Department of Education

Asset Management/Risk Management
Asset
management
Assets are managed within whole-of-government
policies and guidelines. Key strategies for the effective
and efficient use of assets include:
• optimising the use of built resources to support the
provision of a range of educational programs and
curriculum choices at dispersed sites
• managing capital funding for building improvements
equitably and according to priorities, ensuring
appropriate standards of accommodation to support
best practice in service delivery
• optimising maintenance effort through strategic
management and managing resources in accordance
with statutory obligations, occupational health and
safety, optimum service delivery and asset retention
• progressing initiatives to identify, rank and mitigate risks
within the context of the government’s overall risk
management strategy
• progressing towards industry best practice in
procurement practices and full compliance with
Treasury requirements
• maximising the responsible use of facilities, facilitating
partnership agreements for sharing facilities, and using
community and shared facilities where appropriate
• supporting the Asset Strategy Steering Committee
to provide strategic oversight and direction in asset
management
• Oversight of the Strategic Asset Management Plan
(SAMP).
Risk
management
The department’s risk management activities are
governed by the department’s Risk Management and
Audit Committee. The committee is chaired by the
Secretary. Members include Deputy Secretaries, the
General Manager of a Learning Service, the Director
responsible for LINC Tasmania, the Manager Internal
Audit and one external member. Four meetings were
held during the year, some of which were attended
by the Tasmanian Auditor-General, staff from the
Tasmanian Audit Office, and the financial auditor.
The Tasmanian Risk Management Fund (TRMF) covers
the department’s insurable risk including workers
compensation, general liability and property damage.
Contributions to the fund totalled $9.60 million
(excluding GST). The contribution included $7.93 million
for workers compensation and $1.32 million for the loss
of and damage to property.
The Property Protection Scheme is a self-funded pool
that covers the cost for the loss or damage to schools’
and colleges’ facilities and contents.
DoE’s insurance arrangements do not cover students
against the cost of treatment of injuries suffered in
school-based activities except for students engaged in
vocational education and training, workplace learning or
special learning activities. Parents/guardians are required to
meet any costs for the treatment of injuries.
Workplace learning students are also covered in respect
of general liability claims brought against them.
Key risk management initiatives during the year included:
• the commencement of an initiative to identify common
risks faced by schools and colleges, and for the risks to
be formally managed and reported on to central office
• the continuation of the implementation of the
Information Security project
• seminars held throughout Tasmania to inform school
and college principals of their obligations as ‘Responsible
Officers’ under Workplace Legislation in respect of
occupational health and safety, duty of care and risk
management
• the continuation of advisory services provided to
raise risk management awareness throughout the
department
• support provided to all schools, colleges and
management areas during emergencies
• providing all staff members with the opportunity to be
vaccinated against the seasonal influenza virus.
ICT risk
management
ICT risks are managed within a whole-of-government
framework, and are supported by department policies
and guidelines. The following key strategies enable
effective and efficient use of the ICT system.
Backups of all systems occur regularly to minimise the
risks of losing data, with backups stored offsite. High
availability options are considered for critical systems,
with specific redundant hardware components in
servers (e.g. additional power supplies and network
cards) included as a minimum requirement. Disaster
recovery plans are tested for several major systems on a
rotational basis.
Access from outside the departmental network is
restricted, and a range of access levels have been set for
staff, students and the public to ensure that access to
information is limited to a ‘needs-only’ level.
Risks to confidentiality, integrity and availability are
identified, and mitigation strategies implemented where
appropriate.
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Required Reporting – Asset Management/Risk Management