secretary and CEOs through the Portfolio People Metrics Scorecard. The portfolio undertakes a range of strategies to promote and support recruitment and retention of people with disability. The portfolio executive also monitor the number of staff employed with disability through monthly workforce reports. This information is benchmarked across the portfolio and against the Australian Public Service.

(7)   The following policies, programs or services are in place to support staff with a disability: