Since 1994, Commonwealth departments and agencies have reported on their performance as policy adviser, purchaser, employer, regulator and provider under the Commonwealth Disability Strategy. In 2007–08, reporting on the employer role was transferred to the Australian Public Service Commission’s State of the service report and the APS Statistical bulletin. These reports are available at www.apsc.gov.au. From 2010–11, departments and agencies are no longer required to report on these functions.
The Commonwealth Disability Strategy has been overtaken by a new national disability strategy which sets out a ten year national policy framework for improving life for Australians with disability, their families and carers. A high level report to track progress for people with disability at a national level will be produced by the Standing Council on Community, Housing and Disability Services to the Council of Australian Governments and will be available at www.fahcsia.gov.au. The social inclusion measurement and reporting strategy agreed by the Government in December 2009 will also include some reporting on disability matters in its regular How Australia is Faring report and, if appropriate, in strategic change indicators in agency annual reports. More detail on social inclusion matters can be found at www.socialinclusion.gov.au.
Comcare determined that the NBA was compliant with Section 16(2) (d) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991, following a desktop audit of the NBA as part of its National Proactive Campaign on Health and Safety Management Arrangements (HSMA) for Commonwealth Agencies.
One reportable incident was required to be logged with Comcare during the year.
Other initiatives that were undertaken by the NBA during the year to maintain our ongoing commitment to a safe and secure workplace included:
This year, the NBA implemented a new health program to assist staff in maintaining and improving their health (see page 123). The NBA also offered employees allowances for screen-based spectacles, software for assistance in managing keyboard requirements, the provision of hand sanitiser equipment upon entry to our premises and flu/swine-flu vaccinations.
The ability of the NBA to promote ecologically sustainable principles outlined in Section 3A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 are limited but we remain mindful of the potential to ensure that:
These principles are most relevant to our purchasing activities. In 2010–11, major improvements were made within our blood product supply contracts, with suppliers’ commitments including:
During 2010–11, the NBA continued to focus on activities aimed at maintaining and improving our environmental performance outcomes.
In relation to internal purchasing, the NBA moved from carbon neutral white A4 paper to recycled material. Sole sourcing of renewable energy for the office was maintained.
The NBA offset air travel through the GreenFleet program, which is a carbon offsetting program, reducing the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on the environment. This is achieved through the planting of native trees to soak up the gas emissions.
Feasibility studies to move key NBA committees from paper to electronic agenda papers commenced. This initiative is likely to be implemented in early 2011–12 and is expected to lead to increased efficiencies in meeting and secretariat functions, a substantial decrease in paper usage and an increase in the security of the agenda papers.
Staff continued their ongoing commitment to recycling with the result that:
The NBA has formally trained Green ICT personnel to monitor progress and raise awareness levels within the organisation. As an example, Earth Hour was again publicised within the NBA; the office was fully compliant and all staff were encouraged to participate.
In summary, the table below provides information on the impact our activities have on the natural environment and measures taken and planned to further reduce these impacts.
A number of measures introduced in 2009–10 have been maintained during the year. Some of these steps included:
| Theme | Performance measure | Indicator(s) | 2009–10 | 2010–11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy efficiency | Total consumption of energy—this includes all energy consumed when undertaking the functions of the agency, such as energy consumed for office buildings and transportation | Amount of electricity purchased/consumed ($/kWh) | 139,701 kWh | 140,900 kWh |
| Amount of gas purchased/consumed ($/MJ) | 0 MJ | 0 MJ | ||
| Amount of other fuels purchased/consumed ($/kWh/MJ/L) | 2,356 L | 02 | ||
| Air travel distances (km) | 543,492 km | 825,716 km3 | ||
| Total consumption of green energy—this includes the purchase of energy from sustainable resources | Amount of green energy purchased/consumed ($/kWh) during the reporting period | 139,701 kWh | 140,900 kWh | |
| Greenhouse gas emissions | Amount of greenhouse gases produced (tonnes) | 169.3 tonnes | 20.22 tonnes4 | |
| Relative energy uses—this includes the green energy use relative to non-renewable energy use and energy use per employee | Amount of green energy purchased/consumed divided by the amount of electricity/gas/other fuels purchased/consumed | 100% | 100% | |
| Amount of total energy purchased/consumed ($/kWh) per employee | 2,910 kWh | 2,818 kWh |
1 Note that all measures are best estimates only, and are likely to change substantially as measurement capacities improve.
2 There was no amount associated with other fuels purchased/consumed in 2010–11 due to the NBA no longer having a leased car.
3 Increase is due to deployment of national ICT systems throughout Australia requiring travel for trainers, and the intensive consultation phase for clinical guideline development.
4 Electricity fully off-set through 100% green energy purchased and during the year, the NBA off-set 767,757 kms in air travel through the GreenFleet program.
| Theme | Performance measure | Indicator(s) | 2009–10 | 2010–11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waste | Total waste production—this includes the green energy waste (i.e.unwanted byproducts) produced undertaking the functions of the agency | Amount of waste produced (tonnes) | Monitoring will be introduced for all waste | 7.64 tonnes |
| Un-recyclable waste production—this includes all wastes that are not re-used or recycled | Amount of gas purchased/consumed ($/MJ) | 3.69 tonnes | ||
| Recyclable waste production (excluding office paper) | Amount of waste going to recycling facilities (tonnes) | 1.335 tonnes | ||
| Paper waste production | Amount of waste paper going to recycling facilities (tonnes) | 2.615 tonnes | ||
| Amount of paper sourced from recyclable sources (tonnes) | 1.99 tonnes | |||
| Percentage of paper sourced from recyclable sources (per cent) | 76% | |||
| Use of renewable/recyclable products | Amount of products sourced from renewable/recyclable sources (tonnes) | 76% | ||
| Relative waste production | Amount of total waste (tonnes) per employee | 0.15 tonnes | ||
| Water | Total consumption of water—this includes all water consumed when undertaking the functions of the agency | Amount of water purchased/consumed ($/L) | 680,000 L | 493,000 L5 |
| Grey water capture and use—this includes all waste water capture and re-use/recycling | Amount of grey water captured (L) | 0 L | 0 L | |
| Amount of grey water recycled (L | 0 L | 0 L | ||
| Amount of grey water re-used(L) | 0 L | 0 L | ||
| Rainwater capture and use—this includes all rain water captured and used onsite | Amount of rainwater captured (L) | 0 L | 0 L | |
| Amount of captured rainwater used (L) | 0 L | 0 L | ||
| Relative consumption/use of water—this includes the use of water per employee | Amount of total water use (L) per employee | 14,000 L | 9,680 L |
5 The decrease in reported water consumption reflects more accurate measurement of allocation of water of our joint tenancy.
From 1 May 2011 agencies subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) are required to publish information to the public as part of the Information Publication Scheme (IPS). This requirement is in Part II of the FOI Act and has replaced the former requirement to publish a section 8 statement in an annual report. An agency plan showing what information is published in accordance with the IPS requirements will be accessible from agency websites.
Before the IPS commenced on 1 May 2011, subsection 8(1) of the FOI Act required each Minister responsible for an agency to publish a statement setting out details of the agency’s organisation, functions and powers, public consultation arrangements, categories of documents held, and arrangements for public access to agency documents in the agency’s possession. Paragraph 8(1)(b) required the Minister to publish an annual update of the agency statement. Subsection 8(3) required both the first statement and the annual updates to be published in the Agency’s annual report.
The NBA must provide this information in its 2010–2011 annual report, even though this obligation will for practical purposes have been overtaken by the IPS.
The former requirement under section 8 of the FOI Act included that Australian Government agencies, amongst other things, publish information about:
In 2010–2011 the NBA received one request for access to documents and no requests for internal review, under the FOI Act. The NBA was not involved in any Administrative Appeals Tribunal matters in respect of the FOI Act.
Information on the NBA’s structure and functions is included in this publication at pages 2, 112 and 188, as is performance information (Part 3 of this report).
Ministers and the NBA’s General Manager exercise decision-making powers under the National Blood Authority Act 2003. The NBA operates as an Australian Government agency in which staff exercise functions and powers under Acts such as the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 and the Public Service Act 1999. Many decisions are given effect through NBA-administered contracts with suppliers.
Under the National Blood Agreement, the primary responsibility for policy in the national blood sector rests with the Australian Health Ministers’ Conference, supported by the JBC.
In the performance of its functions, the NBA has established consultative forums, among them a Professional and Community Forum and a Suppliers Forum. The NBA issues public consultation papers on elements of its work, including before most major blood procurement activities. The NBA also consults with a range of other expert bodies and interested parties in relation to specific projects.
The NBA maintains records pertaining to the performance of its functions. Records are retained for varying periods, depending on their administrative and historical value, and are disposed of in accordance with the standards and practices approved by the National Archives of Australia under the Archives Act 1983. Table A9.3 shows the categories of documents held by the NBA.
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Program documents | The NBA holds documents relating to: contracts and tendering processes; dealings with Australian Government and state and territory ministers, committees and other government agencies under the National Blood Agreement; and the performance of its functions under the National Blood Authority Act 2003. |
| Working files | The NBA holds working files including correspondence, analysis and advice by NBA staff, documents received from third parties, and drafts of these and other documents. |
| Internal administration records | The NBA holds personnel records, organisational and staffing records, financial and expenditure records and internal operating documentation such as office procedures, instructions and indexes. |
| Documents open to public access subject to a fee or other charge | The NBA holds no documents in this category. |
| Documents available for access or purchase subject to a fee or other charge | The NBA holds no documents in this category. |
| Documents customarily available free of charge on request | Annual reports and other documents relating to the NBA are available on the internet at www.nba.gov.au. |
A request for access to documents under the FOI Act must be in writing. Applicants must state that the request is an application for the purposes of the FOI Act, provide such information as is reasonably necessary to enable a responsible officer of the Agency, or the Minister, to identify it and provide details of how notices can be sent. There is no longer an application fee that applies to requests for information under the FOI Act.
To enable a prompt response and to help the NBA meet its obligations under the FOI Act, applicants should provide as much information as possible about the document(s) sought. We also ask that the applicant include a telephone number or an electronic mail address to allow NBA staff handling a request to seek clarification if necessary. Applicants might be liable to pay charges at rates prescribed by the Freedom of Information (Charges) Regulations 1982.
Inquiries about making a formal request under the Act should be made in writing to the NBA’s Freedom of Information Coordinator.
Physical access to documents at the NBA’s premises can be arranged. Inquiries should be directed to the Freedom of Information Coordinator:
Freedom of Information Coordinator
National Blood Authority
Locked Bag 8430
CANBERRA ACT 2601