These procedures relate to the Business services policy.

These procedures apply to department staff responsible for assessing student travel support needs, processing applications for access to travel support services, and implementing and monitoring provision of services to eligible students with disability.

All parties:

• the NSW Department of Education (the department) is responsible for managing all aspects of the Assisted School Travel Program (ASTP) in accordance with approved policy and procedures to meet the needs of eligible school students with disability who require assistance to travel to and/or from school
• there is a shared responsibility for all parties to communicate details of incidents that need to be considered by any other party (regardless of where any such incident has occurred).

Parents:

Under the Education Act 1990, all parents are responsible for ensuring their children attend school.

For students supported by the ASTP, parents are responsible for:

• providing accurate and up-to-date information regarding their inability to provide or arrange travel for the student to get to and from school through completing Part A of the Application for Assisted School Travel (PDF 587 KB) and providing additional information as required
• working in partnership with the ASTP to identify alternative options to assist students to travel to and from school, and to notify the school principal of any change in circumstances likely to affect the student's entitlement to, or ongoing need for, transport assistance
• providing all additional equipment as required by law to support the safe travel of the student, including but not limited to car seats, booster seats, harnesses and wheelchairs where appropriate
• providing advice, support and guidance to drivers and Assisted Travel Support Officers (ATSO) in relation to the specific seating, safety and health care needs of the student (this includes supporting alternative means of travel to and from school if behaviour, health or safety needs indicate that it is unsafe for the student to travel in an ASTP vehicle)
• ensuring that a nominated responsible adult is present at the agreed arrival and departure times. The nominated adult should allow for a 15-minute period either side of the agreed arrival and departure times. To ensure students spend no more time in transit than is necessary, drivers can only wait a maximum of 3 minutes, morning and afternoon
• escorting the student to and from the vehicle (including students in wheelchairs) and assisting with transferring the student into and out of the vehicle, ensuring all seatbelts and other restraints are correctly fitted
  • checking that wheelchairs are properly secured within the vehicle (a minimum of 4 anchorage points are required), ensuring that wheelchair brakes are on, and ensuring that the wheelchair restraint system includes a seatbelt secured directly to the vehicle or to parts that are themselves secured to the vehicle (this is separate from any postural restraint attached to the wheelchair)
  • informing the school principal immediately of any change in address, personal details or circumstances, including any change to the person nominated to be present at the agreed morning pick-up time and afternoon set-down time
  • informing the contractor at the earliest opportunity if the student will not be travelling due to short-term illness or other reasons. If the student will be absent for an extended period, the ASTP should also be notified
  • advising the principal, the ASTP contractor and/or the ATSO of any issues, incidents or other matters that may affect the health, safety or wellbeing of the student or others during travel, including the conduct of other students towards their child
  • working in partnership with the ASTP, the department and regional personnel to support students identified as having the potential to develop the skills necessary to travel independently to and/or from school with safety
  • reimbursing drivers for any damage to their vehicle for which the student is responsible
  • immediately advising the ASTP if there are any concerns regarding any aspect of the provision of transport services, particularly where there are concerns about the transport vehicle’s roadworthiness or if they have any doubts about the identity of a driver or ATSO
  • immediately advising the ASTP and reporting concerns related to the conduct of contractors, drivers or ATSOs. The contact number for the ASTP is 1300 338 278.

Students:

• behave in a manner that ensures both their comfort and safety, and the comfort and safety of all persons travelling with the student, with consideration being given to a student's age, individual needs, disability and developmental level.

School and departmental staff involved in the student assessment and placement processes:

• provide timely and accurate advice to the ASTP about applications for access to travel support services under this program.

Principals (government and non-government schools) and their staff:

• provide information to staff, parents and other interested parties related to the ASTP procedures and eligibility criteria for access to services under the ASTP
• assess parent capacity to provide or arrange transport for students by reviewing the information provided by parents in Part A of the Application for Assisted School Travel (PDF 587 KB)
• assess the student’s travel support needs by referring to the Assessment of travel support needs, completing Part B of the Application for Assisted School Travel (for new applications) and forwarding all relevant documents to the ASTP for assessment where possible with 10 business days’ notice before the required commencement date
• monitor and report all WHS issues related to the safe travel of students including vehicle condition, safe seating, student health care needs and behaviour, seeking further support from the department's regional personnel and ASTP where necessary
• ensure a risk assessment is undertaken for students with a history of behaviour concerns or health care needs and, as required, complete and forward a Student Behaviour Support Plan and/or Individual Health Care Plan to the ASTP
• temporarily withdraw travel assistance from students who pose a risk of any type to themselves, other students, staff or contractors and forward copies of incident reports to the ASTP. This may require negotiating an alternate means of transport home from school for students whose behaviour and/or health care needs during the morning journey indicate there may be an WHS risk to themselves or others in an ASTP vehicle for the return journey.
• promptly notify ASTP should the outcome and recommendations of the risk assessment indicate that travel assistance should be resumed, modified or cancelled
• provide ongoing support, training and relevant information to drivers and ATSOs for all students with Student Behaviour Support Plans and/or Individual Health Care Plans that include strategies appropriate for implementation during transit
• ensure there are appropriate supervision arrangements at school for students accessing the program at agreed arrival and departure times, and arranging for staff to assist with the transfer of students into and out of the vehicle, ensuring all seatbelts and other restraints are correctly fitted
• check wheelchairs are properly secured within the vehicle (a minimum of 4 anchorage points are required)
• ensure the wheelchair restraint system includes a seatbelt secured directly to the vehicle or to parts that are themselves secured to the vehicle (this is separate from any postural restraint attached to the wheelchair)
• ensure wheelchair brakes are on
• work in partnership with parents, the ASTP and (for government schools) regional personnel to support students who have been identified as having the potential to develop the skills necessary to travel independently to and from school safely
• work in partnership with parents, regional personnel (for government schools) and the ASTP to identify alternative options to assist students to travel to and/or from school safely
• notify the ASTP of any change in student travel support needs, or any change in the student’s or family’s circumstances that may impact the nature of travel assistance required or the student's eligibility for continued access to assisted school travel services
• re-assess at least annually (or more frequently, if required) the travel support needs of students currently accessing assisted school travel by referring to the Assessment of travel support needs and advising the ASTP where student needs have changed by completing the Student Travel Support Needs – Change Request form (PDF 184 KB)
• inform parents of the availability of alternative forms of travel assistance through Transport for NSW (TfNSW) specifically the School Student Transport Scheme (for students capable of independent travel) and the School Drive Subsidy
• check the identity of any unfamiliar driver or ATSO
• monitor the arrangements in place to ensure the safety of students, drivers and any supervisors of the students.

Deputy Secretary Teaching, Learning and Student Wellbeing and the Student Support and Specialist Programs directorate:

• approve department procedures for procuring and providing services under this program.

Inclusion and Wellbeing directorate:

• liaises with the ASTP about policies and practices in relation to services for students with disability. This includes changes to disability criteria, program delivery and needs-based assessment processes as they may relate to or impact on the provision of travel support services under this program.

Education Support teams:

• provide support to parents and schools in the assessment of student travel needs as part of an application for access to assistance under the ASTP, which may arise as a result of the Access Request assessment and student placement process. Ensure that parents are fully informed of eligibility criteria for accessing support services as part of the ASTP
• confirm, on request by the ASTP, that supporting documentation accompanying a new application accurately describes the student's travel support needs in accordance with the Assessment of travel support needs
• consult with relevant parties where any regional decision to place a student is likely to have significant time and/or distance implications for the student, and assessing the appropriateness of the request for assisted school travel in consideration of other support alternatives at a location nearer to the student's home
• document and maintain records of any regional decision with regard to students who require a risk assessment or support plan relevant to travel
• work in partnership with parents, schools and the ASTP to support students who have been identified as having the potential to develop the skills necessary to travel independently to and/or from school with safety
• work in partnership with parents, schools and the ASTP to identify alternative options to assist students to travel to and/or from school with safety
• facilitate an accurate review of student travel needs, and the parents’ capacity to provide or arrange travel, as part of the annual student review process (including assessment of the closest appropriate educational setting to support the student's needs)
• support schools with planning for students who pose a risk of any type to themselves, other students, staff or contractors and have been temporarily suspended from the ASTP and, where necessary, assist with the coordination of case conferences involving interagency personnel for these students.

Assisted School Travel Program staff:

• coordinate logistical arrangements for eligible students attending government and non-government schools, who are approved for access to travel support services to attend school
• maintain a register of contractors approved to provide these services to the department
• engage contractors from the ASTP Scheme in a cost-effective manner to ensure that suitable services are provided for eligible students
• determine eligibility criteria for assessing applications for access to travel support services under this program
• collaborate with the Inclusion and Wellbeing directorate and other departmental officers as required to assist with the needs-based assessment process for determining the eligibility of students seeking access to assistance under the program
• process authorised payments to contracted service providers in accordance with the appropriate contract conditions and rates
• monitor the arrangements in place to ensure the safety of students, drivers and any supervisors of the students
• monitor program expenditure on a monthly cycle
• monitor contractor and/or driver conduct and performance through information provided by school staff and parents
• prepare reports relating to program expenditure and comparative (more than 12 months) analysis of expenditure
• monitor travel distances claimed by contractors by using software systems to map distances of individual services
• monitor ongoing student eligibility to access travel support services by reviewing information provided by school staff, parents and contractors and/or drivers
• enforce contractor compliance with legislative and administrative requirements set down in the contract terms and conditions
• ensure the best possible value for public money is derived from the services provided by contracted service providers
• manage all aspects of the ASTP in accordance with approved policy and procedures to meet the needs of eligible school students with disability who require assistance to travel to and/or from school
• liaise with relevant department and non-government school personnel as required to determine student eligibility to access assistance under the ASTP
• assess applications for assisted school travel and requests to vary existing transport arrangements in accordance with the guidelines and eligibility criteria for assisted school travel and advise parents and schools as to the outcome of the assessment process. This might involve seeking additional information as necessary from relevant parties to ascertain or review eligibility for access to services under the ASTP
• facilitate the timely allocation of students to transport services that meet the needs of students with disability while maintaining operational efficiency. The ASTP will process applications within 10 business days of receipt of a fully completed application with all supporting documentation. ASTP experiences peak periods during the school year, which may impact on processing times
• process Working with Children Checks for all ATSOs and drivers who are required to submit the relevant screening forms and receive approval from the ASTP before beginning work. All forms – Declaration for child-related work: Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (PDF 156 KB), Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check: application and informed consent form – including identification, must be forwarded to the ASTP to facilitate employment screening before engagement
• liaise with school and regional personnel to ensure transport services continue to meet the changing travel support needs of students with disability
• work in partnership with parents, school and regional personnel to identify alternative options to assist students to travel to and/or from school with safety, and to support students who have been identified as having the potential to develop the skills necessary to travel independently to and/or from school with safety
• engage eligible service providers to provide transport services in accordance with approved procedures to ensure transparency in the allocation process and that probity requirements are adhered to
• conduct a rolling program of contract compliance reviews to ensure that contractors are complying with their contractual obligations to provide the best possible transport service for students with disability
• refer concerns about the safety or condition of transport vehicles used to provide transport services to TfNSW to request an inspection. (Where any defects are found the TfNSW undertakes action against the Contractor to ensure vehicles meet safety standards)
• process contractors and ATSO payment claims in a timely manner with accuracy
• manage the annual rollover of student applications from one school year to the next to ensure that suitable transport services are in place for the commencement of each school year
• appoint an Executive Officer to the Assisted School Travel Independent Appeals Panel.

Director, Assisted School Travel Program:

• coordinates the preparation of budget and expenditure reports relating to this program.

Assisted School Travel Appeals Panel:

Provides a review of the ASTP determinations on eligibility when parents appeal against the decision to not approve applications for transport for students.

• ensure the original determination was made according to the eligibility criteria
• consider all relevant documentation related to the appeal with specific attention given to the application process and the applicability of the ASTP procedures in accordance with the eligibility criteria
• conduct further enquiries when necessary. These may include communication with parents, school personnel, department staff, Association of Independent Schools of NSW, Catholic Schools NSW, employer, health professionals, TAFE and/or university, Transport for NSW, other government and non-government agencies or local transport providers
• make recommendations to the Director, ASTP that are consistent with the eligibility criteria as detailed in these procedures.

Manager, Disability Support Catholic Schools NSW; and Division Head, Student Services Association of Independent Schools of NSW:

• provide high-level educational support and advice with regard to all requests received from non-government schools
• provide disability confirmation sheets to schools for students seeking access to the ASTP
• nominate an appropriate representative on the Assisted School Travel Independent Appeals Panel.

Contractors and their drivers

• provide quality transport services for students with disability in accordance with the department's contractual terms and conditions for assisted school travel
• provide vehicles suitable for the transportation of students with disability and ensuring that vehicles are fitted with appropriate restraints as required by law
• support the safety of students travelling in motor vehicles
• ensure students are not left unattended at any time.

Assisted Travel Support Officers

• provide constant supervision and support for students identified as having additional requirements while accessing assisted school travel services
• attend to student health care or behavioural support needs in accordance with individual health care plans or behaviour management plans
• actively intervene where necessary to prevent students from endangering or harming themselves or others during transit.

The department is committed to ensuring a safe and healthy working and learning environment for staff, students, contractors and visitors to schools, colleges and other workplaces across the organisation.

Consultation in the planning and decision making for the safe travel of students with disability is the responsibility of parents, schools, regions and the ASTP. It is therefore important that relevant information pertaining to the support that students require while travelling is communicated to assisted school travel drivers and Assisted Travel Support Officers.

Contractors have the legal liability under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) in respect of all aspects of the services provided, including obligations to their drivers. There may be circumstances where a student's behaviour is assessed as posing a potential risk. In these circumstances it may be necessary to temporarily withdraw the student from the ASTP. The resumption of transport will be dependent on the outcome and recommendations arising from the risk assessment process.

Consideration will be given to the potential impact of time and distance travelled on the student's health, safety, wellbeing and ability to learn and whether there is any other reasonable adjustment that could be made at a school nearer to the student's home that would be less disruptive and no less beneficial for the student as an alternative to extended travel.

A student behaviour support plan and/or individual health care plan (suitable for travel) must be considered for each student and submitted with all assisted school travel requests in situations where any of the following occur:

• student behaviour has resulted in a temporary withdrawal of access to transport services
• the distance between home and the educational setting exceeds 40 kilometres the journey between home and the educational setting has an expected travel time of 90 minutes or more
• a student's history or circumstances (including health conditions) might pose a risk of any type to themselves or any other person
• a student requires a specialised seating or restraint system for postural or behaviour management purposes.

The department has a responsibility to provide a safe environment for children and young people. All parties involved in the ASTP need to exercise the highest levels of responsibility in protecting children and young people from harm.

All parties must:

• be aware of their obligations towards children and young people related to the specific role they have in the ASTP
• report concerns about the suspected risk of harm to children and young people to the principal or workplace manager of the school which they attend, in line with the department’s Child protection – responding to and reporting risk of harm policy and procedures. Any concerns related to the alleged conduct of contractors, drivers or Assisted Travel Support Officers (ATSOs) must also be notified to the department’s Professional and Ethical Standards unit (PES). The contact number for PES is 02 7814 3722 (Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm).

All contractors, drivers and ATSOs who provide services under the ASTP require employment screening checks that must be undertaken before they can commence work. In accordance with the Advocate for Children and Young People Act 2014, this involves a Working with Children Check – relevant criminal records (serious sexual offences and listed offences where the victims are children), apprehended violence orders taken out to protect children and employment proceedings taken by previous employers that affect the person's suitability for working with children.

A public sector suitability assessment (Part 3, rule 18 of the Government Sector Employment (General) Rules 2014 is also undertaken to review general criminal history information for offences that are not child related and is an additional check the department conducts to review offences that are not relevant to the Working with Children Check.

School Student Transport Scheme

Students with disability, who can use public transport and meet the standard eligibility criteria for the scheme, can be transported under the School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) (for more information, refer to School student travel).

Students who do not meet the standard SSTS eligibility criteria (refer to School student travel) may be deemed eligible for subsidised transport if they are unable to walk to school due to a health condition. The subsidy may be in the form of a temporary travel pass or payments under the School Drive Subsidy, if the student's condition prevents them from travelling by bus, train or ferry.

To apply for subsidised travel for health reasons, the parents or guardians must obtain a prescribed medical certificate form from TfNSW or the transport contractor concerned.

School Drive Subsidy

The School Drive Subsidy (SDS) (for more information, refer to School student travel) is available to NSW residents in areas where there is no public transport, to drive an eligible student all or part of the way to school. The subsidy is only intended to partly offset the cost of using a private vehicle to drive the eligible student and is not intended to cover all costs. TfNSW administers the SDS scheme. The subsidy is for driving school students to school or to the nearest transport pick up point, by car, motorcycle or boat.

Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme

Individuals who are unable to use public transport because of a qualifying severe and permanent disability may be eligible for subsidised taxi travel (refer to Taxi Subsidy Scheme).

Students must:

• be a permanent resident of NSW or hold a valid visa and meet the criteria under the Temporary Residents Program
• be assessed as having identified disability according to the department's established Disability Criteria (DOC 37 KB)
• be enrolled in a NSW public school, NSW high school or registered non-government school at school entry level (Kindergarten or equivalent) as a minimum
• be accessing a special education early intervention program specifically tailored to prepare students with disability for entry into formal education one year before formal school entry into a government or registered non-government school
• be enrolled in a school for specific purpose (SSP) or support class specifically for students with disability, OR
• if enrolled in a mainstream class, require high-level assistance for mobility purposes (for example, the use of a wheelchair or other form of mobility aid)
• have parents who have demonstrated their inability to provide or arrange travel for their child to and from school either fully or in part where their child has been assessed as being unable to travel independently, and that their child is enrolled in the closest appropriate government or registered non-government school to their home, following consideration of
  • the impact of travelling distance and time on the student's ability to achieve learning outcomes
  • the impact of travelling distance and time on the student's health, wellbeing and safety
  • the availability and location of special education services that meet the student's specific educational needs
  • whether there is any other reasonable adjustment that could be made at a school nearer to the student's home that would be less disruptive and no less beneficial for the student as an alternative to travel assistance.

Students from Kindergarten to Year 2 are eligible if:

• they are a resident of NSW, or an overseas student eligible for free government education
• aged 4 years 6 months, or older
• No minimum walking distance criteria applies to these students.

Primary school students from Years 3 to 6 are eligible if:

• they are a resident of NSW, or an overseas student eligible for free government education
• the straight-line distance from their home address to school is more than 1.6 kilometres
• the walking distance from home to school is 2.3 kilometres or further.

Primary school students who live too close to the school to be eligible for free travel may qualify for a school travel pass or School Opal card (refer to School Drive Subsidy eligibility), which provides bus travel at a discounted price for the whole school term.

Secondary school students from Years 7 to 12 are eligible if:

• they are a resident of NSW or an overseas student who is eligible for free government education
• the straight-line distance from their home address to school is more than 2 kilometres
• the walking distance from home to school is 2.9 kilometres or further.

Secondary school students who live too close to the school to be eligible for free travel may qualify for a school travel pass or School Opal card (refer to School Drive Subsidy eligibility), which provides bus travel at a discounted price for the whole school term.

Each new application will include the Application for Assisted School Travel (PDF 587 KB) form, Parts A and B:

• Part A is to be completed by the parent
• Part B is to be completed by the school enrolling the student.

The enrolling school must:

• forward Part A of the form to the student’s parents for completion
• complete Part B of the form in accordance with the Assessment of travel support needs guide
• submit the completed application, signed by the principal, to the ASTP.

The principal and/or the learning support team coordinator are required to collaboratively complete the new application with due regard given to the applicability of the ASTP eligibility criteria. The principal is best placed to manage parent expectations before an application is completed by providing advice in respect to whether the student meets the eligibility criteria for access to the ASTP.

Schools must ensure parents complete Part A of the Application for Assisted School Travel (PDF 587 KB) form and submit it to the ASTP when:

• changing the address on a permanent basis
• wishing to access additional transport services.

ASTP Officers will, where necessary, seek confirmation from the appropriate officer within the department, Association of Independent Schools of NSW or Catholic Schools NSW, that the student is still attending the nearest appropriate school to the new residential address before processing the variation.

If the student is not attending the nearest appropriate school, the parents will be responsible for transporting the student to and from school.

Requests for variations to approved travel arrangements will only be approved where the variation can be incorporated into an existing transport service with minimal impact on distance travelled and time spent in transit.

Before 2018, the ASTP had an arrangement with the NSW Department of Communities and Justice – Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC) to transport to ADHC Centre-Based Respite Services. From 1 July 2018, ADHC and ADHC-funded service providers transitioned to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the previous arrangement between ADHC and ASTP has ended.

Please note, the ASTP no longer transports students to before or after school care, respite, therapy or community access with NDIS-funded service providers. Parents seeking such support should discuss transport options with their National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Local Area Coordinator, Support Coordinator, or the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). Refer to section 12 of the NDIS Operational Guidelines. Parents should provide information relevant to their child's NDIS plan to support any application for transport to after school care.

Assisted school travel services may accommodate students from more than one school to maximise the efficiency of the service. In the best interests of all parties concerned it is not possible for the ASTP to allocate additional services to meet temporary or one-off variations to start and finish times of schools. Accordingly, assisted school travel services will operate at regular times to align with standard school start and finish times and will not be varied to accommodate changes for these purposes.

For students approved to access ASTP transport services who are involved in work placements and vocational education training (VET) programs that are being provided at a location other than the student's school, (for example, TAFE, community access) a variation to transport services may be provided when:

• transport can be incorporated into the current school transport run without increasing travel time or impacting on arrival and departure times for other students accessing the same transport service
• school personnel provide or arrange suitable supervision of students at that location.

Additional services will not be scheduled for these purposes outside of regular approved travel times or days, or for students not already accessing ASTP services.

• For information on key dates, for parents, schools, assisted travel support officers, contractors – refer to Assisted School Travel Program
• ASTP Mobile App for Drivers
• Dealing with emergency situations
• SCM100001 Prequalification Scheme: Assisted School Travel Program (ASTP)
• National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
• School Drive Subsidy (SDS)
• School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS)
• Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme (TTSS)
• Temporary Residence Program
• Individual health support planning
• Student Health in NSW Public Schools: A summary and consolidation
• Child protection – responding to and reporting students at risk of harm
• Child car seats and boosters
• Declaration for child-related work: Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check
• Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check: application and informed consent form
• Transport for NSWs First Stop Transport – Travel Training

Disability Discrimination Act 1992

• Disability discrimination is when a person with disability is treated less favourably than a person without disability in circumstances that are not materially different. The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) makes disability discrimination unlawful except in certain limited circumstances.
• The DDA supports the implementation of Australia’s international human rights obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It also supports obligations relating to non-discrimination under other treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
• The DDA protects people with disability against discrimination in many areas of public life, including, work, education, accommodation, getting or using services, goods and facilities, accessing public places, clubs and incorporated associations.

Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012

• The Working with Children Check is a requirement for anyone who works or volunteers in child-related work in NSW. It involves a National Police Check (criminal history record check) and a review of reportable workplace misconduct.

Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009

• The department may disclose certain information in relation to ASTP matters in accordance with its obligations under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) (GIPA Act). The department may release information which it is required to disclose by law, to satisfy the disclosure requirements of the State Auditor General, to satisfy the requirements of Parliamentary accountability, under state government practices and procedures, or to satisfy any other recognised public requirement.

Government Sector Finance Act 2018

• The department has an obligation to ensure that the funding allocated for this program is managed effectively, through the efficient coordination and management of travel support services for eligible NSW students to attend school.
• Under this Act, agencies are required to be accountable and to use monies efficiently and effectively. Treasurer's directions are issued in terms of section 3 of the Act.

NSW Procurement Policy Framework

• The department is accountable for the efficient and cost-effective engagement of contractors to provide services in accordance with the NSW Procurement Policy Framework.
• The engagement of contractors under this program must conform to the requirements of the Procurement Policy Framework. The policy provides a consolidated view of government procurement objectives and the Procurement Board's requirements as they apply to each step of the procurement process. The department must comply with its mandatory requirements and is applicable to all department procurement functions, including travel support services.

Public Works and Procurement Act 1912 Part 11 Procurement of Goods and Services

• This provides the legislative framework for procurement for NSW Government agencies. This includes the establishment of the NSW Procurement Board, including the designation of its functions. This also provides the obligations of government agencies in the exercise of its functions in relation to the procurement of goods and services.
• This covers the role and responsibilities of the State Contracts Control Board, the provision for regulations for the acquisition and disposal of goods and services for the public service, and the referral of complaints to the board regarding competitive neutrality in tendering.

Work Health and Safety Act 2011

• Under this Act, employers must ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees and must ensure that other people are not exposed to risks to their health and safety arising from the conduct of the employer's undertaking while they are at the employer's place of work.