About this report or communique
Report of the Auditor-General No. 2 of 2020-21: Management of Underperformance in the Tasmanian State Service
The objective of this audit was to form conclusions on whether underperformance is managed effectively in the TSS.
The audit examined and analysed information relating to the performance framework established and activities undertaken to manage underperformance of employees in the following state entities:
- Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management (including the Tasmanian Fire Service, which became part of the Department in April 2016)
- Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
- Department of State Growth (prior to July 2014 the Department of Economic Development and Tourism and the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources)
- Department of Treasury and Finance.
The audit only covered permanent, ongoing TSS staff. Specifically, the scope excluded:
- staff subject to the Police Service Act 2003
- fixed-term staff on a contract
- staff recently recruited and still under a probationary period.
The audit did not specifically cover known preventative measures for underperformance, namely:
- strength of recruitment practices
- effective use of probationary periods for new employees.