During 2022-23 the Public Trustee continued to provide financial and administrative services to the people of South Australia. The following tables reflect outcomes and performance on each of the services in addition to achievements against the Public Trustee Strategic Plan.
People
- Increased staff training in areas such as mental health awareness.
- Commenced a trial of expanded working from home arrangements to assess the impact on employee wellbeing.
- Amended policy to enable earlier recruitment to fill vacancies.
- Continued focus on employee wellbeing and engagement via pulse surveys.
- Transition to enhanced timekeeping system (Timewise) consistent with the AGD.
- Transition to the use of My Hub for recruitment, performance reviews and development and training.
Technology enabled Business Improvement
- Implemented a new CRM system to manage customer information, contact and transaction history and improve workflow and technology to support improved service to customers.
- Commenced the tender process for the replacement of the ageing Customer Financials system (PeopleSoft Financials) with the build to commence in 2023-24.
- Successfully trialled and implemented ‘Teams’ phone technology to replace desktop phones for staff that do not require call recording. The technology improves accessibility and mobility for staff.
- Upgraded the Unit Registry software (HiTrust) for the Common Funds. This enables system generated Annual Investment Income Reporting to the Australian Taxation Office from July 2023.
- Implemented a new electronic records management system (Objective) for corporate records.
Customer Experience
- Strengthened relationships with the Adult Safeguarding Unit (ASU), the Office of the Public Advocate (OPA) and the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) through regular meetings.
- Revised the Memorandum of Administrative Agreement with the Adult Safeguarding Unit (ASU), aligning processes to benefit customers.
- Endorsed a revised Customer Experience Strategy with a focus on continuous improvement.
- Adopted a Customer Engagement Model based on feedback in Customer Satisfaction Surveys.
- Sought feedback from key advocacy groups to enhance the understanding of how customer service can be improved.
- Converted the Personal Estates Welcome Pack and Customer Financial Statement Summary to an ‘Easy Read” format for people with intellectual difficulties.
- Engaged with the South Australian Council for Intellectual Disability (SACID) to understand how to improve engagement with customers with intellectual disabilities.
- Trialled a process to take customer telephone enquiries at first point of contact reducing reliance on voicemail and ensuring requests are traceable and actioned.
- Conducted 2022-23 Annual Customer Satisfaction Survey.
Governance & Financial Sustainability
- Achieved Charter and Performance targets.
- Exceeded benchmark over the long term (10 years) for customer investments and within 0.2% of benchmark for equities.
- Reviewed delegations for operational effectiveness.
- Implemented a new cloud based organisational internal control self-assessment tool.
Agency Program - Writing Wills & Powers of Attorney Will and Power of Attorney drafting services were provided for all eligible South Australians who nominated the Public Trustee as their executor, attorney or substitute attorney. | ||
Activity Indicators | 2022-23 | 2021-22 |
| 118 | 162 |
| 191 | 316 |
| 64 | 45 |
Effectiveness/Efficiency Indicators | ||
| 4.8 | 4.9 |
| 100% | 100% |
Agency Program - Deceased Estates & Trusts Administration The Public Trustee acts as executor of an estate where named executor in the Will, or as administrator when a person dies intestate (without a Will). The Public Trustee manages court-awarded trusts, trusts established by a Will and trusts under deed for minors, as well as perpetual charitable and scholarship trusts. | ||
Activity Indicators | 2022-23 | 2021-22 |
| 510 | 465 |
| 79 | 72 |
| 603 | 593 |
| 157 | 149 |
Effectiveness/Efficiency Indicators | ||
| 4.0 | 3.6 |
| 3.8 | 3.5 |
Agency Program - Personal Financial Administration The Public Trustee can be appointed legally responsible for making all, or some, of a person’s financial and legal decisions where that person has lost capacity. | ||
Activity Indicators | 2022-23 | 2021-22 |
| 510 | 464 |
| 4 986 | 4 847 |
Effectiveness/Efficiency Indicators | ||
| 3.6 | 3.6* |
*Note data correction from 2021-2022 Annual Report. Reported as 3.7
Agency Program - Monitoring Private Financial Administrators and Managers The Public Trustee is required annually to examine and report on activities of private financial administrators and managers appointed by SACAT and the courts. | ||
Activity Indicators | 2022-23 | 2021-22 |
| 3 372 | 3 128 |
| 381 | 312 |
| 7 | 3 |
Effectiveness/Efficiency Indicators | ||
| Excellent/very good | Excellent/very good |
Agency Program - Litigation Guardian The Public Trustee may be appointed by a Court to act as ‘Next friend’ for customers unable to conduct their own legal proceedings. | ||
Activity Indicators | 2022-23 | 2021-22 |
| 35 | 25 |
| 93 | 111 |
Effectiveness/Efficiency Indicators | ||
| ||
Performance management and development system | Performance |
|---|---|
Performance Management is captured using the MyHUB Learning & Development System. Public Trustee aims for a compliance rate of 100% of all active staff having a Performance Review during the year. | 88% of all staff as at 30 June 2023 are recorded as having had at least one performance management review in 2022-23*. *This figure excludes staff on long term paid leave. |
Program name | Performance |
|---|---|
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) | All staff have access to a confidential EAP offering a counselling service to support and assist staff with both professional and personal issues. |
AGD Health and Safety Committee | The Public Trustee has manager and employee representation on this committee, which provides a consultative forum to support and continuously improve work health, safety and wellbeing systems and practices. |
Work health and safety Inspections | As part of the commitment to the safety of employees, six-monthly inspections are conducted to identify any hazards or risks with corrective action taken as needed. |
The Public Trustee Health & Safety Committee | The Public Trustee Health and Safety Committee provides a proactive consultative forum for continuous improvement to Public Trustee work health, safety and injury management. |
The Public Trustee Staff Culture & Wellbeing Initiatives | Staff are encouraged to participate in a range of social and wellbeing initiatives. As part of this, the Public Trustee staff raise funds to give back to the community through specially selected local charities and organisations. |
Workplace Consultative Committee | The Public Trustee has an active Workplace Consultative Committee that enables staff to discuss issues with management constructively and on a collaborative basis. |
Work health and safety and return to work performance statistics for the Public Trustee are included in the Attorney-General’s Department Annual Report.
Data for previous years is available at: https://data.sa.gov.au/data/organization/attorney-general-s-dept
Executive classification | Number of executives |
|---|---|
SAES1 | 2 |
SAES2 | 1 |
Data for previous years is available at: https://data.sa.gov.au/data/organization/attorney-general-s-dept
The Office of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment has a workforce information page that provides further information on the breakdown of executive gender, salary and tenure by agency.