Senator O'Brien asked the Minister representing the Minister for Transport and Regional Services, upon notice, on 6 August 2002:

(1) Did the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) 2001-2002 to 2003-2004 Corporate Plan commit the Authority to implementing a performance management system and undertaking a CASA-wide survey; if so: (a) when did the CASA Board endorse the plan; (b) when was it provided to the Minister; and (c) when did the Minister endorse the plan.

(2) (a) Has the design work for the development of the performance management system and the CASA-wide survey commenced; (b) was the work the subject of a tender process; (c) what was the cost of the development of the management system and the survey; and (d) who was the successful tenderer.

(3) (a) When did that work commence, in line with the terms of the Corporate Plan and the Board decision; and (b) if the work has not been completed, when will it be completed.

(4) If work on the management system and the survey has been completed: (a) when was that work completed; (b) when was it considered by CASA management; and (c) when was it considered by the Board.

(5) If the design and implementation of the management system and survey has not been carried out in accordance with the Board-endorsed Corporate Plan: (a) why has the work not been carried out; (b) who made the decision not to proceed with the development of the management plan and survey; and (c) when was the Board advised of the decision not to proceed with the work.

(6) Did the Board endorse the decision not to proceed with the management system and survey; if so: (a) when did the Board take that decision; and (b) what was the basis for the Board's decision not to proceed with the work.

Senator Ian Macdonald (Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) —The Minister for Transport and Regional Services has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has provided the following advice:

(1) The 2001/2002 - 2003/2004 Corporate Plan, Critical Success Factor (CSF) 7, contained an initiative described as `Implement a Performance Management System, including undertaking a CASA wide Staff Survey', with a target completion date (this is not a binding commitment) of the end of the 2002/03 financial year. (a) The Corporate Plan was endorsed by the Board on 7 June 2001; and (b) provided to the Minister on 28 June 2001; and (c) the Civil Aviation Act 1988 does not require the Minister to endorse the Plan, however the Minister did agree to the Plan being tabled on 29 August 2002.

(2) Yes; (a) The initiative contains two tasks - the design and implementation of the Performance Management System (since renamed to the Performance Communication System) and the conduct of a Staff Survey; (b) both projects were the subject of a tender process; (c) the Staff Survey cost $85,000 and the Performance Communication Scheme cost $273,000; (d) the successful tenderer for the Performance Communication Scheme was Interaction Consulting Group. The successful tenderer for the Staff Survey was the Empower Group.

(3) (a) Planning work for the Performance Communication Scheme started in the second quarter of 2001 and planning work for the Staff Survey commenced in the fourth quarter of 2001; (b) the conduct of the Staff Survey was completed in October 2002. The Performance Communication Scheme was introduced across CASA in October and November 2002,

(4) (a) The conduct of the Staff Survey was complete in October 2002 and the introduction of the Performance Communication Scheme was complete by November 2002

(b) The CASA Executive considered the outcomes of the Staff Survey at the Executive meeting of 2 December 2002.

The CASA Executive considered the guidelines for the introduction of the Performance Management Scheme for CASA staff in the Executive Meeting of 26 November 2001.

(c) The CASA Board considered the outcomes of the Staff Survey at the meeting of 12 December 2002 and were advised through the September 2002 Corporate Performance Report that roll-out of the Performance Communication Scheme had commenced with training sessions being provided to all staff.

(5) (a) The development of the Performance Communication Scheme was completed as part of the new Certified Agreement negotiations. In-principle agreement on the new Certified Agreement was reached in May 2002. The implementation of the Performance Communication Scheme was completed by November 2002. As detailed in the responses for questions 516 and 517, the conduct of the Staff Survey was completed in October 2002;

(b) there was no decision taken by the Authority not to proceed with the Performance Communication Scheme or the Staff Survey during the 2001/2002 - 2003/2004 Corporate Planning Period. The final timing of the implementation of the Performance Communication Scheme was dependent on the timing of finalising negotiation of the Certified Agreement. Due to the protracted negotiations for the development of the new CASA Certified Agreement, CASA Management agreed that it would be inappropriate to conduct the Staff Survey until the Certified Agreement processes had been completed; and

(c) the CASA Board is advised by CASA Management of progress against Corporate Plan priorities and initiatives in a quarterly performance report.

The Board were advised by CASA Management through the quarterly report provided for the period January to March 2002, that the Survey would be completed within the financial year. CASA Management further advised the Board through the June 2002 quarterly/2001-2002 yearly report that the most appropriate time to complete the Staff Survey would be during the first quarter of the 2002-2003 financial year.

(6) (a) The CASA Board did not formally endorse the decision not to proceed with the Survey, or the implementation of the Performance Communication Scheme during the 2001/2002 - 2003/2004 Corporate Planning Period; (b) not applicable.