Queensland Art Gallery Annual Report 2006-07

QUEENSLAND ART GALLERY ANNUAL REPORT 06–07 / appendixes 70 ETHICS AND CODE OF CONDUCT The Gallery's Code of Conduct is based on the ethics, principles and obligations outlined in the Public Sector Ethics Act 1994 and was developed following consultation with all staff. New employees receive the Code of Conduct as part of their commencement kit and the Code is available to all staff on the Gallery's intranet. The Code applies to all paid employees as well as volunteers. Persons other than staff members can inspect the Code, free of charge, upon request at the Gallery's Research Library, with extracts or a full copy available free of charge. During the year, workshops for new supervisory staff included reference to the Code. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Strategies to achieve the objectives contained in the Gallery's Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Management Plan 2005–07 continued to be implemented and monitored against target dates during the year. Key strategies included: + conducting career planning sessions + continuing online anti-discrimination training and certification for new supervisors and managers + ensuring access to human resource policies through the intranet and providing printed copies in the Gallery's Research Library. HUMAN RESOURCE ISSUES The Gallery: + completed its Change Management Program for staff in preparation for the Gallery's transition to a two-site organisation + continued the recruitment of additional staff to undertake planning and program/services preparation for the Gallery of Modern Art + continued online anti-discrimination training for supervisors + provided a range of staff training and professional development opportunities + conducted workshops for new supervisory staff. Due to the size of the Queensland Art Gallery, a separate risk manage- ment committee has not been established. However, the Gallery's Executive Management Team, comprising the Director and two Assistant Directors, is responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the Gallery's risk management process. Risk control measures were reviewed during the year. Gallery representatives participated in the Government's Asset Protection Program. AUDIT COMMITTEE The Board of Trustees Audit Committee, consisting of Mr Tim Fairfax, AM , Mr Wayne Goss, Ms Ann Gamble Myer (Trustees) and Mr Doug Hall, AM (Director), met on one occasion. RECORDKEEPING The Gallery continued to review its recordkeeping practices in an effort to achieve compliance with the Public Records Act 2002 and Information Standard 40 (IS40). WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY The Gallery has a Workplace Health and Safety Committee consisting of workplace health and safety representatives elected by staff, eight Workplace Health and Safety Officers, the Manager (Property Services and Special Projects), and the Head of Exhibitions and Display. The Committee met on six occasions during the year and: + facilitated training of representatives in health and safety issues + monitored online training for all staff + conducted regular inspections of work areas + responded to all reported/identified hazards. The Gallery is also represented on the Queensland Cultural Centre's Workplace Health and Safety Committee which met on six occasions. WHISTLEBLOWERS PROTECTION ACT There were no disclosures received during the reporting period. CONSULTANCIES During 2006–07, the Gallery used the services of consultants to carry out specific tasks where their expertise was required: CATEGORY AMOUNT ($) Management NIL Professional — Technical $115 471 TOTAL $115 471 BOARD OF TRUSTEES COSTS In 2006–07, meeting fees and travel costs of Board members totalled $41 597. VOLUNTARY EARLY RETIREMENT (VER) During 2006–07, five staff accepted VER packages totalling $348 345. MAJOR INVESTMENTS AND BORROWINGS There were no major investments or borrowings during the year. FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE SYSTEMS The Gallery's financial systems and their uses are as follows: + Finance 1 and Microsoft Dynamics GP are used primarily for processing financial data and obtaining reports. + Whole-of-government financial information is reported using the Queensland Government's Tridata system. + The Gallery Store uses Booknet as its point-of-sale system. Reports on operational performance against declared goals, strategies and benchmarks are prepared and presented at each meeting of the Board of Trustees. Quarterly, non-financial performance reports measured against declared targets are submitted to Arts Queensland and Queensland Treasury. ENTITIES CONTROLLED The Queensland Art Gallery Foundation was established in 1979 by the Queensland Art Gallery Board of Trustees to raise corporate and private funding to support the growth of the art collection and exhibition programs. The Gallery provides all the infrastructure support and meets all operational costs of the Foundation. For the purposes of the Financial Administration and Audit Act 1977 , the Foundation is an entity controlled by the Queensland Art Gallery Board of Trustees. Financial reports are prepared by the Gallery for submission to the Foundation's Council. The Foundation produces its own annual report and its books and accounts were audited by the Queensland Audit Office. Corporate Governance