Diversity and a positive workplace

In order to provide services to a diverse range of stakeholders, the department seeks to have a gender-balanced and diverse workforce from different cultural backgrounds and age groups, which requires equal opportunity in employment.

Equal employment opportunity

Under the NT Government’s Indigenous Employment and Career Development Strategy 2015-2020, the department’s target rate for Aboriginal employment was 8.2 per cent by 30 June 2019. The department’s actual proportion of Aboriginal employment at this time was 6.1 per cent, which equates to 31 actual employees.  The trend and other measures are shown in Table 3.2.

Table 3.2 Equal employment opportunity measures, percentage as at 30 June¹

¹ While the department encourages its employees to identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, as being from a non-English speaking background and/or as having disability, employees provide this information voluntarily, therefore the data cannot be guaranteed to accurately portray the extent of these measures in the department.

With Aboriginal employees making up 6.1 per cent of the department’s workforce, several initiatives were undertaken to support these employees and improve representation, such as the sector-wide special  measures recruitment processes, employment of Aboriginal trainees and development of specific  cultural awareness training.

Gender

As at 30 June 2019, the department had 244 female and 247 male employees (FTE). Female employees are more likely to be employed in the administration officer streams, with 129 FTE female employees and 75 FTE male employees. However, in technical streams, there are more male employees (95 FTE) than female employees (50 FTE).

Figure 3.3. Employee classification by stream and gender as at 30 June 2019

STAR Awards in 2018

Upholding our Values

• Will Bowman from the Fisheries Division

Minor Award

• Cyclone Marcus clean-up team
  • Robert Parker
  • Robert (Gordy) McBride
  • Cameron Heeb
  • Travis Messner

Major STAR Award

• Ben Williams from Northern Territory Geological Survey

AGE

The department’s age profile shows peaks in the 50-54 age category corresponding to 15 per cent, or 74 employees (FTE). Aged 45 or older comprises 53 per cent or 259 employees (FTE), with 26 per cent or 128 employees having reached the early retirement age of 55. Females outnumber males in the 25-29, 30-34 and 45-49 age brackets with more males than females in the remaining age brackets, as shown in Figure 3.4.

Figure 3.4Age profile of employees of the department, as at 30 June 2019

ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 - DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRY AND RESOURCES