Employment of people with disability in the Australian Public Service

Commissioner Graeme Innes

Employers Network on Disability forum for Australian Public Service

Canberra, 24 September 2008

I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet.

Our discussion today has to be seen in the context of the very low numbers of people with disability employed in the Australian Public Service.

You would be aware that - according to its own reports - employment of people with disability in the APS has almost halved during the last two decades. You would also be aware of the strong public commitment by the Australian government to reduce the high unemployment and under-employment of Australians with disabilities.

It is very difficult - in my view - for the Australian government to gain the support of other employers for the employment of people with disability when its own record - through the APS - is so poor. I have been quoted in the media as stating that the effort by the APS to employ people with disability has been "pathetic". I do not resile from that statement.

I believe that the APS needs to demonstrate its application of the Australian government's commitment to reduce unemployment and under-employment for Australians with disabilities before that commitment can be successfully encouraged amongst other employers.

I can readily suggest eight possible strategies by which employment of people with disability in the APS could be improved.

Many of these strategies are drawn from recommendations made to the Government in 2005, in the Australian Human Rights Commission's final report of the National Inquiry into Employment and Disability "WORKability II: Solutions – People with disability in the open workplace" . Others are drawn from the better practice strategies outlined in the Management Advisory Committee (MAC) report to the Public Service Commission in 2006 “ Employment of People with Disability in the APS” . None have yet been fully implemented to my knowledge.

1. Adopt an accessible procurement policy , by which all products purchased by the agency are accessible to people with disability- IT equipment, telephone systems, furniture, etc. This would make employment of people with a disability easier, but also drive the broader market towards accessible products.

2. Reserve 20 % of public service graduate recruitment programmes for graduates with disability . After all, this only represents the number of people with disability in the general population.

3. Set recruitment targets for employees with disability . NSW has set such targets for public sector agencies. The NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet has committed to employ 12 % people with a disability, including 7 % indicating that they require a work-related adjustment.

4. Create apprenticeship, traineeship and work experience opportunities for people with disability . These were recommended both in the Commission report and the MAC report.

5. Model an expansion of the right to request flexible working arrangements to people with disability . Currently, the National Employment Standards restricts the ‘requests for flexible working arrangements' to parents and people with caring responsibilities for children under school age. Expanding this right to people with disability will enable people with disability to have the same right to request flexible working arrangements. This has been law in the UK now for several years.

6. Ensure that selection criteria reflect only the inherent requirements of positions , and that methods of selection do not indirectly discriminate against applicants with disability.

7. Ensure that recruitment agencies contracted by APS agencies encourage and support applicants with disability by making this a requirement of their contract. Practices should also be monitored to ensure compliance.

8. Introduce a comprehensive support and capacity building programme for employees with disability and their public sector employers. This could include:

•  A specific pool of funds for training opportunities for employees with disability;

•  All employees with disability to be given the opportunity to be matched with a mentor during their term of employment.

These eight practical steps are not the only actions which could be taken to redress the current unacceptable situation in the APS. However, they - or similar actions - would have an immediate positive impact.

I would be very happy to work with government, including through the APSC and with individual Departments and agencies on the implementation of these, or other, proposals which will advance employment opportunities for Australians with disability.

I am currently working with the Hon. Brendan O'Connor, Minister for Employment Participation and the Hon. Bill Shorten, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services, on the development of the National Mental Health and Disability Employment strategy. The commencement of any or all of these eight practical steps would enhance that Strategy. I will be writing to them and to Special Minister of State Senator Faulkner in the same terms that I am speaking today.

There has been much discussion during the last few years about the low levels of employment of people with disability in the Australian Public Service. I have raised this issue publicly because - whilst that discussion has occurred - I have seen little real action to address the problem. I look forward to working with you all to addressing this problem in the near future.