Organisation: Federal Labor Opposition
Job Title: Policy Advisers
Location: Canberra or in a location in which the relevant Shadow Minister is based
I have worked extensively in areas where the work undertaken is governed by legislation, policy
and procedures. While working at the State Administrative Tribunal I gained a great deal of
knowledge of the diverse range of policies and procedures that structured all the activities
undertaken within the Tribunal.
As part of this role I contributed to the process of policy and procedure review. This involved
having a clear understanding of how each policy had been developed, what it was meant to
achieve, and how its operation impacted on both the work of my team and our clients. This
process provided me with a clear understanding of the process of policy formulation and the
importance of considering its impact on both individuals and the community.
I also have knowledge of the Australian Labor Party’s current policy positions with regard to a
range of areas, such as education, health, immigration and employment. I understand that to
review and revise policy the party will need to undertake extensive liaison with a range of
community stakeholders, interest groups and peak bodies, as well as with its own members. I have
the ability to undertake this type of consultation and to collate the resulting information and data
for consideration by the relevant Shadow Minister.
My varied professional career and personal experiences have given me a wide depth and breadth
of experience, which would enable me to bring new ideas and perspectives to the policy
development process. I also have the ability to review policy documents and propose reforms or
changes to improve their impact on the community.
It is also relevant that I am a current member of the Australian Labor Party and support the aims
and direction of the party. I also have been an active union member throughout my professional
career, and have negotiated with management in relation to pay and conditions on behalf of
fellow union members.
Strong communication skills and the ability to negotiate and influence internal and external
stakeholders
Throughout my career I have always demonstrated strong communication skills. While working at
the State Administrative Tribunal I had to liaise with a diverse array of people, ranging from
members of the public, medical professionals, members of the judiciary, Solicitors, other
departmental staff, and a variety of internal and external professionals who interacted with the
Tribunal.
The interactions I had with these stakeholders often could relate to sensitive matters and required
a high level of communication skills and professionalism. For example, part of my role was to
contact family members to determine the exact date of death of a Represented Person (someone
on whose behalf an application has been brought before the Tribunal). This information was
needed to close off files. When dealing with these clients I showed courtesy, sympathy and
understanding, and was respectful of their loss. I made sure I shared relevant details about why
this information was necessary, and listened carefully if they had any questions or concerns.
In order to communicate effectively with the Tribunal’s team leaders, other staff members, the
Public Trustee and the Public Advocate, I was also required to demonstrate strong interpersonal
skills. With regard to the Public Trustee and the Public Advocate, I had to liaise regularly with
these offices to ensure that relevant case information was shared appropriately and in a timely
manner. I worked hard to develop cooperative and collaborative relationships with staff from
these areas to enable an efficient and integrated approach to serving our clients.
I am able to communicate in a clear and concise manner. I focus on delivering whatever key
information is needed by clients in appropriate language, and I always make sure that I have
understood my clients’ perspective and requirements. My experience has also shown me that by
trying to understand your clients’ needs you are then able to influence their expectations.
Demonstrated experience in or an understanding of Australian Parliament and Government
I have some understanding of the structure of the Australian Government and relevant
parliamentary procedures and processes. I also comprehend the process that structures the
development of policy documents, which can be anything from minor proposals of an
administrative nature, through to comprehensive initiatives of major social, economic or industrial
significance.
I also understand that in opposition, the development and progression of a policy position differs
from the processes followed by the sitting government. In the latter case, once developed, party
policy is referred to the relevant ministerial department to arrange preparation of a bill which is
then drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel in accordance with detailed instructions
issued by departments. Bills are then progressed through various stages of consideration by both
the Houses of Parliament before being passed into legislation.
I also have an interest in the Australian political context, and an awareness of party structure and
the operations of the Australian Labor Party. I have knowledge of the Australian Labor Party’s
policies on major issues and how they relate to the other political parties’ policies. While in
opposition I understand that the party will be undertaking a major review of all its policies, and I
believe I could make a substantial contribution to this process. I have the skills to undertake
relevant research and to liaise with various community groups and stakeholders in order to
generate policy ideas that reflect the needs of the community.
It is also relevant that while employed as a Case Management Officer by the State Administrative
Tribunal I enabled statutory reviews in respect of represented persons under the Guardianship
and Administration Act and the Mental Health Act. I worked within the Human Rights Section of
the Tribunal, which makes and reviews decisions that affect vulnerable people in the community,
relating to such things as guardianship, administration, mental health, adoption, children and
equal opportunity. This role provided me with strong skills in comprehending and interpreting
legislation, as well as understanding the impact it has on the lives of average Australians. This role
gave me insight into how a policy position, drafted into a bill and then enacted as legislation,
affects and governs the lives of people in the community.
Demonstrated ability to manage priorities, meet timelines and work constructively as part of a
team
Throughout my career I have demonstrated excellent organisational skills, which have included
the ability to prioritise a wide range of duties in order to meet deadlines. In particular, within the
State Administrative Tribunal, I often had to progress a number of applications for review at the
same time. Each review had a number of stages, with relevant tasks and activities that had to be
undertaken at each of these steps.
To undertake this role I had to prioritise my work schedule on a daily basis. I achieved this by first
reviewing calendars, database reports from the Integrated Courts Management System, relevant
Excel spreadsheets, current case load requirements and instructions from Team Leaders. I also had
to constantly re-evaluate these targets during the day as additional work arose and was allocated.
The activities of the Tribunal were also subject to a number of Key Performance Indicators with
regard to time frames for progressing reviews. I always strove to meet and exceed these
indicators. My team also held weekly meetings where we worked together to determine team
priorities.
An example of my ability to manage priorities and meet deadlines was when I was awaiting
responses from several emails I had sent seeking details regarding a number of Social Workers and
Doctors. This information, which I was trying to extract from another government department,
was required to initiate several reviews. I had received an initial response from the department
explaining that the only Officer who could provide this information would be absent for 3 days. I
forwarded this email to the rest of the team as they were impacted by this situation.
I prepared and initiated the relevant reviews with all the information I currently had relating to the
file. This was done on the understanding that I would receive the additional information to
complete the documents in three days. This meant that the moment I received the required
details I could enter the data and track the file to a Case Management Officer in a reasonable
timeframe. During the three day period I initiated other reviews, therefore minimising the time
between review dates and target dates. As a result of my forward planning and initiative the
reviews were completed by the target date ready for the Tribunal hearing.
I am always interested in learning new roles and skills, and in previous positions this knowledge of
the duties of other positions enabled me to provide support to team members if they were absent
from the office or just needing assistance. I always strive to be an effective and collaborative team
member. As mentioned, I always try to offer support and assistance if possible, especially through
stressful times. I also enjoy the information sharing and cross development that can occur in
teams. Over the years I have also learnt extensively from my colleagues and have always valued
their advice, input and the differing perspectives they can provide.
