SENATOR VANSTONE -I have a question that I think comes under corporate services. If it does not, then I ask some indulgence. I have been sitting here today looking at a mass of people. I am just wondering if the Attorney- General's Department really does have an EEO program that works, because I have counted a maximum of three women, other than the staff of senators, sitting here today. What is happening in Attorney-General's in relation to EEO ? Women cannot be too high up to come. There is no place high enough up that you do not come along, so where are they?

MR REABURN -Well, that is certainly true, Senator. There are no ladies here from the Department-sorry one.

SENATOR VANSTONE -I think I have got my answer.

MR REABURN -A figure of about 10 per cent of our Senior Executive Service officers are women. The highest rank within the Senior Executive Service held by a woman is at the division head level, that is the Band 2 level. At previous Estimates hearings the head of our Corporate Services Division has been here but she left us a few weeks ago for another job.

SENATOR VANSTONE -A private sector job?

MR REABURN -No, a government business enterprise job, Senator. As I say, about 10 percent of our SES officers are women.

SENATOR VANSTONE -She will be one of the people that Senator Cook wants to abuse for being overpaid, no doubt.

MR REABURN -I think we are all too delicate to ask what our new salary is going to be, Senator

SENATOR VANSTONE -He will probably tell us.

MR REABURN -We do have an EEO program, yes, indeed. We like to think it works.

SENATOR VANSTONE -Do you produce a report on it? Would I find all the details on that in your annual report?

MR REABURN -I believe there are some statistics and reports in the annual report.

MR A. ROSE -We do have an EEO plan, and the report on that is published in the annual report.

SENATOR NEWMAN -May I ask how long it has been in operation?

MR A. ROSE -We were one of the first.

SENATOR NEWMAN -How long is that?

MR A. ROSE -Whenever the Act was passed; about five or six years ago.

SENATOR VANSTONE -Can you just tell me whether it is in the report, and I will find it.

MR A. ROSE -If I can just answer the other question, the implication was why are there no women here?

SENATOR VANSTONE -It just made me think, what is going on?

MR A. ROSE -We have a departmental policy that the executive comes to answer the Senate's questions, so you are dealing with only the four most senior officers in the Department.

SENATOR VANSTONE -I am sure the Committee appreciates that. I just imagined that some of the people behind you were specialists in their specific areas that you might need to call on for further detail.

MR A. ROSE -Most of them are from portfolio agencies.

SENATOR VANSTONE -So the picture I have had of grey and navy suits looking at me is not a reflection at all on your EEO program?

MR A. ROSE -Not at all, no.

SENATOR NEWMAN -Is it a reflection on EEO in the agencies?

MR A. ROSE -I could not answer for the agencies.

SENATOR VANSTONE -Can you tell me, to satisfy curiosity, whether the annual report will show changes over a period of time or just what happened last year ?

MR A. ROSE -It is a report on the last financial year.

SENATOR VANSTONE -Do not bother. It is in the mountain of stuff that arrived last week; I'll have to find it.

MR REABURN -It does not show changes over a long period of time.

MR A. ROSE -We can give you those figures, though.

SENATOR VANSTONE -If you would not mind, I would be grateful.