Equal Employment Opportunity Annual Report – 1999 Executive Summary

The Bank's EEO program involves the development, implementation and monitoring of an EEO plan.

During the year there were significant organisational changes in the Bank resulting from the transfer of responsibility for the prudential supervision of banks to the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) from 1 July 1998, and the granting of enhanced powers to the Bank in relation to payments system issues.

Nevertheless, representation of EEO groups remained broadly similar to last year. The proportion of women at management level, however, continued to rise.

Initiatives undertaken during the past year included the introduction of a six month trial of part-day carer's leave, the distribution of a booklet on Managing People with Disabilities, Grievance Contact Officer and EEO Contact Manager refresher training, and the launch of the Bank's first Disability Action Plan.

One of the issues identified in last year's report for further consideration was the need to improve the long-term retention rate of women following parental leave. For 1998/99, the return rate of women from parental leave was the lowest since 1989/90. The low rate of return was largely guaranteed due to restructuring over the past year. The Bank has sought to improve return rates in the future with changes negotiated in its Productivity Bargaining Agreement 1999–2000. These changes will limit parental leave absences to twelve months but with the provision of assured access to part-time work on return for a minimum period of six months. An evaluation of the representation of women in courses of study during the year shows there is still some under-representation of women at lower classification levels undertaking study. However, the gender gap has narrowed in most classification levels.

Issues identified in this report which will be considered further in the coming year include the continual monitoring of the retention rate of women on parental leave, as well as those on part-time work. The representation of women in external training, particularly at Levels 1 to 4, will also be considered in the coming year. Under the Productivity Bargaining Agreement 1999–2000, the Bank and the Finance Sector Union will investigate the feasibility of both telecommuting and salary sacrifice for childcare fees, and assess the current trials of part-day carer's leave and job sharing.

EEO data covering Note Printing Australia Limited is not included in this report.