DAY ONE – Wednesday, March 7
Session: Key OHS issues facing local government
9:05am Presentation by Bernie de Vries, Senior OHS Consultant, National Safety Council of Australia
9:25am ANALYSIS: OHS Harmonisation and Local Government.
Presenter: Bill Kritharas, Partner, Sparke Helmore Lawyers and Deputy Mayor of the City of Canterbury
This presentation will feature analysis of the state of play in relation to regulatory reform as a result of harmonisation, and how local governments need to respond.
9:55am PANEL DISCUSSION: OHS Harmonisation.
Expert panellists to discuss implications of harmonisation for councils. To feature interactive discussion with attendees.
Panellists to include:
Michael Connolly, Partner, Workplace Relations & Safety Group, HWL Ebsworth Lawyers
Bill Kritharas, Partner, Sparke Helmore Lawyers and Deputy Mayor of the City of Canterbury
Bernie de Vries, Senior OHS Consultant, National Safety Council of Australia
10:40am MORNING TEA
Session: Optimising local government risk management practices
11:10am Peter Smith, CEO, Adelaide City Council
ACC Risk Management Reform: More than just keeping the boat afloat….
At the Adelaide City Council (ACC), risk management is now much more than just stopping the boat from sinking – it’s about seizing new opportunities to help build a better, slicker boat.
Two years ago, ACC like many others, was a conservative risk manager focussed on minimising many operational risks.
While important, the amount of resources dedicated to this, compared to the risk posed was vastly out of kilter. This resulted in a considerable amount of executive management time dedicated to low level risks with limited time for discussion and action on items that could sink the boat. This also constrained innovation as everything was bolted down tight and new opportunities could not be fully realised – in effect ACC was constraining itself from building an even better boat.
In response ACC:
• Established a Strategic Risk and Internal Audit (SRIA) Group;
• Introduced an Enterprise Risk Management framework;
• Gave staff permission to change how they operate and built a culture where innovation and opportunity can flourish.
ACC’s transformational approach to risk management is well regarded in Local Government receiving LGA Risk Management Award 2010 and the LGMA Risk Manager of the Year Award in 2011.
11:40am Tony Simons, Risk and OHS Advisor, Darwin City Council
Risk Management improvements at Darwin City Council
Darwin City Council commenced development of its Risk Management Framework in March 2009.
Council undertakes its risk management activities at three levels:
• Strategic Risk Management
• Operational Risk Management
• Project Risk Management
The risk management framework has been extended to include internal audit and control self-assessment programs, and business continuity planning.
Council completed its strategic risk assessment in 2010 and process improvement recommendations and program implementations have been embedded within its business planning targets.
Operational risk assessments were finalised in January 2010. Outcomes from the operational risk assessments were used to redefine Council’s Internal Audit plan and also to develop a comprehensive control self assessment program.
Project risk assessments are undertaken by the project sponsor and project manager, guided by Council’s Risk & OHS Advisor. Council’s internal audit plan was revised in May 2010 incorporating the outcomes from the strategic and operational risk assessments.
Council has engaged an external consulting firm to develop an online automated assessment and review system, which is being trialled during November and December 2011, with a view to full implementation in February 2012.
12:00pm QUESTIONS
12:10pm PANEL DISCUSSION: Local government Risk Management in 2020 - what will best practice be and how do we get there.
CHAIR: Peter Napier, Integrated Risk Management Coordinator, Ipswich City Council
12:55pm LUNCH
1:50pm Anthony Hinds, Risk Management Coordinator, Melton Shire Council
Ending the risk management ‘disconnect’
Melton Shire Council has been on a journey of risk management maturity for just 3½ years. They started like many others - purchasing an online risk register application and populating it - by looking at business objectives and identifying barriers to those objectives. The result was a large number of “operational” risks in the Risk Register.
Over time, Council tried to develop effective ways to escalate up to the Executive level those operational risks that were considered significant enough to be “strategic” risks. In that time however, there was a “disconnect” between the data on the Risk Register and its direct relevance to senior decision-makers. In fact there was a lack of confidence from key staff that the real strategic risks were on the Register at all.
Council’s Risk Management Coordinator introduced a new model. This model explained: the place of operational risks; why there was a disconnect; and how “silos” in the Risk Register data meant important issues were not being identified.
The next piece of the puzzle was a new way to identify strategic risks – a vulnerability assessment. This method starts with identifying Council’s critical success factors and then examines credible threats, and develops a matrix of critical vulnerabilities. Developing risk ratings and risk controls follow.
The CEO has embraced the new method, which cuts across silos by identifying “common mode failures”. The Executive has engaged the managers via a consultation process. And for the first time, risk data includes the strategic issues that the Risk Management Coordinator has been trying to get onto the Register for years – such as political agendas, another GFC, adverse media attention and the failure of a major supplier.
2:10pm WORKSHOP: Creative Thinking Techniques for Identifying Opportunities and Managing Risks
Workshop Facilitator: Tony Harb, Director, InConsult
Risk professionals are continually challenged by new problems. Some of these problems could be simple to solve, others will require a more structured and creative approach. This practical, scenario-based workshop is designed to provide local government participants with some tools and techniques for defining a problem, exploring attributes of a problem and generating alternatives to help add strategic value and better manage risks.
3:10pm AFTERNOON TEA
3:30pm Geoff Thomas, Managing Director, Murcotts Driving Excellence
Driver Risk Management - a practical systems approach
Key Themes:
• Creating a Driver Safety Culture.
• Driver Management Systems.
• Practical Driver Risk Management strategies.
• Two driver behaviours that will halve your crash rate.
3:50pm Jon Horsey, Fleet Manager, Redland City Council
Fleet and Work-Related Road Safety: minimising risk, improving safety and reducing exposure to liabilities
Redland City Council has progressively adopted a multi‐disciplinary approach to improve overall work-related road safety within the council.
The council has demonstrated:
• Innovative and creative Fleet Management strategy for improving fleet safety outcomes.
• Reduction in the number of crashes, injuries and insurance claims.
• Measurable outcomes from implementation with supporting data.
• Positive financial outcomes for the organisation from improvement of fleet safety policy.
• Future planning strategies.
Redland City Council recently received the Australasian Fleet Management Association Fleet Safety Award 2011 in recognition of its achievements.
4:10pm Phil Koperberg, Chairman, Allygroup
Managing Risk in the 21st Century
• Are you managing risk or avoiding it.
• Effect on productivity of risk management.
• Effect on productivity of risk aversion
• How to identify exposures and rank them.
• OH&S: who has what responsibilities.
• OH&S: the human factor.
• OH&S: the $ factor.
• Corporate response to potential OH&S issues.
• Airbus and the "fly by wire" philosophy.
4:40pm MODERATED DISCUSSION
5:00pm NETWORKING DRINKS
7:00pm CONFERENCE DINNER
An excellent opportunity to meet and network with local government OHS and Risk Management professionals from across Australia.
DAY TWO – Thursday, March 8
Session: Improving OHS systems and cultures
9:05am Amanda Collins, Team Leader, Safety and Wellness Services, Hornsby Shire Council
Implementing an OHS training program targeting culture change and systematic risk management
Hornsby Shire Council has designed, developed and implemented an OHS training program known as ‘Beyond Risk’ for managers and supervisors. The primary objective of Beyond Risk was to reverse a cultural shift that had seen the OHS management system start to stagnate.
Had the council in actual fact overloaded its people with checklists, proformas and forms that had resulted in the loss of their ability to think beyond the piece of paper in front of them? Beyond Risk aims not to address a single hazard, but to provide the necessary tools, mindset and skills required to manage countless hazards at that critical supervisory and management level.
Since Beyond Risk was rolled out throughout Hornsby Council:
• Incident and hazard reporting has increased by approximately 31% and 47% respectively.
• The quality of risk assessment and safe work method statements has improved with these being much more reflective of system rather than task approach.
• The Beyond Risk program has been made available for other local government authorities to purchase and use within their own organisations.
9:25am Mikelis Jaunalksnis, Safety Management Coordinator, Lake Macquarie City Council
Driving change in safety performance
The last 3 years have been a time of significant change for the council with regard to safety ownership and leadership and overall accountability for safety performance from a Corporate, Directorate, Department and personal level. The systems that have been implemented are now a valuable tool in ensuring Council meets its due diligence obligations.
Key Areas of Focus for this Presentation:
• Beginning the Journey - Where are we now? What skills and resources do we need to get where we want to be?
• Obtaining buy-in and ongoing support from Senior Management.
• Setting the project plan and maintaining accountability.
• Measuring progress and keeping on track.
• And the cycle continues – Measure, Review, Plan and Implement all over again.
• Lessons learned.
9:45am Chris Devitt, Director Technical Services, Orange City Council
Setting a new OHS accreditation benchmark
Orange City Council is the first Local Government Authority in Australia to gain Federal OH&S accreditation.
The endorsement under the Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner’s (OFSC) Australian Building and Construction OHS Accreditation Scheme was achieved as part of the process of developing stage two the North Orange Bypass Project.
While the accreditation was important for the bypass project there are numerous benefits for meeting this high standard, including:
• Improved safety on all Council work sites.
• Improving productivity.
• Setting a benchmark for other Councils for managing safety in local government works.
• It will further educate local contractors and suppliers in their responsibilities towards OH&S and promote improved processes and systems, which will be required in order to work for Council.
10:05am Carolyn Hands, Senior Consultant, SafetyWorks Group
A Behavioural Approach Demonstrating Due Diligence
The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) states that officers must demonstrate due diligence which includes managing the risks of the business or undertaking. There are six key areas that legislation stipulates as a base line to demonstrate due diligence.
This presentation takes a practical approach to support officers and senior leaders establish a behavioural strategy to demonstrate due diligence on a day to day basis. This approach includes defining clear Positive Performance Indicators that set people up for success when measuring performance, providing feedback and reinforcing improvement towards creating a workplace that is free from harm and where all people are aligned with the organisation’s safety vision.
10:20am MODERATED DISCUSSION
10:40am MORNING TEA
11:10am PANEL DISCUSSION: Achieving staff and management buy-in: how can OHS professionals obtain staff and management support to implement OHS improvements in the local government workplace?
Session: Implementing Enterprise Risk Management systems
11:40am Glenda Cartwright, Risk Management Coordinator, Canterbury City Council
Implementing Integrated Risk Management at Canterbury
In January 2008, Canterbury City Council implemented a proactive Risk Management program which is designed to integrate risk management principles across all business processes and activities. The Risk Management program is linked directly to the Planning program which ensures that risk treatment responsibilities are included in Strategic and Operating plans and budgets. This ensures greater efficiency in resource allocation and management, and more practical and measurable plans. Understanding the council’s risks has afforded Canterbury the chance to make educated choices on avoiding, transferring, reducing or accepting known risks. This program has reduced duplication of effort and provides long-term financial benefits to the organisation.
Since 2008, 146 staff have participated in 74 risk identification, assessment and review workshops (including climate change, OH&S and regulatory compliance). The council also completed 30 other major program reviews. Canterbury City Council has effectively minimised the possibility of risks not being identified and therefore remaining untreated.
Since 2010 the council has used results of the risk program to inform its Internal Audit priorities. There is a dual benefit to this: the first is confirming that risk treatment strategies are being implemented and are effective, and providing a detailed analysis of major risk exposures.
12:00pm Brad Byrnes - Manager Governance and Corporate Planning Parkes Shire Council
Rachael Young – Sustainability Programs Manager, Centroc
Using Climate Change Risk to Kick Start your ERM Program
Centroc councils recognised the need for Enterprise Risk Management to promote best practice risk management in councils. A subset of Centroc members worked together to create and commence implementation of a regional ERM framework. The Centroc ERM group saw the Echelon Climate Adaptation Planning program and further support from Centroc’s NSW Environmental Trust funded climate risk project as a means to either further consolidate their council’s commitment and understanding of ERM principles or for those struggling to get ERM going as a great catalyst for gaining organisational buy-in and support to establish an ERM program. This work has created a regional risk register of climate-associated risks and the region is now considering the best way to take this work forward.
12:20pm MODERATED DISCUSSION
12:40pm LUNCH
1:30pm Tanya Wigg, Business Development Manager, Frontline Diagnostics
Creating a drug-free council workplace
With many Government bodies introducing a Drug-Safe approach to their work environments it is timely that Tanya presents this information-packed session so that delegates have a clear understanding of what drugs are and their relationship to each other, which are most likely to be found in the workplace.
Tanya will also outline the simple steps to introduce a Drug-Safe programme that works and the pro’s and cons of various screening devices. Is saliva screening better than urinalysis?
Session: Business Continuity
2:00pm Tim Janes, Australasian Chapter President Business Continuity Institute Australasian Chapter
Managing Disruption Risks - Lessons from 2011
There were an unusually large number of severe natural and man-made crises in 2011, which caused significant disruption at home and overseas.
• What were the common themes in how organisations and communities were impacted by these events?
• What positive lessons can we draw from these events to enhance the preparedness and resilience of organisations?
• Are your organisation's crisis and continuity practices fit for purpose in light of the experiences in 2011?
2:30pm Adam Vine, Group Manager Business & Enterprise Risk, Warringah Council
Developing an all-hazards Business Continuity capability
Warringah Council has taken a new approach to the development, management and delivery of its organisational Business Continuity capability.
Warringah's case study provides insight into how they have developed an all-hazards Business Continuity capability that enables business interruptions to be confidently and rapidly managed.
In this session you will learn the essential methods, processes and automation Warringah has used to manage their all-hazards Business Continuity response capability. The presentation will cover:
• Identifying impediments to an effective Business Continuity capability.
• The 5-step capability development process.
• Dealing with surprises - integrating Business Continuity planning with Risk Management
• Implementing a consistent all-hazards approach to planning.
• Testing the Plans.
• Integrating Incident Response with Business Continuity activation.
• Strategic value achieved.
3:00pm Scott Lansley, Co-Founder BCM Solutions
An Integrated Approach to Incident Response and Business Continuity Planning
This presentation will cover the main activities and record-keeping considerations for effective Incident Response. The linkage between Business Continuity Planning and Incident Response will be examined.
The meaning of the words “all-hazards approach” will be demystified with examples of how to develop effective response plans to enable an effective response to unplanned interruption events. The presentation will show working examples to enhance the concepts covered.
3:20pm MODERATED DISCUSSION
3:30pm CONFERENCE CLOSE
