Vacancy 35/15: Immigration Assistant

CRITERION 1
Describe a situation in which you made a contribution towards a change in processes or practices.
In your answer please address the following:

• What was the situation? What was your role?
• What was the change in processes or practices that was introduced?
• What was the nature of the contribution that you, personally, made?
• What was the impact of the contribution that you made?
(Maximum 300 words)

CRITERION 2
Describe a situation in which you have taken action to address a particularly difficult problem or obstacle.
In your answer please address the following:

• What was the situation?
• What problem or obstacle did you face? How did you recognise that this was a particularly difficult problem or obstacle?
• What action did you take to address the problem or obstacle?
• What was the outcome? What impact did your action have on the resolution of the problem or obstacle?
(Maximum 300 words)

CRITERION 3
Describe a time when you became aware that you needed to seek some help in order to deal with something you didn’t know how to do on your own.
In your answer please address the following:

• What was the situation? What was your role?
• How did you become aware that you needed assistance?
• What did you do to access help that you thought would be useful? How did you use this help?
• What was the end result?
(Maximum 300 words)

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR LOCALLY ENGAGED STAFF

INTRODUCTION

The key underlying principles of conduct for locally engaged staff employed at the Australian High Commission, New Delhi are:
1. To act in accordance with the local law and applicable Australian law;
2. To deal equitably, honestly and in a professional manner with both the public and colleagues;
3. To ensure there is no real or apparent conflict of interest; and
4. To ensure their professional or personal behaviour does not bring the Australian High Commission or Australia into disrepute.

LES must at all times behave in a way that upholds the integrity and good reputation of the High Commission.
• Personal behaviour should be appropriate
• Dress and appearance should be in accordance with standards appropriate to an employee's duties
• LES should not be under the influence of alcohol, drugs or other prohibited or performance impairing substances in the work place
• The High Commission is a smoke-free work environment

LES must behave honestly and with integrity in the course of his/her employment with the High Commission.

LES should not use their official position to improperly influence or try to influence colleagues or members of the public by giving them gifts or by entering into financial or other arrangements with them.

LES must act with care and diligence in the course of their employment with the High Commission.

In the course of their duties LES are required to:
• be fair and impartial;
• give others likely to be affected by a decision an opportunity to have their case considered promptly;
• explain the reasons for action/decisions;
• at all times act according to local law and applicable Australian law.

LES, when acting in the course of their employment with the High Commission, must treat members of the public and colleagues with respect and courtesy, and without coercion or harassment of any kind.

LES are required to:
• treat members of the public and colleagues equitably, regardless of their sex, marital status, ethnicity, age sexual orientation, disability or religious beliefs or any other similar ground;
• be professional and courteous;
• provide reasonable assistance to the public and to help them understand their entitlements and their obligations;
• deal with the public and colleagues in an equitable and fair manner.

LES must comply with any lawful and reasonable direction given by a person in the High Commission who has the authority to give the direction.

LES are at all times subject to the authority of the High Commissioner/Consul General and the officer in charge of the section in which they are employed.

The relevant A-based or locally engaged staff supervisor has the primary responsibility for ensuring that the required standards of conduct and work performance are met and maintained by LES.

The LES must maintain appropriate confidentiality about information obtained during the course of their employment at the mission.

Official information must not be disclosed to any person unless an employee is authorised to do so in the course of his/her duties.

LES must not misuse information obtained in the course of his/her duties, including taking advantage of another person on the basis of information held about the person in official records.

LES must disclose, and take reasonable steps to avoid, any conflict of interest (real or apparent) in connection with his/her employment in the High Commission, including in relation to any outside employment and/or business activities.

LES must seek the permission of the High Commissioner or Consul General before engaging in outside employment.

The High Commissioner/Consul General may not grant permission to engage in outside employment that is incompatible with the employee's duties on behalf of the High Commission.

LES who have interests, financial or otherwise, including in respect of family and friends that could conflict with the proper performance of their duties must disclose this interest to their supervisor and take whatever action is necessary to avoid that conflict.

LES must use resources in a proper manner and avoid waste or extravagance. LES must be scrupulous in the use of official money, human and other resources.

LES have a responsibility to care for and maintain High Commission property. The property of the High Commission is to be used for official purposes only and is to be used efficiently and effectively.

LES must not, in the course of their employment in the High Commission, provide false or misleading information in response to a request for information that is made for official purposes.

An employee is expected to:
• exercise reasonable care in giving written or oral information or advice; and
• take reasonable steps to ensure that the information provided is accurate.

Where there are doubts about the reliability of information this should be checked with a supervisor. Where the information being given is of an interim or conditional nature, this should be made clear.

An employee must not make improper use of inside information or the employee's duties, status, power or authority in order to gain, or seek to gain, a benefit or advantage for the employee, or for any other person, including the acceptance of gifts, sponsored travel, hospitality, accommodation, hire car costs and entertainment.

These restrictions also apply to the families of LES, where the gift or benefit is a direct result of the official duties of the employee.

Gifts or benefits generally should not be accepted. In cases where not accepting would cause offence to an extent that could adversely affect Australia's interests, a gift or benefit can only be accepted with the written approval of the High Commissioner or Consul General.

If in doubt about whether or not to accept a gift the matter should be discussed with the employee's A-based supervisor.

A bribe is a gift given or offers made with the intention of influencing an employee to take or not to take a specific action. The acceptance of a bribe will result in disciplinary action being taken against the employee.

Money must never be accepted as a gift.