This publication has been compiled by Strategic Planning and Performance, Department of Energy
and Water Supply.
© State of Queensland, 2012.
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Contents
Information systems and recordkeeping
Consultancies
Overseas travel
Waste management
Recycling policy for buildings and civil infrastructure
Carbon emissions
Initiatives for women
Carers (Recognition) Act 2008
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander matters
(The Queensland Government Reconciliation Action Plan 2009–2012)
Queensland Multicultural Policy –
Queensland Multicultural Action Plan 2011–14
Acronyms
-1 -Information systems and recordkeeping
Information systems
The Department of Energy and Water Supply (DEWS) continues to operate, maintain and develop a range of information systems to support services, initiatives and corporate operations. Theseinclude:
•Gas Electricity Certificates (GEC) – a system to track the gas and electricity rebate scheme
•Solar Hot Water Rebate Management System - which stores data on the rebates paid under the Solar Hot Water Rebate Scheme, with details of tradespersons used in the installations
•Project Governance System– which stores and reports on key data for DEWS projects
•Solar Hot Water Program database (this program is now closed).
Recordkeeping
DEWS operates a record-keeping strategy to ensure that the department is compliant with the Public Records Act 2002, Public Service Act 2008, and Information Standard 40—Recordkeeping.
Records Management Services, Corporate Partnership, delivers document and records management services to the department.
During 2011–12DEWS saw the initial rollout of the electronic document and records management system eDOCS for the management of paper-based records in Energy in the former Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI). All the legacy records from the former Energy record-keeping system had been migrated into eDOCS. Comprehensive transfer protocols were established for non-current records and time-expired administrative records were identified and disposed of. A centralised system of records support was implemented and extensive work carried out on legacy records from the former electricity Government Owned Corporations.
The business areas in Water in theformer Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) had the electronic document and records management system – Keeper rolled out to support business recordkeeping, business implementation and support activities through 2011-12.
In 2012–13 DEWS will move to a single electronic document and records management system.
Consultancies
The following table details the consultancy expenditure of DEWS for 1 May 2012 – 30 June 2012 reporting period.
Consultancy expenditure for 1 July 2011 – 30 April 2012 is reported in the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning (DSDIP) and the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection 2011–12 Annual Reports (DEHP).
Consultancy expenditure2011-12
Human Resource Management / $16,000
Professional/technical / $45,945
Total / $61,945
Overseas travel
There was no overseas travel undertaken by DEWS’ officers within the reporting period of 1 May 2012 –30 June 2012.
Overseas travel reports for the former DEEDI and former DERM for the period 1 July 2011 – 30 April 2012 are contained in the DSDIP and the DEHP 2011– 2012 Annual Reports.
Waste management
Waste Management and Recycling
During 2011–12 year the former DERM undertook a wide range of recycling activities, with a focus on embedding regular paper and co-mingle recycling in buildings where commercial recycling facilities exist. In addition the department undertook recycling of a range of priority waste streams such as e-waste and polystyrene. DEWS benefited from recycling undertaken by the former DERM.
Examples of waste management and recycling projects are shown in the table below:
Project name or brief description / Recycling or reuse percentage achieved / CommentsE-waste recycling / 5364 t / Recycling of broken and unsaleable electrical and electronic items.
Polystyrene recycling / 25.5 m3 / Recycling of polystyrene associated with the delivery of new computers and other office equipment.
Paper and co-mingle recycling / Various across Queensland / Paper and co-mingle recycling is available in the majority of offices. Recycling rates vary from building to building, for example at Mineral House a diversion rate of 32 per cent was achieved and at 400 George Street a diversion rate of approximately 50 per cent was achieved.
Recycling policy for buildings and civil infrastructure
DEWS supports the government’s vision of a low-waste Queensland and the goals of Queensland’s Waste Reduction and Recycling Strategy 2010-2020which relate to reducing waste and optimising recovery and recycling.
The department was not responsible for any construction or demolition building or civil infrastructure projects completed during 2011–12and reporting as required under the recycling policy is not applicable.
Carbon emissions
DEWS is committed to playing its part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the delivery of government services to the community.
The Queensland Government has previously established minimum greenhouse gas emissions reporting requirements for departments covering their main greenhouse gas emitting business activities; namely those linked to (i) vehicle use, (ii) electricity consumption and (iii) air travel. These activities are sources of both direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions, which are reported as carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.
It is noted that due to data collection limitations in previous years, the reporting period had been the 12 month period from 1 April of the preceding year to 31 March of the year in which the annual report was prepared. Some of the past data collection limitations have now been addressed. To enable a transition for the reporting period to a standard financial year, as a once-off exercise this annual report (i.e. for the 2011-12 financial year) will additionally outline the emissions data for the preceding three month period of 1 April 2011 to 30 June 2011. For clarity the data for the two periods is presented in each section of the table below as two adjacent figures; namely data for the twelvemonth period 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012, followed by data for the three-month period 1 April 2011 to 30 June 2011 (shown in brackets).
Reporting of greenhouse gas emissions by departments is limited due to the complexity of the operational boundaries within the public sector, especially in situations where internal government shared service providers are used. While the best available data has been used, in some instances estimates have had to be reported due to the shortcomings of data collection processes or systems. For example, in those government-owned office buildings where there are multiple government agency tenants and the electricity usage cannot be solely attributed to any one particular agency, the electricity usage by the tenant agencies may be distributed proportionally based on the floor area they occupy.
Importantly, any comparison of emission levels with those of previous periods must first ensure that all the relevant parameters are identical and emissions information have not been affected by changes such as: changes in the configuration and make-up of the department's building portfolio; changes to building functionality and/or occupancy levels; or changes to the emissions conversion factors used (which may vary from year to year as published in Schedule 1 of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Measurement) Determination).
The following table outlines the emissions relating to DEWS for (a) the twelve month period 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012, and (b) for the preceding three-month period 1 April 2011 to 30 June 2011 (shown in brackets). Carbon emissions associated with the operations of DEWS during 2011–12 have been calculated by determining the DEWS share of the former DERM and the former DEEDI emissions. More detail of the methodology adopted for specific emission sources is set out in the explanatory notes below:
Table 1:Greenhouse gas emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions in tonnes of CO2-eActivity / GROSS
Emissions / LESS
offsets / NET
emissions / Explanatory notes
Fuel consumption
•QFleet leased anddepartment owned vehicles / 258.15 (76.39) / 64.12 (32.74) / 194.03 (43.65) / 1
•Hire vehicles / 7.56 (2.79) / 4.66 (2.79) / 2.90 (0.00) / 2
Electricity consumption
•Governmentowned buildings / 29.90 (43) / 3
•Leased privatelyowned buildings / 115.15 (69.73) / 4
Air travel
•Domestic air travel on commercial airlines / 79.41 (24.47) / 50.08 (24.47) / 29.33 (0.00) / 5
•International air travel on commercial airlines / 18.40 (5.81) / 9.70 (5.81) / 8.71 (0.00) / 5
Figures not in brackets are the emissions calculated for the period 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012.
Figures in brackets are the emissions calculated for the three month period 1 April to 30 June in 2011, which falls outside the 12month reporting period of 2011–12.
The Department of Housing and Public Works (DHPW) have advised that no carbon offsets are purchased for electricity on-charged by their department.
Explanatory Notes:
(1)These emissions are those attributable to fuel consumption in government vehicles and plant, including vehicles owned by this department, as well as any leased from QFleet.
The Queensland Government Chief Procurement Office (QGCPO) manages the procurement of fuel by means of fuel cards as well as bulk fuel accounts with major suppliers. QGCPO has provided DEWS with data on these purchases. In addition DEWS purchased bulk fuel directly from suppliers in some remote areas. Consumption has been extrapolated from financial data in some instances. All emissions reported represent emissions associated with four primary fuel types including unleaded petrol, diesel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and E-10.
Emission offsets were Greenhouse Friendly™ certified carbon offsets. These offsets were made for government vehicles that did not comply with the minimum Greenhouse Vehicle Guide (GVG) ratings and to contribute to the wholeof Government commitment to offset 50 per centof vehicle emissions from 2010.
DEWS fuel related emissions have been extrapolated from former DERM and DEEDI data using a two stage methodology. Firstly, financial data was used to determine the allocation of expenditure on fuel to various business groups within the former agencies It was determined that a significant proportion of the former DERM fuel was consumed by the former QPWS and these emissions were attributed solely to the DNPRSR. Secondly, the remainder of former DERM emissions and all relevant DEEDI emissions were allocated to DEWS and other new departments created from the former DERM and DEEDI proportionate to the redistribution of FTE staff.
(2)The hire car vehicle emissions figures are attributable to Avis Australia vehicles booked under the Standing Offer Arrangement for vehicle hire managed by the Queensland Government Chief Procurement Office. The emissions have been calculated by Avis Australia. The emission offsets figure relates to purchased national Greenhouse Friendly™ certified carbon offsets. Hire vehicle related emissions of the former DERM and DEEDI were allocated to DEWS and other new departments created from the former DERM and DEEDI proportionate to the redistribution of FTE staff. Emission offsets have been attributed to new departments in the same proportion as emissions. As of December 2011 the whole-of-government commitment to offset emissions associated with vehicle emissions ceased.
(3)Government owned buildings include those owned by DEWS as well as those owned by DHPW and leased to DEWS. DEWS has direct contracts with electricity suppliers in many buildings and relatively complete consumption records are available from these electricity suppliers. Buildings owned by DHPW are usually multi-tenanted and electricity costs are generally incorporated into rental costs since sub-metering for individual tenants is rare. For these buildings DEWS relies on DHPW for electricity consumption data. For sub-metered tenancies, exact data is generally available. In government office buildings without sub-metering, the electricity consumption and associated emissions have been apportioned 45 per cent to the landlord (DHPW), and 55 per centto the tenants – in line with historical benchmarking.
Incomplete electricity consumption records have been apportioned and/or extrapolated where necessary. Emissions have been calculated by converting relevant electricity consumption using the Scope 2 conversion factor of 0.88 kg CO2-e/kWh as published in Schedule 1 of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Measurement) Determination 2008 (Amended July 2011).
Emissions for DEWS have been extrapolated from former agency emissions using a two stage process. Firstly, emissions related to former DERM and DEEDI owned sites with an annual electricity consumption of greater than 100 MWh were attributed directly to the new owning entity. Secondly, the remainder of the DEWS emissions have been extrapolated based upon a redistribution of the emissions of the former DERM and DEEDI in line with the redistribution of FTE staff.
(4)Emissions related to electricity consumption in leased privatelyowned buildings are based on available buildingrelated electricity consumption records. The emissions reported are limited to those linked to the electricity consumed by this department in space leased within buildings other than governmentowned (i.e. in privatelyowned buildings). Electricity usage has been calculated or estimated using actual electricity records or lease charges received from landlords. Incomplete electricity consumption records have been apportioned and/or extrapolated where necessary. Leased building related emissions for DEWS have been extrapolated by taking the former DERM and DEEDI emissions and allocating them to DEWS in line with the redistribution of FTE staff.
(5)Air travel includes all flights recorded by the Queensland Government Chief Procurement Office (QGCPO), specifically:
international air travel on commercial airlines
domestic air travel on commercial airlines.
These emissions are calculated by QGCPO using passenger-kilometres flown from data provided by the relevant commercial airline and applying a methodology based on International Civil Aviation Organisation criteria. This methodology uses an averaged consumption of fuel per passenger for flights, which can then be converted into tonnes of CO2-e. Air travel related emissions for DEWS have been extrapolated by taking the former DERM and DEEDI emissions and allocating them to DEWS in line with the redistribution of FTE staff.
The emission offsets figure for air travel relates to purchased national Greenhouse Friendly™ certified carbon offsets. Emission offsets have been attributed to new departments in the same proportion as emissions. As of December 2011 the wholeof Government commitment to offset emissions associated with air travel ceased.
Initiatives for women
Participation of women on boards and statutory authorities
As at 30 June 2012 there were 44 positionson DEWSmanaged government bodies,of which 26 are men (59 per cent) and 17 (39 per cent) are women and one(2 per cent) are vacant.
During the reporting period of 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012, there were eight new appointments made to the eightstatutory bodies. Of these, seven (87.5 per cent) were men and one(12.5 per cent) wasa woman.
Women as external clients
The department continued to provide a number of services and promote employment opportunities to external female clients through programs such as Graduate Development Program, the Education-towards-Employment (E2E) scholarship scheme for indigenous studentsand the University Scholarship Program.
Carers (Recognition) Act 2008
During the reporting period the department informed and educated employees about the Carers Charter in a number of ways, including through induction processes and on the department’s intranet site.
Policies and procedures included information for employees on the conditions and entitlements of carer’s leave. Employees in carer roles were consulted through the development of human resource policies and guidelines.
The department provided carer facilities in various locations across the state to help carers meet commitments.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander matters (The Queensland Government Reconciliation Action Plan 2009–2012)
The Queensland Government Reconciliation Action Plan 2009–2012 implementation progressInitiative / National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander reforms
Action / The Queensland Government will work actively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to achieve the Council of Australian Governments national Closing the Gap targets and strategies, including the key areas of early childhood, schooling, housing, health and economic participation.
Implementation progress in
2011–12 / In line with the Closing the Gap targets and strategies, the department has worked in partnership with the Public Service Commission to support the Queensland Government’s Project 2800 initiative.
During 2011–12, the department took part in Former Origin Greats (FOGS) Indigenous Employment and Careers Expos across the state, providing information to thousands of potential employees in Brisbane, Townsville, Cairns and Rockhampton. Culturally appropriate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment materials were designed and produced to support attendance at FOGS and other events.
Initiative / Annual agency planning and reporting
Action / All Queensland Government agencies will incorporate relevant reconciliation actions in their annual business plans and report on the progress of the implementation of The Queensland Government Reconciliation Action Plan 2009–2012 as part of their Annual Reports.
Implementation progress in
2011-12 / The department is committed to the government’s Reconciliation Action Plan.
As at 30 June 2011, the department had 5 (1.6 per cent) employees identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples in all levels across the DEWS workforce.
The Department celebrated NAIDOC Week. Funding was allocated for promotional materials and a stall was held at Musgrave Park Brisbane for NAIDOC Family Day celebrations. Business units across the state were encouraged to participate in their local NAIDOC activities and information was published on the department’s intranet.
Staff have had access to, and have been encouraged to complete cross cultural training programs across the state that incorporate both cultural awareness and cultural capability education.
The department implemented the E2E scholarship scheme for indigenous students and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employee network strategy, where five regional networks were reinvigorated across the state and at least two meetings convened within each region.
Astate-wide conference was held in Cairns in October 2011, attended by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff, to develop strategies to increase the attraction, retention and development opportunities.
Queensland Multicultural Policy – Queensland Multicultural Action Plan 2011–14