Review into the treatment of women at the Australian Defence Force ...

Chapter 10: Minimising Risk, Managing Incidents and Ensuring the Safety of the Workplace – Recommendations 22-3110.3 DataKey findings of Review• ADFA’s data systems were complex and confusing, and the information that they wereproviding was patchy and difficult to access.• ADFA’s record keeping regarding complaint management processes required improvementand regular review to ensure appropriate responses to incidents.• The Unacceptable Behaviour Survey administered in 2011 was methodologically flawed, andhad not been administered annually in the recent past.• There was no set process for instigating a strategic organisational response to findings ofUnacceptable Behaviour surveys.In order to better understand, track and respond to complaints and incidents, the Review madefive recommendations that called for better surveying processes at ADFA and a rollout of these atcomparable Defence and tertiary establishments, reformed data systems, better reporting mechanisms,and the establishment of quality assurance mechanisms.In summary, the findings of the Audit indicate that:• Progress has been made on all of these recommendations. Further work is required in a smallnumber of areas.• The Directorate of Strategic People Research (DSPR) 1 and ADFA have improved theUnacceptable Behaviour Survey, and the new instrument was administered for the first timeat ADFA and RMC Duntroon in late 2012.• DSPR is preparing to administer versions of the Unacceptable Behaviour survey in otherDefence and tertiary institutions throughout 2013, in order to benchmark, share informationand provide comparisons where possible.• ADFA’s complaints and incidents registers are much improved. More information is beingcollected in a more organised and systematic way, and regular reports are being provided toADFA’s leadership.• An annual quality assurance process would improve the integrity of the system. While thereare currently some inbuilt checking mechanisms, a more formal annual process would offermore stable long term assurance.• A strategic follow up to the survey had not occurred prior to the completion of the Audit.Providing swift feedback and follow up will help inform and engage the ADFA population anddevelop targeted strategies to address areas of concern.The Audit’s findings in respect of each recommendation follow.104