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Department of Treasury and Finance
Policy Statement
 
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The Department of Treasury and Finance Policy Statement regarding people with a disability.


(Our Disability Action Plan is also available as a PDF document - 173 Kb).

The Department of Treasury and Finance supports the Tasmanian Government’s commitment to a comprehensive social justice approach to disability. The Tasmanian Government’s vision for people with a disability is:

    A Tasmanian society that highly values, and continually enhances, the full participation of people living with a disability.

People with a disability have the right to expect equitable access to mainstream Government programs, services and facilities.

The Department supports the Disability Framework for Action 2008-11 through the development of our own Disability Action Plan. The plan will document our commitment towards removing barriers for people with disabilities whether they are using our services, accessing our premises, seeking employment or are already a part of our team. It is important that we consider the needs of people with disabilities in the design and delivery of all our policies, programs, services and facilities to ensure that Tasmania is an inclusive place to be.

Our Department

The Department of Treasury and Finance is responsible to the Treasurer and has overall responsibility for implementing strategies to achieve the Government’s longer-term economic and financial objectives. We provide the Government with objective advice on the economic and financial management of the State; implement Government policy; perform financial analysis; monitor and reporting on behalf of the Government; provide support to statutory bodies; are responsible for administering state revenue collection and the regulation of gaming, liquor, energy and prices oversight. We also have a corporate support division to partner with the business activities of the Department and help achieve effective outcomes.

Treasury is a values-based organisation and our decisions and behaviours are guided by the following:
  • Integrity … as it builds confidence, trust and self respect, and is the foundation of open and honest communication;
  • Excellence … as it challenges us to give our best and brings us recognition;
  • Respect … as it recognises the value of each of us and the contribution we all make;
  • Camaraderie … as it creates a fun and supportive place to be, and
  • Passion … as it inspires us to achieve great things.

Our Departmental locations are as follows:

The Treasury Building, 21 Murray Street, Hobart
    Office of the Secretary
    Budget and Finance Division
    Economic and Financial Policy Division
    Corporate Support Division

Levels 2, 3 and 4, 80 Elizabeth Street, Hobart
    Revenue, Liquor and Gaming Division
    Tasmanian Gaming Commission

Level 5, 111 Macquarie Street, Hobart
    The Office of the Tasmanian Energy Regulator
    Government Prices Oversight Commission

Level 3, Henty House, Civic Square, Launceston
Liquor and Gaming Branch

Our Clients and Stakeholders

Purpose and Scope
The main purpose of this plan is to provide a structured approach towards identifying and systematically eliminating any barriers that restrict equitable access to Treasury’s processes, services or facilities. We are seeking to take a proactive approach that makes equal opportunity and equity of access to Government employment, services and facilities a reality for people with disabilities.
The plan takes a department-wide approach and aligns with:
  • the Department’s Diversity Plan; and
  • the whole-of government framework for Tasmanians with a disability.

Context
The following legislation applies:
    Disability Services Act 1992
    Anti-Discrimination Act 1998
    Disability Discrimination Act (1992) (Cwth)

The above legislation is supplemented by the Tasmanian Government’s Disability Framework for Action 2005-2010.

In line with the above framework, the term disability is as specified in the Disability Services Act 1992. This includes people with a disability which:
    a) is attributable to an intellectual, psychiatric, sensory or physical impairment or a combination of those impairments;
    b) is permanent or likely to be permanent;
    c) results in substantially reduced capacity of a person for communication, learning or mobility, the need for continuing support services and which may or may not be chronic or episodic in nature.

It covers people with intellectual, psychiatric, sensory or physical impairments, as well as individuals with cognitive impairments who fall within the equivalent Commonwealth legislation.

In 2003, an estimated 111 700 Tasmanians had a disability representing 23.5 per cent of the population at that time, while 7.8 per cent of the total population, or an estimated 37 100 Tasmanians, had a profound or severe core activity restriction. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2004, Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings 2003, Cat No 4430, Canberra.

Process for Developing the Plan
This plan has been developed through a broad consultative approach that has included:
  • the establishment of a broad-based working group within Treasury;
  • the running of three focus group sessions with Treasury staff in Franklin Square, 80 Elizabeth Street and Henty House, (participants self-selected based on their interest in the disability area or their personal experiences);
  • consultation with the Disability Bureau in the Department of Premier and Cabinet; and
  • consultation on the draft plan with representatives of the Tasmanian disability sector, specifically Tasmanians with Disabilities and one of the Disability Employment register providers.

Implementation of the Plan
Treasury’s Disability Action Plan was approved by the Executive Committee on 4 August 2008. Overall responsibility for the implementation of the plan rests with the Director, Corporate Support reporting to the Audit and Risk Management Committee. All Branch Heads will take an active role in implementing relevant actions throughout the Department, particularly where a Branch has been identified within the plan as having the lead Branch accountability. All staff will need to get behind the plan in order for us to raise awareness, achieve specific objectives and generally create a culture of change.

Progress on the implementation of the plan is to be reported in the Department’s Annual Report and will also be included in regular reports to the Premier by the Disability Bureau.

At the end of the three-year period the Director, Corporate Support will coordinate a process to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan and will use the findings to inform the development of a subsequent plan.

Jonathon Root
Director, Corporate Support
September 2008
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