Annual Report 1995-96

• APPENDIX 1
• APPENDIX 2
• APPENDIX 3
  • DFAT
  • AUSAID
  • STAFF SUMMARY STATEMENTS
• APPENDIX 4
  • DFAT
  • AUSAID
• APPENDIX 5
  • DFAT
  • AUSAID
• APPENDIX 6
  • AUSAID
• APPENDIX 7
  • DFAT
  • AUSAID
• APPENDIX 8
  • DFAT
  • AUSAID
• APPENDIX 9
  • DFAT
  • AUSAID
• APPENDIX 10
  • DFAT
  • AUSAID
• APPENDIX 11
• APPENDIX 12
• APPENDIX 13
  • CONTACTS FOR FURTHER INQUIRIES
• APPENDIX 14

APPENDICES

Appendix 1	Summary of Outlays by program	318
Appendix 2	Financial Statements	319
Appendix 3	Staffing Overview	362
Appendix 4	Industrial Democracy	368
Appendix 5	Occupational Health and Safety	370
Appendix 6	Freedom of Information	372
Appendix 7	Advertising and Market Research	388
Appendix 8	Equal Employment Opportunity Data	392
Appendix 9	Reports by the Auditor-General	397
Appendix 10	Inquiries by Parliamentary Committees	400
Appendix 11	Abbreviations	404
Appendix 12	Corporate Plan 1994-1996	415
Appendix 13	Supplementary Material Available Upon Request	422
Appendix 14	Compliance Index	423

APPENDIX 1

Summary of Outlays by Program

1994-95			1995-96
Expenditure			Expenditure
$'000			$'000
Program 1	International relations, trade and business liaison	383,890	346,908
Program 2	Passport and consular services	46,783	44,734
Program 3	Services for other agencies	38,345	41,837
Program 4	Secure government communications and
	security services	51,483	45,439
Program 5	Executive and DFAT corporate services	62,155	53,079
Program 6*	Development cooperation	1,434,452	1,523,533
Program 7	Austrade	400,657	371,677
Program 8	Australian Secret Intelligence Service	33,568	36,085

* Program 6 includes AusAID and ACIAR

Reconciliation of Programs and Appropriation Elements for 1995-96 ($'000)

Program	Approp	Approp	Special	Annotated	Program	Adjustments(1)	Program
Number	Bills Nos	Bills Nos	Approps	Approps*	Approps		Outlays
	1 & 3	2 & 4
1	413,865	4,984	0	35,603	454,452	31,564	422,888
2	48,342	0	0	1,110	49,452	2,277	47,175
3	24,916	0	0	11,270	36,186	11,525	24,661
4	37,939	6,130	0	1,355	45,424	1,370	44,054
5	49,895	3,700	0	2,173	55,768	2,291	53,477
6(a)	1,295,525	0	187,599	663	1,483,787	1,709	1,482,078
Total	1,870,482	14,814	187,599	52,174	2,125,069	50,736	2,074,333

(*) Annotated Appropriations are a form of special appropriations to allow a Department access to the money it earns.
(1) Adjustments to derive outlays, including receipt items classified as outlays, net movements in trust account balances, etc.
(a) Excludes 6.4 Australian Centre for Agricultural Research as a separate annual report is produced for sub-program.

APPENDIX 2

The data for Appendix 2 is currently unavailable

Financial Statements

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade financial statements 1995-96

Contents of financial statements

Audit Certificate	320
Statement by the Department Secretary and Principal Accounting Officer	322
Operating statement	323
Statement of assets and liaibilities	324
Statement of program expenses and revenues	325
Statement of program assets and liaibilities	326
Statement of cash flows	327
Statement of transactions by fund	328
Notes	329

APPENDIX 3

Staffing Overview

DFAT

Employees by Classification and Gender - 30 June 1996

	Male		Female
Australia		Overseas	Australia	Overseas	Total
GAA	14	0	19	0	33
ASO1	20	0	23	0	43
ASO2	75	23	174	43	315
ASO3	76	23	164	35	298
ASO4	87	36	124	50	297
ASO5	37	18	39	13	107
ASO6	145	75	87	36	343
SOGC	162	77	81	23	343
SOGB	135	79	27	18	259
SOGA	2	0	0	0	2
SES	67	75	15	6	163
Secretary A	0	4	0	0	4
Secretary B	1	0	0	0	1
Other classifications1	182	36	85	10	313
Total	1,003	446	838	234	2,521

Employees by Location and Gender - 30 June 1996

Male		Female	Total
ACT	915	646	1,561
State Offices
New South Wales	26	74	100
Northern Territory	2	3	5
Queensland	13	29	42
South Australia	7	13	20
Tasmania	2	6	8
Victoria	26	50	76
Western Australia	12	17	29
Overseas	446	234	680
Total	1,449	1,072	2,521

1. Includes Dir ASO, SESB1(Spec), Aboriginal Cadet, Technical, Research, Professional, Public Affairs, Information Technology, General Services, Medical Officer, Registered Nurse and Office Trainee classifications, and appropriate grades of these classifications.

Permanent and Temporary Employees (excluding locally engaged staff overseas), Full and Part-Time - 30 June 1996

	Permanent Staff		Temporary Staff		Total
Full-time		Part-time	Full-time	Part-time
Public Service Act	2,346	52	53	6	2,457
(excluding LES)
Executive Council	60	-	4		64
appointments
Total	2,406	52	57	6	2,521

Employees by Categories of Employment (as defined under Section 82AA of the Public Service Act) and gender - 30 June 1996

Category	Male	Female	Total
Continuing Employees	-	-	-
Short-term Employees	27	27	54
Fixed-term Employees	5	4	9
Overseas Employees	910.8	696.01	1,606.81
Total	942.8	727.01	1,669.81

Senior Executive Service by Level and Location - 30 June 1996

	Australia1		Overseas	Total
Public Service Act Appointments
Senior Executive Band 1	59	(57)	19	78
Senior Executive Band 1 (Spec)	1	(1)	0	1
Senior Executive Band 2	18	(18)	4	22
Senior Executive Band 3	4	(4)	0	4
Secretary A	-	-	1	1
Executive Council Appointments
Dir ASO	1	(1)	0	1
Head of Mission (SE Band 1)	-	-	31	31
Head of Mission (SE Band 2)	-	-	22	22
Head of Mission (SE Band 3)	-	-	5	5
Secretary A	-	-	4	4
Secretary B	1	(1)	0	1
Totals	84	(82)	86	170

1 Figures in brackets indicate staff in Canberra

Senior Executive Service by Gender - 30 June 1996

Male		Female	Total
Public Service Act Appointments
Senior Executive Band 1	64	14	78
Senior Executive Band 1 (Spec)	1	0	1
Senior Executive Band 2	19	3	22
Senior Executive Band 3	3	1	4
Secretary A	1		1
Executive Council Appointments
Dir ASO	1	0	1
Head of Mission (SE Band 1)	28	3	31
Head of Mission (SE Band 2)	22	0	22
Head of Mission (SE Band 3)	5	0	5
Secretary A	4	0	4
Secretary B	1	0	1
Totals	149	21	170

SES Gains and Losses During the Year Ending 30 June 1996

Commencements:	3
Separations:	19

SES mobility

Band 1		Band 2	Band 3
To DFAT	-	-	2
From DFAT	3	1	-

AUSAID

Employees by Classification and Location

Central Office		State Offices	Overseas	TOTAL
GAA	18	18
ASO1	6	4	10
ASO2	18	18	36
ASO3	28	12	40
ASO4	31	13	44
ASO5	49	21	3	73
ASO6	120	11	19	150
SOG-C	92	7	25	124
SOG-B	37	3	10	50
SOG-A	1		1
SES	14	1		15
Other Classifications *	16	18	34
Total	429	108	58	595

* Includes Professional, Public Affairs, Information Technology and Academic officers, and National Training Wage Program staff.

AusAID*

Permanent Staff		Temporary Staff	Total
Full Time
Males	298	6	304
Females	255	11	266
Total	553	17	570
Part Time
Males	3	0	3
Females	0	22
Total	25	0	25
Total all Staff	578	17	595

* Does not include inoperative staff and aid experts.

AusAID Staff by Location

Male		Female	Total
Canberra	223	206	429
State & Regional Offices
ACT	3	5	8
ACPAC	5	9	14
NSW	13	7	20
NT	1	1
QLD	5	17	22
SA	3	7	10
TAS	2	2
VIC	13	9	22
WA	3	6	9
Overseas	38	20	58
Total	307	288	595

Senior Executive Service at 30 June 1996

Male		Female
Band 1	9	2
Band 2	2	1
Band 3	1
Total	12	3

Note: These figures do not include SES staff currently inoperative, and are based on actual occupancy of positions at 30 June 1996.

SES Gains and Losses During the Year Ending 30 June 1996

Commencements	2
Separations	1

STAFF SUMMARY STATEMENTS

• Performance Pay
  • Details of performance pay for DFAT are provided under sub-program 5.2. Only SES officers were eligible and expenditure totalled $877,291. For AusAID expenditure totalled $193,229. $143,231 of this total was paid to Senior Officers while they were still eligible for performance pay. AusAID's overview on performance pay is given in sub-program 6.3 and more detailed information is available on request.
• Staff Training
  • DFAT's net training expenditure was $4,509,675 or 2.75% of its annual payroll. Formal language training absorbed 54% of the total training costs. The number of person days spent on training was 47,391 and the total number of staff undertaking training courses was 7, 973. Our current information system does not allow us to express this as the number and percentage of DFAT staff who undertook at least one training course in 1995/96. The department is considering the introduction of a Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS) to capture this and other human resource data. For AusAID, the net training expenditure was $670,200 or 1.85% of its annual payroll. The number of person days spent on training was 2441 and the number of staff who participated was 569 or 95.6%.
• Consultancies
  • During 1995-95, DFAT engaged 197 consultants and the total expenditure was $4,882,468.
  • For the same period, AusAID engaged 270 consultants and the total expenditure was $201,346,466.

Details of these DFAT and AusAID consultancy contracts are available on request.

APPENDIX 4

Industrial Democracy

DFAT

The Departmental Consultative Council (DCC) continued its important role as the Department's peak representative body for open consultation on issues of interest to staff. The Department facilitated the involvement of staff associations in a wide range of management issues both through the DCC and on an ad hoc basis. The DCC is chaired by the Secretary and includes representatives of relevant unions active in the Department;

The DCC is responsible for the monitoring, implementation and review of the Department's Industrial Democracy (ID) Plan. It is supported by the following functionally oriented consultative committees that report to the DCC and operate to increase the participation of staff in decisions affecting them at work:

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Training Development
• Departmental Resources
• Canberra Accommodation
• Canberra Child Care

The committees met regularly throughout the year.

The Department's ID Plan includes post management overseas and the state offices. All Heads of Mission are briefed on ID principles before proceeding on posting. Implementation takes a variety of forms, ranging from consultative committees to less formal arrangements, depending on the size and the operating environment of the different posts.

Industrial relations activities were particularly prominent this year. There were a number of joint management/union working groups which produced beneficial outcomes for staff and the Department. The most prominent were the Personnel Strategy Review, the Review of Administrative Processes, the Technical Services Review, Guard Services, overseas conditions of service and information technology. Not all issues were able to be jointly resolved in house. Management and the unions required the assistance of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission on several occasions: in particular over proposals for the future management of public affairs in the Department.

AUSAID

Formal consultative processes in AusAID are guided by the 1991 Industrial Democracy Policy. Consultation occurs through the National AusAID Union Liaison Group, which met twelve times during 1995-96 and the AusAID Consultative Council, which met three times.

These meetings are attended by Senior Management and Union delegates representing staff. A record of these meetings is circulated to all staff.

APPENDIX 5

Occupational Health and Safety

DFAT

As required by the Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Act 1991, an OH&S Agreement was formally agreed with the relevant unions in 1992. The Department has an OH&S committee which meets every three months and brings together management and union representatives to discuss OH&S issues. The Department has 23 designated work groups and 23 health and safety representatives. Each regional office has been identified as a designated work group with elected staff representatives.

The Department has established a designated OH&S position at the SOG C level to oversee the OH&S and Welfare Unit. A primary objective of the unit is to encourage officers to take responsibility for health issues within their control. It sponsors a variety of health promotion activities and maintains close cooperation with the Medical Unit, the Office Services Section, the Building Supervisor, Technical Services Section and divisional support units to monitor and promote a safer and healthier workplace. The OH&S unit remains closely involved in the planning for the new offices.

OH&S mechanisms were established at posts to promote the safety of overseas staff, and briefings are provided for all Heads of Mission, officers selected for overseas postings, and new recruits. Selection criteria for promotion to ASO 2 to SOG B classifications require a knowledge and understanding of OH&S issues.

The Department's OH&S Policy is contained in three documents:

(a) The Statement of Commitment;

(b) The Program of Implementation; and

(c) The signed Agreement on OH&S between DFAT and the Unions.

The Statement of Commitment is a short statement setting out the Department's commitment to the broad principles of OH&S legislation, i.e. it is committed to providing a healthy and safe work environment for all its employees and visitors, both in Australia and at its overseas posts. The Statement also lists several devices by which it will accomplish this objective. The Program of Implementation document addresses the strategies and mechanisms which form the framework of the OH&S Policy, and sets out the means by which the objectives will be achieved. The roles of Designated Work Groups and Health and Safety Representatives are explained, and OH&S training and health promotion is also covered. A copy of the above two documents, as well as the Agreement on OH&S between DFAT and the Unions, is available on request from the OH&S/Welfare Unit of the Department (Telephone 261 1112 and fax 261 3879).

AUSAID

As part of its OH&S strategy, AusAID has a designated OH&S coordinator and volunteer Health and Safety representatives throughout the workplace. Under AusAID's OH&S Agreement, a program encompassing twenty activities was approved. Activities include:

• conducting workstation assessments for individual officers;
• arranging workplace health assessments and establishing a six-month program of lunchtime health seminars for staff;
• implementation of an HIV/AIDS/HepB/HepC policy and the development of an action plan;
• issuing updated ergonomically designed furniture to AusAID staff; and
• developing State Office OH&S programs to promote a healthy, safe workplace in State Offices.

APPENDIX 6

Freedom of Information

The Freedom of Information Act 1982 extends to the Australian community the right to obtain access to documents in the possession of the Government.

Access is limited only by exemptions necessary for the protection of essential public interests and the private and business affairs of persons in respect of whom information is collected and held by departments and statutory authorities.

This statement is provided in accordance with section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act.

Freedom of Information activities within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are managed through the services to the Parliament, the media and the public sub-program.

Members of the public are welcome to forward written requests to the Department for access to documents or to contact the Department directly.

The telephone numbers of the Freedom of Information (FoI) Sub-section in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra are (06) 261-2903 and (06) 261-1170. Written requests can be addressed to the Freedom of Information Sub-section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Canberra ACT 2600. The Department's main offices in State capitals are access points for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act.

When a request for access to a document is granted under the Freedom of Information Act, the decision is usually made by the branch head responsible for the relevant work area.

Documents not available under the Freedom of Information Act, especially documents more than 30 years old, may be obtainable under the Archives Act. The contact numbers, in this case in the Department's Historical Documents Branch, are (06) 261-2619 and (06) 261-2628.

A comprehensive range of the Department's public information is published daily on an Internet service through two servers - one in Canberra and one in Washington. The address for accessing the service in Canberra is: HTTP:\WWW.DPIE.GOV.AU.HTML

Powers

The Department exercises, or participates in the exercise of, the following powers:

• Entering into multilateral and bilateral treaties and arrangements and their administration, including:
  • implementation of the World Trade Organisation Agreement and its annexed agreements;
  • agreements relating to the provision of overseas aid;
  • bilateral trade agreements, such as the Closer Economic Relations (CER) arrangements with New Zealand;
  • implementation of Australia's nuclear safeguards agreements and related multilateral arrangements;
  • treaties and agreements relating to arms control and disarmament;
  • administration of Australia's cultural agreements with other countries;
  • fulfilling responsibilities under the Torres Strait and Timor Gap Treaties;
  • implementation of the provisions of the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations;
  • negotiation of commodity agreements;
  • Australia's obligations under the United Nations Charter and under various international conventions;
  • agreements guaranteeing the protection of human rights;
  • investment, promotion and protection agreements;
  • negotiation and implementation of environmental treaties;
  • implementation of the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention and associated maritime delimitation negotiations; and
  • monitor the implementation of Australia's extradition treaties and similar arrangements with Commonwealth and other countries, and treaties of mutual assistance on criminal matters and the negotiation of further treaties.
• Assistance to Australian citizens travelling and residing overseas, including:
  • welfare in cases such as death, arrest, hospitalisation, war, civil unrest and disaster;
  • where appropriate, relief and repatriation of Australians in difficulties overseas;
  • registration of Australian citizens;
  • notarial acts;
  • registration of children born overseas to Australian parent/s as Australian citizens, as provided for under the Citizenship Act 1948; and
  • taking evidence overseas on the authority of an order of an Australian court.
• Provision of postal voting facilities overseas under the direction of the Australian Electoral Commission and State electoral authorities.
• Issue of passports and other travel documents.
• The granting of territorial and extra-territorial asylum.
• Performance of duties overseas under the Shipping Registration Act 1981 and the Navigation Act 1912 under the direction of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).
• Processing of full-time student applications on behalf of Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET), issuing visas for entry into Australia where Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (DIEA) is not represented.
• Granting official financial assistance for holding international conferences in Australia.
• Authorising official expenditure on cultural exchanges, tours, exhibitions, academic exchanges and visits.
• Authorising expenditure on Australia's overseas aid program and administering this program, including:
  0. inviting tenders and arranging contracts for the supply of goods and services under aid programs;
  0. extending official financial support to overseas trainees and students in Australia;
  0. selecting consultants to provide services for the implementation of bilateral aid projects overseas; and
  0. selecting educational organisations to manage training courses in Australia for overseas students.
• Undertaking and publishing analysis of economic and political developments affecting Australia, with a view to encouraging informed debate on their implications.
• Provision of advice to Australian Government agencies on Australia's obligations under United Nations' sanctions regimes.
• Representation of the Australian Government in international litigation, including the International Court of Justice.

Outside Participation

The Department is open to the views of outside organisations, and provides opportunities for community representatives to contribute to the development of aspects of Australia's international relations.

Through joint representation on bodies such as the Australia Abroad Council, the Australia-China Council, the Australia-France Foundation, the Australia-India Council, the Australia-Indonesia Institute, the Australia-Japan Foundation, the Australia-Korea Foundation, the Australia-New Zealand Foundation, the National Consultative Committee on Peace and Disarmament, the NGO Consultative Forum on International Environmental Issues, and other bodies.

Through the regular exchange of views with organisations including Amnesty International and other human rights organisations, and the United Nations Association of Australia.

Through consultations with the Australian Industries Development Association, the Confederation of Australian Industries and the various business cooperation committees, which meet under the Confederation's aegis, and Australian industry and industry associations, to consider priorities for multilateral trade negotiations and other negotiations to alleviate problems caused by market access restrictions.

Through participation on Australian delegations to international meetings and/or conferences, e.g. to the Executive Committee meeting of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees or the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Formal arrangements for consultations with interested bodies on trade-related matters, including the Trade Policy Advisory Council (TPAC), the National Trade Strategy Consultative Process and the various geographic business councils.

The Department is represented, together with the engineering private sector, at meetings of the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation's Consultative Committee, which evaluates project proposals and coordinates the Corporation's program of work (notably on projects in regional countries).

The Department provides individual companies with briefings on developments relating to countries of concern to them and organises trade development missions.

It meets representatives of community groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people and religious organisations, to enable them to inject community views on issues affecting Australia's region, and to provide them with information on aspects of international affairs, including advice on Australia's foreign and international trade policies.

It receives views from industry, environment and development groups on international environment issues through NGO consultative arrangements and provides a channel for communications with the States on these issues under Council of Australian Government (COAG) auspices.

It engages in exchanges of views on current political, international legal and international development issues with universities, colleges and academic circles and encourages its officers to meet and speak with community groups.

Public Diplomacy

Under the umbrella of public diplomacy, the Department administers a program of public affairs and cultural relations overseas in support of Australian foreign policy and trade objectives. The program covers all aspects of Australian life, including science and technology, social and economic projects, the arts, Australian studies, a range of visits programs, and academic, media and sporting exchanges. The Department consults a wide range of institutions, agencies and individuals in arranging public diplomacy programs, including the Australian Council, Musica Viva, the Australian Film Commission, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the Australian Vice-Chancellor's Committee, the International Development Program of Australian Universities and Colleges, the Fulbright Commission, the Australian Centre for American Studies, the Australian Institute of International Affairs, relevant State and Commonwealth departments and agencies, business and industry organisations, and the media.

Program Evaluation

The Portfolio Evaluation Plan (PEP) lists a schedule of evaluation activity over a 3-5 year period. As part of the PEP, the Department, AusAID and Austrade undertake a range of evaluations and reviews. In most cases, the aim of program evaluations is to assess the appropriateness of program objectives and to gauge the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department or agency in meeting those objectives. In making these assessments, the evaluation process usually entails extensive consultations with public and private sector groups in Australia, and sometimes overseas. The range of organisations canvassed might include representatives from Commonwealth and State government departments, the business community, non-government organisations, the academic fraternity and diplomatic missions in Australia. Reports from program evaluations are available to the public.

Categories of Documents

The Department has extensive documentary holdings (see categories below). Australia's diplomatic missions and consular posts overseas have documentary holdings of their own, which may parallel those of the Department held in Canberra and in State offices.

It should be noted that documents more than five years old may have been transferred into archival custody or destroyed in accordance with a disposal schedule. Documents more than 30 years old are available for public access under the Archives Act 1983 unless they fall into a category of exemption, including categories relating to foreign government information. The Department holds guidelines for the clearance of documents containing foreign and shared information and also procedures for referring documents to other agencies for clearance.

Documents held fall into the following categories.

General

• Cables, minutes, memoranda, file notes, and other documents concerning political, economic, human rights, refugees, disarmament, security, trade and other issues in foreign countries and international organisations.
• Submissions to portfolio Ministers and senior officers.
• Electronic record of departmental file titles.
• Magnetic storage of text of cables, inwards and outwards.
• Record of outwards memorandum numbers, subjects and dates.
• Computer disk storage of statistical and other information material.
• Working files including consular and passport case files, and correspondence.
• Documents received from foreign governments, including notes verbales and aides memoires.
• Intelligence community documents, Australian and foreign, including commercial intelligence.
• Documents prepared for use in legal proceedings.
• Texts of speeches and press statements on foreign affairs and trade.
• Ministerial correspondence.

Major Documents

• The Australian Treaty collection and the collection of agreements of less than treaty status.
• Briefs for Australian delegations and for Ministers visiting overseas.
• Cabinet submissions and decisions.
• Credentials of foreign heads of mission in Australia.
• Documents of international agencies.
• Emergency Task Force papers.
• Executive Council minutes.
• Annual post evaluation reports.
• Divisional evaluation reports.
• Program evaluation reports.
• Reports and working papers of the East Asia Analytical Unit.
• Heads of mission dispatches.
• Directives to, instructions to, and briefings for overseas missions.
• Reports on meetings and conferences.

Parliamentary Matters

• Briefing for Ministers on possible parliamentary questions.
• Records of appearances by departmental officers before the JSCFADT and other parliamentary committees.
• Ad hoc reports on overseas official travel by Federal and State Members of Parliament.

Management Documents

• Evaluations and reviews of overseas posts.
• Briefs for, and reports on, post liaison visits and post review team visits.
• Corporate planning documents, including the Corporate Plan 1993-96, and the portfolio budget measures statements.
• Documents and databases relating to budget and human resources management.
• Documents on post audits.
• Documents on office supplies and equipment, motor vehicles, telephones and general office services matters.
• Documents on property and accommodation matters within Australia.
• Documents on the Continuous Improvement Program.
• Documents relating to workplace bargaining.
• Documents relating to the selection of experts, engagements of individual and institutional experts, advisory board members, project managers and policy responses, contracts for the engagement of consultants.
• Documents on personnel planning, conditions of service, career development counselling and discipline and grievance matters.
• Reports of selection advisory committees and joint selection committees.
• Documents on average staffing levels.
• Documents and databases relating to staff employed overseas (locally engaged staff), their salaries, conditions, classifications and numbers.
• Documents and databases relating to the design, implementation and operation of the Department's computer-based information handling, storage, retrieval and control systems serving the areas of communications, accounting, records management, consular, passports, freedom of information, training, management, aid projects and training awards.
• Documents on fraud investigations.
• Documents on personnel security, physical and protective security, funding of protective security measures, post inspection reports, technical and IT security and contingency plans in relation to the Department's operations abroad and in Australia.
• Database on incidents affecting security overseas.
• Database of DFAT business clients.
• Documents and database relating to foreign diplomatic and consular personnel in Australia.
• Memoranda and cablegrams.
• Records of meetings and discussions.
• Submissions to senior officers and to portfolio Ministers.

Other categories

• Standard paragraphs for correspondence on a wide range of policy items.
• Documents relating to funding, financial operations, debtors and payment of claims in Australia and overseas.
• Magnetic storage and microfiche records of passport issue details.
• Master sets of DFAT News, an internal departmental bulletin.
• Organisation charts and related information.
• Submissions to various committees examining aspects of the Department's organisation and related documents.
• Personal records of employees, including some data on their families and next of kin.
• Personal security files on security cleared personnel.
• Records of travel, removals and storage.
• Sets of administrative circulars.
• Sets of current and discontinued information papers.
• Public information materials on film, video cassette, radio tape, compact disk, slide and written forms, projecting Australia and its policies overseas.
• Training material in various forms such as film, video cassette and slides.
• Annual forward information technology procurement plan.
• Corporate Information Technology Strategic Plan 1992-93/1994-95, mid term Progress Report - May 1995.
• Permit register under Nuclear Non-Proliferation (Safeguards) Act.
• Documents and data base records related to implementation of the Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Act 1994.
• Survey returns relating to the identification of companies and organisations subject to permit and notification requirements of the Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Act 1994.

Documents Open to Public Access

Registers of Australian Births Abroad

One of the functions of the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs is to record such information, and individuals may seek extracts from the registers through that Department. However, in performing functions under the Australian Citizenship Act in connection with births abroad of children of Australian parents, consular officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at Australian diplomatic missions and consular posts maintain registers of such births.

Although data entered in these registers is regularly notified to the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, the registers themselves are held long term at the missions or posts concerned. Individuals may request and obtain extracts from them.

Documents For Sale

A wide range of documents is available for purchase from Commonwealth Government bookshops or the Department. All departmental publications stocked at the time of preparation of this report are listed under a separate Appendix.

Documents Free of Charge

• Occasional papers, briefs.
• Ministerial and departmental news releases.
• Information about the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
• Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Corporate Plan.
• Foreign Affairs and Trade Business Directory.
• Human Rights Manual.
• Annual reports of the Australia-China Council, the Australia-France Foundation, the Australia-India Council, the Australia-Indonesia Institute, the Australia-Japan Foundation, the Australia-Korea Foundation and the Australia-New Zealand Foundation.
• Fact sheet series.
• Newsletters.
• Treaties Information Kit, Australia and International Treaty Making.
• Briefing papers, International Court of Justice: Portugal V. Australia (concerning East Timor).
• Post publications produced by missions overseas (for example fact sheets, bilateral relations booklets).
• Hints for Australian Travellers.
• Consular newsletter issued quarterly to travel agents and travel industry.
• Asian Forms of Address.
• The Antarctic Treaty System.
• Australia's Regional Security.
• Peace and Disarmament News.
• Latin American Links Newsletter.
• Environment: Australia's International Agenda.
• Information package on the European Union.
• Russia and Eurasia Newsletter.
• Every Right: Australia and Global Human Rights.
• Report of the Australian Delegation to the UN General Assembly.
• Australia and the United Nations.
• Australia in the United Nations and the Specialised Agencies.
• Australia and the Security Council.
• UNESCO Australia.
• Discussion Papers on the European Community Single Market Program: Implications for Australia.
• Research and Policy Discussion Papers series.
• November 1995 APEC Economic Leaders' Declaration for Action - Osaka.
• November 1995 APEC Ministerial-level Meeting: Joint Statement.
• Central Statistical Section publications: Economic and Trade Statistics card; Composition of Trade; Exports of Primary and Manufacturing Products; Australia's Trade with ASEAN; Australia's Trade with the EC; Australia's Basic Trade Statistics; Trade in Services.
• The Australia-European Union Trade and Investment: Towards 2000 - Executive Summary.
• US Trade Barrier Affecting Australian Exports (1994).
• NAFTA: Implications for Australia (1994).
• Quarterly Economic and Trade Review.
• Food Security: An Historical Perspective (1996).

AUSAID

Within AusAID, Freedom of Information (FoI) activities are managed through the International Policy and Ministerial Services (IPMS) Section.

The telephone number of the Freedom of Information Officer is (06) 276 461. Written requests can be addressed to the Freedom of Information Coordinator, International Policy and Ministerial Services Section, AusAID, GPO Box 887, CANBERRA, ACT 2601.

Powers

In carrying out the functions of the Agency, AusAID exercises the following powers:

• authorising expenditure on Australia's development cooperation program;
• administering development cooperation activities and programs, including:
• undertaking and publishing analyses and general information on the development cooperation program and international development issues;
• undertaking appraisals and evaluations of development cooperation activities;
• authorising provision of financial support for international organisations; inviting tenders, arranging and entering into contracts for the supply of goods and services;
• selecting consultants and contractors to provide services for the implementation of development cooperation activities;
• extending official financial support to overseas trainees and students in Australia, including allocation and administration of study and training awards;
• selecting educational organisations to manage training courses in Australia for overseas students; and
• granting financial assistance for development-related conferences and seminars.

Community, Business, Academic and Public Participation/Consultation

AusAID encourages and facilitates outside participation in the development and implementation of development cooperation policies and activities, engaging in wide-ranging cooperation and consultation with community, business and academic organisations and the general public. This process of participation and consultation is primarily through four bodies:

• The Advisory Council on Aid Policy;
• Advisory Group on International Health;
• Private Sector Linkages Program Advisory Committee; and
• AusAID/NGO Committee for Development Cooperation.

Further information on these groups is available from AusAID upon request. There are a number of mechanisms for consultation with community groups. The annual AusAID/NGO consultation is held in September each year. It provides a forum for general discussion of policy issues and matters of mutual interest. The AusAID executive meets with the Australian Council for Overseas Aid (ACFOA) several times a year. AusAID officers also meet with NGO representatives on various ACFOA policy and geographic committees. The AusAID-NGO Gender and Development Consultations occur biannually between representatives from relevant areas of policy and operations within AusAID, and NGO's invited by ACFOA. The consultations are a forum for discussion of current issues affecting gender and development.

AusAID/NGO Consultations on Environment and Development are held three times a year. The main objective of the consultations is to provide an opportunity for dialogue between AusAID and environment and development NGOs on environment policy and program issues in the aid program. AusAID participates in DFAT's regular consultations with the Australian NGO community on human rights issues. These consultations are held three times a year and aim to inform the NGO community about actions the Government is taking to promote human rights internationally, as well as providing an opportunity for NGOs to raise particular issues.

Consultation and Contact with the Business Community

During 1995-96 AusAID continued with a series of public seminars with the objective of providing information on current aid activities, priorities and opportunities to Australian suppliers, consultancy companies and the public. These were primarily organised through the AusAID state offices but also included talks by central office staff. These seminars were held in conjunction with DFAT, Austrade and various industry groupings. Presentations were given in all state capital cities and in regional centres, such as Shepparton, Albury-Wodonga, Bunbury and northern Queensland.

AusAID continued to participate in other major business-focussed events including:

• the National Trade and Investment Outlook Conference;
• the International Business Week; and
• the Northern Territory Expo 96.

The Business Cooperation Section (BCS) of AusAID continued to produce a range of publications with the purpose of informing the Australian business community and the public of private sector participation in the aid program. These included:

• Business News (a quarterly newsletter mailed to over 3000 subscribers); and
• Business Participation in AusAID's Aid Programs 1994-95 which lists contracts awarded.

The Director of the Business Cooperation Section, can be contacted on telephone 06-206 4900 or facsimile 06-206 4875 regarding any publications or enquires on business related matters. A decision was taken in late 1995-96 on budget grounds to phase out the Business Liaison Officer function in the state offices of AusAID over the next year.

AusAID documents

AusAID has a wide range of documents necessary for the administration of the aid program. Documents fall into the following categories.

General

• Submissions to portfolio Ministers, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Director General, AusAID Executive and other government agencies.
• Ministerial and departmental correspondence and replies.
• Texts of speeches and press statements.
• Briefs, reports, related documents and electronic records on international, third country and Australian aspects of aid policy issues, and development and implementation of aid programs and projects.
• Records, guidelines and documents relating to the selection and contracting of consultants and agents, records of understanding, procurement of goods and services and policy responses.
• Documents and electronic records relating to government support for NGO aid projects.
• Reports and documents of international agencies.
• Statistical data relating to Australia's international reporting commitments and the domestic presentation of Australia's general aid performance.
• Documents and records regarding the training and education of sponsored overseas students in Australia including records relating to individual students, program guidelines and contracts with training authorities.
• Records and guidelines for the award of grants for seminar sponsorship, development research and activities carried out by professional bodies.

Major Documents

• Treaties, memoranda of understanding, exchange of letters and other agreements between the Australian and other governments on aid matters.
• Cabinet submissions, memorandums and decisions.
• Appraisal, review and evaluation reports on aid activities.
• Feasibility studies of proposed aid projects, project design and implementation documents.

Parliamentary Matters

• Briefings for Ministers on possible parliamentary questions.
• Records of parliamentary-related business such as responses to parliamentary questions on notice, legislation matters, briefings for parliamentary delegations and submissions to parliamentary enquiries and committee reports.

Management Documents

• Documents and electronic records relating to financial management, including accounting and budget planning documents;
• Personnel management documents and records;
• Documents relating to strategic and corporate planning.
• Documents and materials relating to staff development and training.
• Office procedure and information circulars outlining policies and procedures relating to implementation of the aid program.

AusAID Public Affairs

AusAID produces a number of publications aimed at promoting awareness of the aid program in the public domain. Examples of such publications are:

• Focus, a quarterly publication, aimed at making Australia's overseas aid program more widely known and encouraging discussion on development issues; and
• Relief Review, produced eight times a year, to provide information on relief and refugee issues to ensure that media, politicians and other interest groups are kept informed of the continuing role of humanitarian relief in the aid program.

Since December 1995, AusAID has had a presence on the Internet via the DFAT home Page. Listed on the site are press releases, information about the Agency and the Australian overseas aid program, selected speeches and various key publications.

A list of publications available for purchase can be obtained from the Director, Public Affairs Section, AusAID, GPO Box 887, CANBERRA ACT 2601.

Response by DFAT and AusAID to FoI Requests in 1995-96

	Number
Requests from previous year	7
Formal requests received	34
Access granted in full	4
Access granted in part	13
Access refused	6
Requests withdrawn or lapsed	6
Transferred to another agency	3
Not finalised within year	9

Fees and Charges Collected in 1995-96

Fees	$650
Charges	$1092

APPENDIX 7

Advertising And Market Research

DFAT

Type of Organisation	Amount	Location/Unit
Advertising Agencies
Marcus Radcliffe	6,768	Washington
Sub-Total	6,768
Market Research & Polling Organisations
Media Control	4,626	Bonn
GPM Marketing	1,884	Bonn
Sample Institute	11,494	Bonn
Nippon Research Centre	9,052	Tokyo
Observer	2,545	Vienna
Frank Small & Associates	10,000	PAD*
Diagnostic & Creative Workshop	362,467	Marketing Australia
Sub-Total	402,068
Media Advertising Organisations
Freiha	8,585	Beirut
Volkan Reklam	5,670	Ankara
Deutsche Stadt Reklame	12,350	Bonn
General & Anzeiger	1,615	Bonn
Runze & Casper	10,692	Bonn
Bonner Rundschau Promotion Service	5,765	Bonn
IWS	4,602	Bonn
Austin Knight	4,733	London
Neville Jeffress Advertising	145,715	Various
Media Entertainment & Arts	1,035	AII**
K & D Publishing	7,875	ETD***
Executive Media	1,700	ETD***
National Business Directory	245	ETD***
AEEMA	18,000	PAD*
Radio East	16,666	PAD*
Easy Fm China	25,526	PAD*
Batey Kazoo	2,759,766	PAD*
Advertising Print Sales P/L	173,000	PAD*
Australia Television International	300,000	PAD*
Ideas And The Investor	13,700	PAD*
Quill Communications	16,966	PAD*
Katane Advertising P/L	336	PAD*
Sub-Total	3,534,542
Direct Mail Organisations
Koomarri Printers	3,189	Various
Act Mailing	28,024	PAD*
Sub-Total	31,213
Total	3,974,591

* Public Affairs Division
** Australia Indonesia Institute
*** Economic Trade Development Division

AUSAID

Provider	Purpose	Amount (A$)
Neville Jeffress Advertising	Advertisement of research grants	4,400
Neville Jeffress Advertising	Advertisement of project tenders	100,001
Neville Jeffress Advertising	Advertisement of ASEAN-Australian Economic Cooperation Program (AAECP) Linkages Stream	11,976
Neville Jeffress Advertising	Advertisement of AusAID project in Colombo	4,557
Neville Jeffress Advertising	Advertisement of positions vacant	70,693
Australian Government Publishing Service	Advertisement of positions vacant	4,764
Royal Australasian Institute of Public Administration	Sponsorship of Annual Conference	23,000
Public Service & Merit Protection Commission	Participation in Public Service Best Practice Exhibition	5,000
Commonwealth of Australia Purchasing & Disposals Gazette	Notification of contracts arranged	2,838
RL Polk & Company Pty Ltd	Prepare for postage AusAID publication on women in development	233
Duffy Data & Design	Prepare labels for mail out of AusAID publication on women in development	50
Supermail	Mailout of AusAID brochures for International Business Week	76
Supermail	Mailout of AusAID information to AusAID-sponsored students	45
Supermail	Mailout of 'Focus' to AusAID-sponsored students	92
Kompas, The Jakarta Post, Bisnis Indonesia Gatra	Advertisement of AAECP Linkages Stream	11,525
Business World Publishing Corporation, Manila	Advertisement of AAECP Linkages Stream	1,632
The Manila Bulletin	Advertisement of AAECP Linkages Stream	1,627
The Nation, Bangkok	Advertisement of AAECP Linkages Stream	4 048
Bangkok Post	Advertisement of AAECP Linkages Stream	5,513
Borneo Bulletin	Advertisement of AAECP Linkages Stream	1 159
Borneo Bulletin	Advertisement of position vacant	1,174
New Straits Times & Business Times, Kuala Lumpur	Advertisement of AAECP Linkages Stream	3,518
Vietnam News	Advertisement of AAECP Linkages Stream	3,094
The Straits Times, Singapore	Advertisement of AAECP Linkages Stream	3,110
Cambodia Daily	Advertisement of positions vacant	539
Phnom Penh Post	Advertisement of positions vacant	1,212
Fiji Times Ltd	Advertisement of position vacant	536
Fiji Times Ltd	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	3,429
Fiji Times Ltd	Advertisement for public launching of the Economic Report	309
Daily Post, Fiji	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	2,239
Daily Post, Fiji	Advertisement for public launching of the Economic Report	398
The Island, Sri Lanka	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	357
Daily News, Sri Lanka	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	614
Divaina, Sri Lanka	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	566
Dinamina, Sri Lanka	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	480
Thinakaran, Sri Lanka	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	344
Virakesari, Sri Lanka	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	487
Haveeru, Maldives	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	330
Aaafathis	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	352
TV Maldives	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	2
Voice of Maldives	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	19
Manila Bulletin	Advertisement of position vacant	1,065
MA Theresa M Jazmines	Development of public relations strategy for AusAID Manila	3,797
Mindanoa Express, Philippines	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	245
DXUM, Philippines	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	883
ABS-CBN, Philippines	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	471
Mindanao Publishers, Philippines	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	196
Mindanao Gazette, Philippines	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	98
DC Publications, Inc, Philippines	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	196
Mindanao Daily Mirror, Philippines	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	589
People's Daily Forum, Philippines	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	687
Radio Phils Network, Philippines	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	206
Prenza Zamboanga, Philippines	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	157
Sun Star Morning Times, Philippines	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	196
Daily Zamboanga Times, Philippines	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	330
The Morning Times, Philippines	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	196
Mindanao Business Reporter, Philippines	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	294
Ang Peryodiko Dabaw, Philippines	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	530
Mindanao Trend, Philippines	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	176
Le Journal de Geneve, Switzerland	Advertisement of vacant position	726
La Tribune de Geneve, Switzerland	Advertisement of vacant position	709
Valcol Employment Bureau, Harare	Advertisement of vacant positions	6,559
The Hindustan Times, New Delhi	Advertisement of vacant position	1,020
Bangkok Post and The Nation	Advertisements of vacant positions	5 685
Creative Communications, Bangladesh	Advertisement for Bangladesh Australia Alumni Association	1,277
Creation, Bangladesh	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	7,350
IDP Education Australia	Advertisement of 1997 ADCOS intake	7,000
Total		301,999

APPENDIX 8

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY DATA

30 June 1996

DFAT

Male		Female	Total	M% Total	F% Total
ASO1	19	22	41	46.3	53.7
ACPOSTUDY	4	2	6	66.7	33.3
GSO2	0	3	3	0.0	100.0
GSO3	0