DJPR (Department of Jobs, Precincts & Regions) Tatura

Mar 14th, 2020

Firstly, a quick disclaimer: I worked for this State Government Department (& its many predecessors) for almost 25 years, with more than 20 of them based at this site. My review of the site will therefore be based upon (& biased towards) my own experiences while working at the site. For the most part, I found the DJPR to be great place to work, thanks mostly to the other staff (& most of the management) that work there. This particular site was (& probably still is) staffed by people from a wide range of backgrounds, nationalities & cultures, which, when combined with their even wider variety of skills & qualifications, create a stimulating & ever changing working environment, where all employees are encouraged (but never forced) to push themselves outside of their comfort zone, to reach whatever goals they have set themselves. With the help of some great local leadership, this diverse group of staff have meshed together to create a very welcoming, & supportive environment for both existing staff, & anyone new to the site, regardless of the challenge(s) they may face. While theyre always there for each other when needed (both professionally & on more personal matters - if requested), they always manage to uphold & present the professional standards expected of all State Government employees. Although most staff work in a field thats related to Agriculture in some way, they come from a wide range of professional backgrounds & qualifications (from Certificate to PhD level), including: Soil Scientists, Statisticians/Biometricians, Hydrogeologists & Hydrologists, Vets & Animal Health Officers, Spatial Scientists, Agronomists, IT Professionals, Image Processors, Extension Officers, Technical Officers, Finance/Administration/HR Officers, Extension Officers, Pest Plant & Animal Control & Enforcement Officers, & a wide range of other Agricultural &/or administrative related professions. With all this diversity, the dedicated, intelligent & friendly staff manage get on very well together & are always prepared to help each other out when needed, & this really comes to the for when emergencies occur.... Regardless of whether its fire, flood, pest plants &/or animals, biological/infectious agents & diseases, personal injuries, or some other emergency (Including {as/when appropriate} more personal matters), those staff with the appropriate training are always prepared to drop what they are doing, to help out in whatever way is needed. Meanwhile, those staff who are unable to directly help with the emergency, will takeover the essential parts of the ongoing work of those who are directly helping, thus ensuring everything that needs to be done is done! Unfortunately, due to repeated & ongoing funding cuts, changes in Government policy & priorities, & an increased Melbourne centric approach, the number of people based at this site has been declining for many years, especially in the last 5 years (~2017 - 2022). Due to this, the site has become just a shell of its former self, with staff numbers dropping from a peak of around 200 people in the mid to late 1990s to less than 50 by the end of 2022, with many of those few remaining staff spending much of their time Working from Home or other off site locations. It is not unusual for there to be fewer than 20 people working on site most days now. This reduction in staff numbers has meant that many aspects of agriculture once researched at the site are know longer covered, & those areas still covered are done at a much more superficial level than they once were!
Oct 30th, 2022