EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

PUBLIC SECTOR MANAGEMENT AMENDMENT STANDARD 2004 (No 1)
DISALLOWABLE INSTRUMENT N0 DI2004-27

Public Sector Management Act 1994

Legislative Context

The Public Sector Management Act 1994 (the Act) regulates the management of the public sector and, in particular, section 251 of the Act empowers the Commissioner, with the approval in advance of the Chief Minister, to make Public Sector Management Standards (the Standards) for the purposes of the Act.

Outline

Section 56 of the Act permits the Commissioner for Public Administration to approve a classification and salary rate of a classification.

These amendments relate to the Standard dealing with the structure and classification of the Graduate Administrative Assistant classification.  The amendments accommodate backdating to 2 February 2004.  This is the date that the 2004 ACT Graduate Program commences.

The first amendment to Standard 2 Part 10 (Rules 8 and 12.11) renames a classification from “Graduate Administrative Assistant (Aboriginal Services)” to “Graduate Administrative Assistant (Indigenous Employment)”.  This will continue to permit the recruitment of Indigenous graduates as a special program under section 65(3) of the Public Sector Management Act 1994.

The second amendment to Standard 2 Part 10 (Rule 12.10) collapses the ten point pay scale to two points.  This will increase the minimum starting salary and will locate pay at the upper end of the existing Administrative Services Officer 2 increment point scale rather than maintain the current overlap with the Administrative Services Officer 1 range.

The other amendments to Standard 2 Part 10 (Rules 12.12 and 12.13) revoke the Graduate Accountant and Graduate Economist classifications.  These classifications are not used.  The revised Standard simplifies the program under two headings, “Graduate Administrative Assistant” and “Graduate Administrative Assistant (Indigenous Employment)”.

Financial Impact

These amendments will impact slightly on the budget of Agencies and of the Industrial Relations and Public Sector Management Group.  These costs are expected to be offset by increased retention rates.

The financial impact (based on current salaries) is as follows:

	Current Standard	Amended Standard	
Three year degree	$32,264	$34,868	
Honours degree	$34,838	$36,637	
Higher degree	$36,637	$36,637