National Parks Vocational Branch Industrial Bulletin

Delegates on the National Parks Vocational Branch (NPVB) Executive held their quarterly meeting on Tuesday 12 May 2026. The meeting identified priority matters to raise with the NPWS executive and DCCEEW Industrial Relations (IR) and Human Relations (HR) staff at the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) meeting of 18 June 2026.

MyWorkZone (MWZ)

MWZ programming errors were raised at the NPVB and JCC meetings, including delays in resolving those issues, productivity impacts, and concerns that all memos/advice admitting problems close with recommending contact with EAP (as if the stress created by MWZ can be solved by a psychologist). Several related actions were identified, including escalation through WHS forums.

There is a known conflict between the set workhours of Shift Planner and the ability to claim overtime before 4pm. However, this matter is identified as ‘resolved’ because the problem is not being reported. The PSA advises members not to utilise the previous recommended workaround of falsifying hours on timesheets. Delegates are also hearing reports of leave loadings not being paid or being underpaid.

• It is important that any MWZ issues are raised through a CS Connect ticket so that they can be recognised as a systemic issue and prioritised for fixing. Any unsatisfactory response to a CS Connect ticket should be followed up with the relevant NPWS team listed on ParkSite’s myWorkZone page.

Establishment of the Biodiversity and Heritage Regulator (BHR)

NPWS executive’s responses to the 2022 Risk-e Business Consultants’ review of NPWS’s safety management system for law enforcement had identified the training and support provided by the specialist investigators as measures to reduce safety risks. The PSA identified that reduced support by the specialist investigators, now they are in the BHR, posed a significant safety risk. At the JCC, Alex Graham made some positive remarks about additional resourcing in this area but with no details. The PSA is pleased with the subsequent announcement of 3 compliance specialists in NPWS but maintains the position that each Park Operations Branch should have a specialist compliance officer (with at least a Cert IV in Government Investigations).

The PSA is satisfied that the current project team has developed a program to transfer responsibility of off-park wildlife matters to the BHR that is as good as could be expected within the timeframes, and is glad there will be monitoring of its implementation. It is unfortunate the DCCEEW Executive had not engaged with relevant NPWS staff and nutted out this transition before deciding to create the BHR.

Threatened species funding

Delegates have been contacted by temporary staff in the Koala Strategy and AIS teams, concerned about their future employment, with most temporary appointments ending in the next few months. Alex Graham assured the JCC that NPWS would retain its current level of resourcing. The PSA has requested that staff that were recruited through an external merit-selection process be appointed as ongoing. We understand that affected staff are being briefed but those briefings have not included the PSA. Any concerned staff should contact the PSA’s member centre.

Women’s issues

The NPVB meeting discussed issues raised by women members, including managerial discretion denying reasonable requests for flexible work (including on return from maternity leave) and the lack of supportive workplace adjustments for domestic violence victim/survivors. Unfortunately, neither of these matters made it onto the JCC agenda but will be raised in other forums with DCCEEW IR/HR.

Donation to the Protected Area Workers Association (PAWA)

Following the creation of MWZ, there was a disruption to the transfer of funds to the NPVB of the additional member contributions through their pay. With the recovery of the owed amounts, the NPVB had sufficient funds to donate $2,000 to PAWA. At the delegates’ request, the PSA will match this donation.

Changes to the NPVB branch charter

With staff moving from NPWS to other parts of DCCEEW but retaining their NPWS identity, in terms of pay, award conditions and uniform, the coverage of the NPVB needs to be made broader to all DCCEEW staff subject to the NPWS-PSA award. This small change, plus some other minor updates to the branch charter, will be presented at a special meeting on 11 August (a meeting notification will be sent out next month).

Admin issues

The PSA is keen to hear of issues and is looking to include NPWS admin staff within a broader wages and salaries case on workloads. At the JCC, the PSA prompted NPWS to release the results of last year’s survey of administrative staff. We understand that role clarity remains an issue for admin staff.

The position of admin representative remains vacant on the NPVB executive. We’d welcome any nominations, noting that all positions on the executive will be declared vacant at the AGM on 10 November.

Your current delegate team is:

Ben Owers – NPVB Branch chair (also contact for South Coast Branch)

Janet Cavanaugh – NPVB secretary (also contact for North Coast Branch)

Peter Mylan – deputy chair (Kosci east field staff)

Naomi Goosen – Women’s representative (contact for Blue Mountains Branch)

Jacqueline Reid – NPVB Treasurer (contact for Hunter Central Coast Branch)

Andy Leach – Park Programs representative (i.e. Business Delivery, CAP, FIOB and 4PSQ)

Campbell Young – contact for Southern Ranges non-field staff

Steve (Stumpy) Carter – delegate (Kosci west field staff)

Jules Bald –contact for Northern Inland branch

Anita Zubovic – contact for West Branch and Greater Sydney Branch

Annie Thompson – Aboriginal staff rep

Vacant – Admin staff rep