Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation

 
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Legislation and Framework 1997/98 Performance Indicators Review of Program Activities Addressing Government Priorities  Returns on Investment Enabling Legislation Name of Authority  Functions Powers  Objects Parliamentary Accountability & Responsible Minister Ministerial Directions Five Year Plan Annual Operational Plan	The Corporation  Board  Staff and Related Matters Staff Training and Development Occupational Health and Safety Equal Employment Opportunity Staff Structure RIRDC Advisory Committees Accountability to Industry
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Enabling Legislation

RIRDC is a Commonwealth statutory authority. Its functions, powers and objects derive from its enabling legislation, the Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development Act 1989 (the PIERD Act). This provides the foundation for RIRDC accountability to industry and to the Australian Parliament for securing the greatest possible returns from its research investments. The Corporation was established on 1 July 1990 under the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Regulations.

The functions of RIRDC, as defined in sections 11 and 12 of the PIERD Act, include:

• to investigate and evaluate the requirements for research and development;
• to coordinate or fund research and development activities; and
• to facilitate the dissemination, adoption and commercialisation of the results of research and development.

The objectives of a group of R&D corporations, including RIRDC, are set out in section 3 of the PIERD Act. These provide for the funding and administration of R&D to:

• increase the economic, environmental or social benefits to members of primary industries and to the community in general, by improving the production, processing, storage, transport or marketing of the products of primary industries;
• achieve the sustainable use and sustainable management of natural resources;
• make more effective use of the resources and skills of the community in general and the scientific community in particular; and
• improve accountability for expenditure on R&D activities for primary industries.

During 1997–98, RIRDC’s research portfolio covered eight industries with statutory levies —buffalo, chicken meat, deer, egg, goat fibre, honeybee, pasture seeds and rice. Research levies for these industries were collected under the following legislation:

• Primary Industries Levies and Charges Collection Act 1991
• Pasture Seeds Levy Act 1989
• Goat Fibre Levy Act 1989
• Rice Levy Act 1991
• Live-stock Slaughter Levy Act 1964
• Live-stock Export Charge Act 1977
• Honey Levy Act 1962
• Honey Export Charge Act 1973
• Meat Chicken Levy Act 1969
• Laying Chicken Levy Act 1988
• Deer Export Charge Act 1992
• Deer Slaughter Levy Act 1992
• Deer Velvet Levy Act 1992.

Parliamentary Accountability and Responsible Minister

RIRDC is accountable to the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy. He is both responsible for its enabling legislation and answerable to the Parliament. Accountability to the Minister involves:

• ministerial approval of the nominees for the membership of the RIRDC Board;
• ministerial approval of the Managing Director’s terms and conditions;
• ministerial approval of five year plans and annual operational plans assessed against the objective set out in the PIERD Act; and
• annual reports, submitted to the Minister and tabled in the Parliament, outlining achievements against the objectives and strategies set out in the five year and annual operational plans.

Under section 143 of the PIERD Act, the Minister may give written directions to the Corporation as to the performance of its functions and the exercise of its powers. No such direction was given in 1997–98.

Under section 28 of the CAC Act, the Minister may give written directions to the Corporation on general policies of the Commonwealth Government and Directors must ensure that such policies are carried out by the Corporation. No such direction was given in 1997–98.

Five Year Plan 1997–2002

See Managing Director’s Report.

Annual Operational Plan 1997–98

See the Managing Director’s Report.

Date Annual Report Transmitted

See transmittal letter on the inside front cover of this report.

Staff and Related Matters

RIRDC staff are employed under Section 87 of the PIERD Act. This legislation requires the Corporation to develop established terms and conditions of employment.

During 1997–98 all staff other than those on individual contacts were covered by terms and conditions set in October 1996. These terms covered a two-year period that expires on 30 September 1998.

Under these arrangements the Corporation reserves the right to employ new staff on either individual contracts or on the general terms and conditions. At the end June 1998 the Corporation had 16 staff members engaged on a full-time basis. Six of these were on individual contracts. RIRDC also had a number of part-time staff.  Details on the salaries of full-time staff are summarised at Table 4. Consistent with its legislative obligations, the Corporation is an equal opportunity employer.

The Corporation’s employee expenses declined in 1997–98 to $889 902 from the previous year's figure of: $1 130 206. The comparative data can be viewed in notes 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the Corporation’s audited financial statements included in this Annual Report. The definition of ‘employee expenses’ as required by the Guidelines for Financial Statements of Commonwealth Authorities states that items such as salaries, accrued leave, accrued superannuation, the cost of motor vehicles, housing, redundancy and separation payments, allowances and fringe benefits tax that are part of remuneration agreements should be included.

The approximate $240 000 decrease in employee expenses was due to a one-off cost in 1996–97, staff being replaced by outsourcing and one staff member being away for part of the reporting period.

The Corporation increased its staff training investment by nearly 100 per cent in 1997–98 from $13 731 in 1996–97 to $26 673. Ongoing tertiary education, self-development and computer application courses were undertaken throughout the year. The training programs helped improve the Corporation’s performance.

Three senior managers participated in a residential leadership program organised by the Department of Primary Industries and Energy.

Computer support services for the Corporation have been outsourced and during the year, network administration training was undertaken by key staff so that minor problems could be addressed without delay.

The Corporation continued to implement OH&S standards in 1997–98. This included ergonomic assessments for all staff. These enabled workstations to be set to individual needs, encouraged safer work patterns and raised awareness of OH&S principles among corporation staff. In addition, a second staff first aid officer was accredited in 1997–98.

Table 4: Base salaries of full–time RIRDC staff
 

Salary Range $	Staff numbers at 30 June 1998	Staff numbers at 30 June 1997
120 000–130 000	1	–
110 000–120 000	–	1
100 000–110 000	–	–
90 000–100 000	–	–
80 000–90 000	2	1
70 000–80 000	1	3
60 000–70 000	–	–
50 000–60 000	1	1
40 000–50 000	2	4
30 000–40 000	5	3
20 000–30 000	2	3

 
 
 

 

       Last updated: 20 October 1998 Copyright © RIRDC http://www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/anrep98/financials7.htm