The 2023-24 reporting year has provided both challenges and opportunities for the ODPP.

Many of the issues confronted in past reporting years remain; the volume and nature of our work continues to present challenges, staff continue to work under pressure to tight timeframes to ensure that matters are prosecuted effectively and efficiently, and to provide information and support to victims of crime and their families. Wellbeing, in the wake of workload and subject matter, remain high priorities. In this regard, much work has been done leveraging the recommendations of the 2023 ODPP Workplace Experience Review, with the ODPP embarking upon a comprehensive change program which examines the processes, functions, roles, and purpose of many aspects of our organisation. The Change Program comprises 24 projects drawn from the Review and previous reviews. Ten of these projects have been prioritised to deliver "quick wins" and/or build foundational capabilities by the end of the 2024 calendar year. Some of these include a pilot of electronic evidence presentation technology within the courtroom; providing a more objective measure of solicitor workload, thereby optimising file allocations; and reviewing the support roles and functions for legal teams to ensure processes are efficient and resourcing is optimal. In the immediate and mid-terms, our focus is upon our processes governing the allocation of work and the preparation, resourcing, and presentation of matters in court.

The Change Program is expected to take 3 years to deliver returns on all 24 projects. It is anticipated that some projects will be iterative whilst others will give rise to further undertakings. Overall, the Program is ambitious and we are grateful for the support of the Attorney-General and the Chief Executive of the Attorney-General's Department.

Extraordinary Matters (i.e. matters which are large, complex, and require a dedicated team of lawyers and support staff for the life of the matter) are no longer as extraordinary as they once were, in terms of frequency. The complexity and volume of these matters continues to increase. In 2023-24 the ODPP had conduct of 5 Extraordinary Matters, one of which encompassed Operation Ironside which of itself comprises over 40 separate trials. The ODPP is now giving serious consideration to the creation of a dedicated team of solicitors to deal with the serious and complex work that is becoming more and more commonplace.

While the funding received for Extraordinary Matters enables the recruitment of additional staff, recruitment itself and the subsequent retention of experienced staff, remains a challenge, not only for the ODPP but for all organisations within the legal sector. Retention of experience is particularly critical to being able to provide an effective prosecution service capable of dealing with Extraordinary Matters. Increased mobility by young practitioners, and the availability of work at the private bar for experienced counsel, has meant that the ODPP has undertaken several recruitment processes over the year. The increasing number of junior practitioners within the ODPP staff has created additional pressures in terms of training, knowledge transfer, oversight, and general management for the more experienced staff. The quality of our recruits is particularly high, but the ODPP is unable to recruit experience at the same level as that lost and, as in all things, the attaining of experience takes time. The result is that over the next 3-5 years it is anticipated that the ODPP will make greater use of the independent Bar than has previously been the case, whilst embarking upon an accelerated program aimed at skill enhancement and retention, particularly of in-house prosecutors.

Staff wellbeing remains a priority for the ODPP. The Office has continued to develop training and other supports for staff to assist them in the conduct of often difficult and confronting matters. In addition, a project to assess and action psychosocial risks, as identified by staff themselves, will result in additional initiatives being developed and implemented by a dedicated Wellbeing Officer, recruited in the latter half of 2023-24.

With respect to the care and support of victims of crime, the Office is in the process of recruiting three Aboriginal Witness Assistance Officers whose roles will include, not only providing culturally appropriate support to Aboriginal victims and witnesses,but providing staff with expert advice on cultural considerations to be taken into account in prosecuting, and cultural awareness training more generally. Additionally, the Office has recruited a number of casual Support Officers to assist our Witness Assistance Officers in supporting victims of crime through the prosecution process.

Once again it has been a very busy year for the ODPP. I expect the same in 2024-25, with, I anticipate, greater emphasis being given to the necessity of reducing delay in the criminal justice system for the sake of all concerned, but, in particular, victims of crime. From an organisational perspective, many of the Change Program initiatives will deliver significant outcomes that will contribute to greater efficiency, job satisfaction, role clarity, and wellbeing.

Lastly, I express my thanks to the staff of the ODPP for their professionalism and dedication.

During 2023-24 there were the following changes to the agency's structure and objectives as a result of internal reviews or machinery of government changes.

Executive Director, Operations role

The new Executive Director, Operations commenced in the ODPP on 5 February 2024. This role was established as a result of one of the recommendations of the 2023 ODPP Workplace Experience Review. The role is discussed below.

The Hon Kyam Maher MLC, Attorney-General is the State's principal legal advisor to the government and responsible for the administration of justice. The Attorney-General is a member of Cabinet and responsible for:

• specific legislation and the State's legal system
• developing and implementing policy
• legal action relevant to the State government.

Director of Public Prosecutions

Director of Business Services

The Director of Business Services is responsible for the Business Services Section (BSS). The BSS comprises several legal support teams including the Witness Assistance Team, law clerks, secretaries, and administrative staff. The BSS is responsible for all aspects of human resource management, financial services, information management, work health and safety, administrative policy and procedures, procurement, records management, risk management, and a range of other specific office support functions such as data entry, secretarial, reception and rounds delivery. The Director of Business Services is a member of the ODPP Executive.

Manager of the Witness Assistance Team

The Manager of the Witness Assistance Team (WAT) is responsible for the delivery of state-wide information and support services to victims and witnesses, and their immediate families, in matters dealt with by the ODPP. The Manager has a team of 11.7 FTE who manage the WAT caseload and provide support and assistance service in accordance with the Office requirements. The WAT Manager is a member of the ODPP Executive.

Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1991

Criminal Assets Confiscations Act 2005

Refer to the Attorney-General’s Department 2023-24 Annual Report.

Reporting on the following aspects of the ODPP corporate functions is included within the Attorney-General's Department 2023-24 Annual Report.

• Corporate performance summary;
• Employment opportunity programs;
• Performance management and development systems;
• Work health and safety and return to work programs;
• Executive employment in the ODPP;
• Financial performance of the ODPP;
• Consultants
• Contractors
• Risk management, Fraud and Public Interest Disclosure; and
• Public complaints, compliments and feedback.

The ODPP briefs the conduct of some trials to the private bar. The number of matters briefed and the overall cost is provided below: