transformation. innovation. resilience. · 2020. 10. 14. · both mitra khakbaz and pino...

Transformation. Innovation.Resilience.

Annual Report 2019 -2020

National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters

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Annual Report 2019 -2020

1Annual Report 2019-2020

Message from the Chair .....................................................................................................2

Message from the CEO .......................................................................................................4

About Us ............................................................................................................................ 7

1.1 Our Identity ..............................................................................................................8

1.2 Our Purpose ............................................................................................................8

1.3 Members of NAATI and their Representatives ....................................................... 10

1.4 NAATI’s Board of Directors .................................................................................... 12

Year in Review .................................................................................................................. 17

2.1 Summary ............................................................................................................... 18

2.2 More Languages, More Opportunities .................................................................. 18

2.3 Investing in Innovation ......................................................................................... 21

2.4 The Facts ..............................................................................................................25

This is NAATI .................................................................................................................... 27

3.1 Our Values ..............................................................................................................28

3.2 Our Culture - Diverse & Engaged ...........................................................................29

3.3 Examiners and Role-Players ................................................................................. 30

3.4 Our Committees .................................................................................................... 31

Funding and Engagement ................................................................................................33

4.1 Funding Initiatives .................................................................................................34 4.2 Industry Engagement ...........................................................................................36

Financial Summary ........................................................................................................... 37

Contents

2 NAATI

Message from the Chair

The last twelve months have been challenging on so many fronts – raging bushfires on the back of extended drought, followed by the devastating COVID-19 pandemic.

And yet, the theme of this year’s annual report – Transformation. Innovation. Resilience – reflects the strength and depth of our organisation, and our ability to keep achieving. To realise our vision of a connected community without language barriers.

It is within this context that I am pleased to be able to present my third annual report as Chair of the NAATI Board.

COVID-19 continues to present many challenges to NAATI, but it has also delivered many opportunities for us to work smarter, take a considered look at how we do business and make even better use of technology.

During difficult times we have continued to deliver against the priorities of our 5 Strategic Pillars, and I want to emphasise what we have been doing to support the development and sustainability of the translating and interpreting profession.

In particular, work has focused on delivering online certified translation

testing as well as enabling online Ethical Competency and Intercultural Competency testing and delivering online examiner workshops. These have been essential for our organisation and the profession in a time of remote working and remote learning.

Supporting the industry was a critical consideration in announcing a 50% recertification fee waiver until 30 June 2021 as the pandemic took hold, recognising early on the impact it would have on the profession.

The transition to the certification system came to an end in December 2019 and our focus since then has been on expanding certification tests to more languages. As part of this progression, we have also been able to deliver our first Specialist Interpreter tests for the health and legal sector, as well as Deaf Interpreter testing.

Our overarching focus on the translating and interpreting profession has informed the ongoing development of NAATI’s Credentialing Management System (NCMS), improving data management, reporting and operational efficiency. Our practitioner portal, provides translators and interpreters with the ability to manage their own information and record work practice and professional development activities.

In the midst of the global storm that is COVID-19 we have a greater understanding of the value of the translating and interpreting sector, and the importance of our support for the continuous development of the industry.

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Within our organisation we continue to develop our workforce capability in the areas of leadership, governance, policy, information technology and change management, reducing risk and supporting business continuity.

Our digital transformation continued during the year, with migration to a cloud-based Office 365 environment and the launch of our new, and well-received, website. This work was critical to our business continuity during the pandemic. It continues with a strong focus on using industry-standard software to improve collaboration across the organisation and improve customer experience.

Despite its challenges, the year has been one of improving our business and the services we provide to translators and interpreters, and ultimately, the wider community. The next twelve months look equally challenging as we return to the new way of working - a task that is well within the capabilities of NAATI.

I am grateful for the ongoing support of our Member Governments, and the expert advice provided by the Technical Reference Advisory Committee and the National Indigenous Languages Interpreting Advisory Committee during the year.

On behalf of the Board I would like to acknowledge the work of our CEO, Mark Painting, and NAATI staff for their commitment and dedication during this challenging year.

In closing, I thank my fellow Directors and recognise the contribution to the Board of both Mitra Khakbaz and Pino Migliorino, whose tenures expired during the year. Their expertise and commitment will be missed.

Voula Messimeri AMCHAIR

4 NAATI

Welcome to NAATI’s annual report for 2019-2020, an opportunity to understand what we have been working on for the last twelve months and learn about our continued commitment to the translating and interpreting profession.

As the Chair has already written, this year has not been without its challenges. Yet, as I reflect on our performance over this period, I remain convinced that the journey we embarked upon in 2018 was the right one.

Moving to a certification-based system has given the industry more rigour, clearer pathways for practitioners and, most importantly, greater opportunities in the profession and in supporting our vision to maximise people’s ability to participate in Australian society.

The theme for this year’s annual report represents an acknowledgment of our journey (transformation), how we have met past and present challenges (innovation), and the ability of NAATI to perform (resilience) in circumstances most have described as unprecedented in our lifetime.

Transformation

We have been able to increase our capacity by building on the work of

previous years, notably completing the transition to a certification-based system.

Support for our stakeholders and customers has been enhanced through the opening of state-of-the-art premises in both Melbourne and Perth, the launch of a new website and our ongoing digital transformation. These initiatives underscore our commitment to future developments in a changing world.

As an organisation, we continue to develop the capability of our workforce through ongoing development and a complete reframing of our values through a new Code of Conduct that reflects our commitment and aspirations as an organisation.

Innovation

With face-to-face testing postponed due to COVID-19, we have been able to show that we are an innovative and agile organisation, quickly developing online solutions to testing and workshops.

Our credentialing management system has also undergone a number of improvements to provide a better user experience for our customers and stakeholders and NAATI’s staff.

Message from the CEO

Innovation has been a key factor in meeting the needs of our stakeholders in difficult circumstances, as have been the contributions of our people.

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Despite difficult circumstances we continue to demonstrate that we are a forward-thinking organisation with the intention of meeting local and global challenges.

Resilience

In the middle of March this year, we collectively packed up and took our offices into our homes. The transition to a fundamentally different way of working was not easy but, from a business perspective, it was successful.

NAATI’s people have shown that, despite the impact of COVID-19 on all aspects of their lives, they are willing and capable of business-as-usual in very unusual circumstances.

In a year of enormous upheaval, we have shown that we are up to the challenge and I would like to thank all of our staff for their contribution and adaptability over the

last twelve months, particularly for their commitment and performance in working remotely.

Finally, I want to take this opportunity to thank the NAATI Chair and Directors for their support through this challenging period.

Mark PaintingChief Executive Officer

About Us

Left to Right: Giuseppe (Pino) Migliorino AM, Dr Michael Cooke, Mary Gurgone, John Williams PSM,

Voula Messimeri AM (Chair), Mitra Khakbaz

NAATI’s Board of Directors

8 NAATI

1.1 Our Identity

NAATI’s creation dates back almost 50 years, to 1973, when Commonwealth and State ministers responsible for immigration sought advice, from the Committee on Overseas Professional Qualifications, on standards for the translating and interpreting services available to the public.

This led to the formation in 1977 of NAATI, whose first significant tasks were to determine standards for levels of accreditation for interpreters and translators and to conduct a survey of the industry in order to gain insights into how it functioned and to understand its challenges. NAATI then became incorporated as a company in 1984.

Much has happened in the intervening years, with NAATI now certifying practitioners in 179 languages including 40 Indigenous languages.

As Australia’s only standards and certifying authority for translators and interpreters, NAATI occupies a unique position, locally and globally.

NAATI is a not-for-profit organisation, jointly owned by all the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments and governed by a Board of Directors appointed by our owners.Our aim is to be a respected and recognised global leader in the provision of certification services for translators and interpreters, to provide quality services, and to be responsive to the community and organisations that benefit from our services.

Within this context NAATI is recognised as a quality assurance scheme, a peak non-government body, and a pioneer in the world of certifying translators and interpreters.

1.2 Our Purpose

NAATI’s purpose is to set and maintain high national standards for the translating and interpreting sector which, in turn, allows for an adequate supply of appropriately certified professionals in Australia.

Our certification system provides quality assurance and confidence to people who rely on these services to participate effectively in our society.

This approach is responsive to, and reflects, the changing needs and demography of Australia’s culturally and linguistically diverse society. It is crucial to our vision of ‘a connected community without language barriers.’

Encompassing this vision and mission are NAATI’s strategic priorities, which are part of our current three-year Strategic Plan 2019-2021.

9Year in Review

NAATI’s organisational structure reflects its commitment to delivering high standards in certification for the translating and interpreting sector, its effective interaction with the industry through advisory committees, and its positive relationship with all Australian governments.

NAATI operates right across Australia, with its head office in Canberra. Regional offices are located in Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.

NAATI’s Governance Structure

Members of NAATI(9 Australian Government Ministers)

Board of Directors

Chief Executive Officer

Finance & Corporate Services

Corporate Governance & Human Resources

National Operations & Service Delivery

Regional Offices

Certification Policy & Development

IT & Communications

Audit & Risk Committee

Regional Advisory Committees

National Indigenous Languages Advisory Committee

Technical Reference Advisory Committee

Driving Innovation & Quality in Certification

Embedding the certification system, continuous improvement of processes and technology to

enhance quality and integrity.

Building Organisational Capability

Strengthening capacity by streamlining core business and

information technology processes and developing policy and people

capability.

Promoting Brand Awareness & Engagement

Promoting products and services so that NAATI remains a trusted

brand and recognised as an integral part of the community.

Partnering with key stakeholders and investing in capability and capacity building to ensure the sustainability of the translating and interpreting

profession.

Ensuring Financial Sustainability

Identifying alternative revenue streams by diversifying services offered by NAATI, supporting its viability into the future to

ensure NAATI continues to enable a linguistically connected community.

Strategic Pillars

Supporting the Development & Sustainability of the Profession

10 NAATI

Commonwealth Government The Hon. Alan Tudge MPMinister for Population, Cities and Urban InfrastructureActing Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs

Australian Capital TerritoryMr Chris Steel MLAMinister for Tertiary EducationMinister for TransportMinister for City ServicesMinister for Multicultural AffairsMinister for Recycling and Waste ReductionMinister for Roads and Active Travel

New South WalesThe Hon. Dr Geoff Lee MPMinister for Skills and Tertiary EducationActing Minister for Sport,Multiculturalism, Seniors and Veterans

Northern TerritoryThe Hon. Nicole Manison MLAMinister for Police, Fire and Emergency ServicesTreasurerMinister for Multicultural Affairs

QueenslandThe Hon. Stirling Hinchliffe MPMinister for Local GovernmentMinister for RacingMinister for Multicultural Affairs

South AustraliaThe Hon. Jing Lee MLCAssistant Minister to the Premier

Represented by:Mr Steve BiddleFirst Assistant SecretaryImmigration and Settlement Services GroupDepartment of Home Affairs

Represented by: Ms Jenny WellsSenior ManagerCommunity Services DirectorateACT Government

Represented by:Mr Joseph La PostaChief Executive OfficerMulticultural NSW

Represented by: Ms Michelle WalkerExecutive DirectorCommunity Services Department of Housing and Community DevelopmentNorthern Territory Government

Represented by: Mr Wayne BriscoeExecutive DirectorMulticultural Affairs Queensland and EngagementDepartment of Local Government, Racing and Multicultural Affairs

Represented by:Ms Justine Kennedy, Director Multicultural Affairs, Department of the Premier and Cabinet

1.3 Members of NAATI and their Representatives

NAATI’s Members are those Ministers responsible for multicultural/settlement, languageand/or citizenship affairs in each of the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments.

Members may also appoint a representative to exercise their powers in relation to NAATI.

The current (as of 30 June 2020) Members and their appointed representatives are:

11About Us

TasmaniaThe Hon. Jeremy Rockliff MPDeputy PremierMinister for Disability Services and Community DevelopmentMinister for Education and TrainingMinister for Mental Health and WellbeingMinister for TradeMinister for Advanced Manufacturing and Defence Industries

VictoriaThe Hon. Ros Spence MPMinister for Multicultural AffairsMinister for Community SportMinister for Youth

Western AustraliaThe Hon. Paul Papalia CSC MLAMinister for TourismMinister for Racing and GamingMinister for Small BusinessMinister for Defence IssuesMinister for Citizenship and Multicultural Interests

Represented by: Ms Wanda BuzaAssistant Director – Specialist PolicyCommunities, Sport and Recreation TasmaniaDepartment of Premier and Cabinet

Represented by:Mr John Batho Executive Director, Multicultural Affairs and Social Cohesion, Equality Fairer Victoria Group, Department of Premier and Cabinet

Represented by: Ms Kim EllwoodExecutive DirectorOffice of Multicultural InterestsDepartment of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries

Front: Luke Mansfield (Commonwealth), Wanda Buza (TAS Memb. Rep)Second: Silvia McNamara (NAATI), Jenny Wells (ACT Memb. Rep), Justine Kennedy (SA Memb. Rep)Middle: James Jegasothy (WA), Hakan Akyol (VIC Memb. Rep)Back: George Bisas (NSW), Wayne Briscoe (QLD Memb. Rep), John Williams (NAATI Director), Mark Painting (NAATI CEO)

12 NAATI

1.4 NAATI’s Board of Directors

VOULA MESSIMERI AM - CHAIR

Ms Messimeri AM was appointed to the NAATI Board on 1 November 2014, bringing significant experience and skills as an executive and non-executive director.

She is a past CEO of the Australian Greek Welfare Society (AGWS) and past Chair of the peak multicultural national body, the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA). Ms Messimeri has served in leadership positions on several community management bodies and on Boards such

as the RMIT University Council and the RMIT Training Board.

She served for 15 years as Director on the Victorian Interpreting and Translating Service (VITS) Board and was Deputy Chairperson twice in that time.

She has served on Ministerial State and Federal advisory structures across diverse areas, including health, ageing, income support and media, and was a member of the Australian Multicultural Advisory Council.

Ms Messimeri has occupied the role of Chairperson and, until recently, as Patron of In Touch Inc. (the Multicultural Centre against Family Violence).

She is a Fellow of the Williamson Community Leadership Program and has been awarded honorary life membership for her significant contributions and leadership by FECCA and AGWS. The Greek Government recognised her service to the Australian Greek diaspora in 2009.

Ms Messimeri was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women and recognised under the Order of Australia for her contribution to refugees, migrants and women.

Ms Messimeri’s term expires on 30 October 2023.

13Year in Review

GIUSEPPE (PINO) MIGLIORINO AM - DEPUTY CHAIR

Mr Pino Migliorino AM was appointed to the NAATI Board on 15 May 2014. He was born in Bari, Italy in 1959 and migrated to Australia in 1964.

Mr Migliorino founded Cultural Perspectives Group twenty-four years ago. This group of companies are sector leaders in consulting, researching and communicating with culturally and linguistically diverse and Indigenous communities in Australia.

Prior to working in the private sector, he held important positions in the third sector and in government, including Executive Officer of the Ethnic Communities Council (ECC) of NSW, NSW Regional Coordinator for the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Senior Conciliator at the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission (HREOC), and Principal Policy Officer at the Ethnic Affairs Commission of NSW.

Mr Migliorino is an acknowledged expert in immigration, multicultural affairs and social policy areas relevant to diversity. In 2017, he was made a member of the Order of Australia.

He has a BA and Dip. Ed (Secondary), is a Fellow of the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA), a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and a Qualified Practising Market Researcher (QPMR).

Mr Migliorino’s term expired on 14 May 2020.

JOHN WILLIAMS PSM

Mr Williams was appointed to the NAATI Board on 1 September 2014.

He joined the Department of Immigration in Melbourne in 1964, gaining extensive senior management experience before retiring in December 2008.

His overseas appointments include serving in the Australian High Commission London from 1973 to 1975, the Australian Embassy in Belgrade from 1975 to 1977 and 1983 to 1985, the Australian Embassy

in Cairo from 1978 to 1979, and the Australian Consulate Cape Town from 1979 to 1982.

Mr Williams was notably involved with multicultural and consular communities in his assignments both overseas and in Australia. While working in Australia, he built strong working relationships with other government agencies at the Federal and State levels.

He was awarded a Public Service Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honour list in 2008 in recognition of his work with Australia’s multicultural communities. Since retiring from the public service, he has established his own consultancy to assist multicultural communities to better connect with and access services within society.

Mr Williams’ term expires on 31 August 2020.

14 NAATI

MARY GURGONE

Mary Gurgone was appointed to the NAATI Board on 1 November 2014. She is the Director of the Centre for Capability and Culture with extensive executive experience in Government, private sector and community organisations.

She was selected Chair and member of various Board and Audit and Finance Committees. She is a founding member, Fellow and former National President of the Australian Institute of interpreters and translators (AUSIT).

Ms Gurgone has a Master of Business, and a Bachelor of Arts, as well as qualifications in governance, teaching, vocational education, and interpreting and translating.

In 2016 she led her organisation to win the WA Government’s Multicultural Award. She has introduced a range of interpreting and translating programs in the vocational education and training sector and presented at International, National and State conferences on policy, evaluation, diversity and inclusion.

Ms Gurgone’s personal experience as a migrant has led to her commitment and deep skill development in the cross-linguistic and cross-cultural sectors.

She continues to be involved with international organisations such as Zonta International in leadership roles focusing on governance, inclusion, culture and domestic violence. She has significant experience in working with Aboriginal communities, including in the Kimberley in Western Australia.

Ms Gurgone’s term expires on 31 October 2020.

MITRA KHAKBAZ

Ms Mitra Khakbaz was appointed to the NAATI Board on 1 December 2016. She is the Deputy CEO of HOST International working across the Asia Pacific region.

Ms Khakbaz was formerly the Executive Manager with MDA Ltd, where she oversaw regional settlement, employment, community wellbeing, youth settlement, case work and intensive support services.

She has worked in the multicultural sector since coming to Australia from Iran in 1994. She has a strong commitment to women’s and children’s rights and in 2013 was awarded a Churchill Fellowship for improving the economic participation of refugee women at risk.

Ms Khakbaz has many years of high-level involvement with various community organisations. She was a Board Member of DV Connect for over 10 years until 2012 and has been a management committee member of the Immigrant Women’s Support Service and the Churchill Fellowship Association of Queensland.

15Year in Review

She is currently the co-chair of the Queensland Community Alliance and is also a Director with the Buddies Refugee Support Group. She holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Linguistics, a Master’s Degree in Social Administration and a Postgraduate Diploma in Community Development and Social Policy.

Ms Khakbaz’s term expired on 30 November 2019.

DR MICHAEL COOKE

Dr Michael Cooke was appointed to the NAATI Board on 1 December 2017 and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

He is a NAATI Recognised Practising Interpreter and Translator in Djambarrpuyngu, one of the languages spoken by the Yolngu people of North East Arnhem Land. He completed his PhD in linguistics in 1997, becoming a specialist in legal interpreting and forensic linguistics.

He is widely known as an expert in his field, researching, presenting, providing expert evidence as a forensic linguist and publishing extensively in language and the law.

As Principal of Intercultural Communications he has provided training for Indigenous language interpreters and consultancy services for agencies that use them, particularly in the health, legal and judicial domains.

His long-standing relationship with NAATI began with chairing the Northern Territory Regional Advisory Committee in 1995 and includes previously providing professional assistance to NAATI as a trainer, examiner and consultant.

Dr Cooke’s term expires on 30 November 2020.

Every day, the work done behind the scenes to make certification available in the most needed languages brings us closer to a better-connected community.

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Year in Review

18 NAATI

2.1 Summary

This year has been pivotal, both in developing our certification system and in providing our customers with improved levels of service.

We have increased the number of languages for certification testing by more than 60%, developed Specialist Interpreter (legal and health) certification and implemented a new service portal to provide more timely and accurate responses to both email and telephone enquiries.

We have also introduced online testing for our Intercultural and Ethical prerequisite tests and, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have looked at innovative ways to replace some of our existing face-to-face tests.

Combined with new and dedicated testing venues in both Melbourne and Perth, this exemplifies how NAATI has been proactive in improving its services and delivering a better experience for candidates.

Work has continued on our Indigenous Interpreting Project, with the development of improved test materials and the training of experienced Interpreters to work as role-players and examiners for the new certification tests.

2.2 More Languages, More Opportunities

NAATI has further developed the certification system that was first introduced in January 2018, and significant progress has been made.

We now offer certification testing in 37 languages across all test types and levels, representing an increase since 30 June 2019 of more than 60%. Of great importance has been the work undertaken to make certification testing available in a wider variety of languages for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) communities in Australia, for which translators and interpreters are needed.

These additional languages include Bangla, Burmese, Dari, Deaf Sign Language, Filipino, Malay, Nepali, Pashto, Somali, Swahili, Tamil and Thai.

This enormous task would not have been possible without the expertise and dedication of NAATI staff and stakeholders such as NAATI’s examiners and industry experts.

Additionally, we have developed Specialist Interpreter (legal and health) certification and created online testing for the Intercultural and Ethical competencies, with the latter now including a range of training resources for both examiners and candidates.

Deaf Interpreting Focus

During the year, we introduced a Certified Provisional Deaf Interpreter test, which debuted in both Melbourne and Perth in November 2019, with nineteen candidates taking part in this milestone for the Deaf community.

19Year in Review

The test was developed through consultation with members of the Deaf community, including Deaf Interpreters, Auslan Interpreters and students enrolled in the Diploma of Interpreting Studies.

Candidates sitting the Certified Provisional Deaf Interpreter test were required to demonstrate their ability to interpret between Auslan and non-conventional sign language (NCSL) through two live role-play dialogue tests involving an English speaker, an Auslan interpreter (hearing) and a NCSL user.

Candidates were expected to work primarily in consecutive mode throughout the dialogue as appropriate, but could also use simultaneous mode. They also had to complete two sight translation tasks, one from written English into NCSL and the other from written English into Auslan. The test covered three of the five language combinations/skills currently recognised under NAATI’s certification system.

NAATI CEO Mark Painting and Chairperson of ASLIA Julie Judd

Indigenous Interpreting Project

Since 2012, NAATI has been working with Australian governments and Indigenous organisations to:

• increase the number of NAATI certified Indigenous language interpreters

• increase the range of Indigenous languages for which there are NAATI Certified Interpreters, and

• increase the accessibility of interpreting resources for Indigenous language interpreters and organisations.

20 NAATI

The Commonwealth Government has supported this work with funding since 2015.Indigenous language interpreters in Australia play a vital role in ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can participate equitably in Australian society.

Indigenous language interpreters are highly skilled professionals who have demonstrated that they have the skills needed to practise as an interpreter in Australia.

In the 2016 Census, it was reported that almost 64,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians spoke one of 150 Indigenous languages at home. This represented ten percent of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population in Australia.

In 2018, NAATI’s new certification scheme was launched, and 150 Indigenous language practitioners were transitioned to this system. Over the past twelve months, there has been a strong focus on rolling out the new system for aspiring certification candidates. This has involved the development of new test material and the training of experienced interpreters to work as role-players and examiners for the new certification tests.

The first of the certification tests in Yumplatok and Kalaw Kawaw Ya languages, from the Torres Strait, were delivered successfully at a workshop in Cairns in November 2019.Another certification workshop was provided in Darwin in December 2019, with tests delivered successfully in Dhuwaya, Djambarrpuyngu and Gumatj languages from the Northern Territory.

NAATI has certified interpreters and translators practising in 179 languages including 40 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages across Australia. This number is set to grow in the next twelve months, with testing to commence in the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.

Among the year’s challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic presented an urgent need for information to be shared accurately to communities across Australia. This has been particularly important for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, especially those in remote areas, due to high levels of chronic disease and reduced access to health care.

Indigenous interpreters and translators have played a crucial role in ensuring their communities are informed of the risks, rules, safety measures and progress of the pandemic. NAATI acknowledges the significance of this work and its contribution to a connected community without language barriers.

With COVID-19 enforced travel restrictions in place across Australia during 2020, it was not possible to deliver face-to-face certification testing for Indigenous language interpreters. In response, several training packages were adapted for online delivery which, in turn, provided an opportunity to test and refine online training and testing models that will, in the next financial year, reach Indigenous language interpreters across Australia.

Ethical and Intercultural Competencies remain essential skills for professional interpreters, as well as an important step to NAATI certification. This year, we delivered training in these skills to 30 Indigenous language interpreters from 20 different language groups.

21Year in Review

Eighteen candidates passed both the Ethical and Intercultural components, and they are now eligible to progress to certification testing. The remaining candidates will be supported with supplementary testing opportunities so that they can also progress to certification.

Specialist Interpreter Certification

First introduced in 2019, the Certified Specialist Interpreter test is aimed at highly competent language users who are Certified Interpreters, understand the specialised terminology in the legal and/or health professions, and have extensive experience in the appropriate domain/s.

The Certified Specialist Interpreter test is comprised of an online knowledge test and four interpreting tasks designed to assess a candidate’s ability to provide high quality, professional interpreting of complex and specialised spoken language in a specified language combination.

Following the initial pilot program and further refinement, NAATI conducted the first Mandarin Certified Specialist Interpreter tests for both legal and health specialisations in December 2019.

This testing was also made available for Korean and Japanese, with more languages to be offered in the next financial year.

2.3 Investing in Innovation

Customer Service Improvements

Responsiveness to, and support for, candidates and practitioners has always been a fundamental part of the way we operate.

Resources have been invested in new helpdesk software, which assists NAATI in meeting the needs of our customers through the provision of timely and accurate responses to both email and telephone enquiries. Although behind the scenes, this system was instrumental in enabling our staff to respond effectively to an initial four-fold increase in enquiries at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the year, NAATI resolved 84.2% of responses in less than a day (for 7,408 queries) and on average certification test results were issued within 6.3 weeks.

Subtle changes that may have gone unnoticed, but are no less important, include the roll-out of our cloud-based telephony system across all sites, which has simplified our support platform, increased operational effectiveness, and resulted in improvements to services for our customers.

In aiming to provide better information to candidates, practitioners and institutions, we have already released test dates until July 2022. Coupled with website improvements that allow candidates to identify, in real time, the number of places available in upcoming tests, this further improves our services.

22 NAATI

Future enhancements will include notifications that show upcoming recertification due dates, test dates and new test sessions, while new testing platforms will allow candidates to undertake NAATI tests outside major cities.

Online Testing

In June 2020, we successfully ran the first Ethical Competency and Intercultural Competency tests online. As part of this virtual testing environment, we introduced a self-directed training component for candidates.

This component is aimed at increasing each candidate’s understanding of the Ethics of the Profession and the importance of Intercultural Competency as a skill for interpreters and translators.

On completion of the training component, candidates are eligible to take the online Ethical Competency and Intercultural Competency tests.

In addition to providing candidates with an improved experience, NAATI has leveraged this innovation to provide more online training for its examiners to support the marking of these prerequisite tests for interpreters and translators.

This online testing has received significant praise from candidates and examiners, and from within NAATI, with one staff member commenting:

“It’s been exciting to be involved in the transition to a more modern system that takes advantage of new technologies. This is what our commitment to implementing the recommendations of the Improvements to NAATI Testing report was all about.”

A move to online testing has been part of NAATI’s strategy for some time, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and forced closure of offices (but not operations) precipitated the need to replace some face-to-face testing with a valid alternative.

New Perth Office New Melbourne Office

23Year in Review

Better Venues, Better Outcomes

As part of our continued commitment to the translating and interpreting sector, and to provide improved facilities for our candidates, this year we completed the construction of two new, dedicated testing venues – one in Melbourne and the other in Perth.

Our busiest office, Melbourne, hosts almost 8,000 candidates every year. The office relocation has resulted in a purpose-built facility with eleven dedicated test rooms, a 70-person waiting area, two multi-purpose function/boardrooms, and office space for up to 20 NAATI staff.

Each test room has high quality audio and video recording, with the further refinement of correct wall colours to enhance video recordings of Auslan candidates. Additionally, the multi-purpose rooms will be used for functions and Board meetings, and for enabling engagement within our industry.

An important feature of this venue is our ‘Good Luck’ message in the waiting room, which reflects the multicultural depth of our organisation and candidates. It is written in the 29 languages spoken in the Melbourne NAATI office.

Although somewhat smaller, the Perth facility has also been redesigned with candidate needs in mind, resulting in the creation of five dedicated test rooms with the same acoustic principles established at the Melbourne office.

The office work was completed during the COVID-19 shutdown and, although not yet used, operations will commence in July 2020 after the lifting of social distancing restrictions in Western Australia.

24 NAATI

The Certification System

There are several pathways to gain a NAATI Certification or Recognised Practising credential. Each pathway has a number of prerequisites an individual needs to satisfy before they can sit a certification test.

25Year in Review

2.4 The Facts

Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic impacted our operations, particularly in relation to testing, NAATI’s response plan ensured that essential activity was able to continue. This is largely attributable to the successful digital transformation strategy implemented over the last two years.

As of 30 June 2020, there are now:

• 15,621 practitioners holding 20,683 credentials

• 227 credentials in 40 Indigenous languages

• 33 institutions in our Endorsed Qualification program

Distribution of Credentials at 30 June 2020

The following table shows the geographical distribution of credentials.

205

ACT NSW NT QLD SA TAS VIC WA OS

8000

7000

6000

5000

4000

3000

2000

1000

0

535

1937

1282779

1017 1019

7462

6447

26 NAATI

Credentials Awarded from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020

The following table provides details of credentialling outcomes during this financial year, noting that a little more than 92% were awarded to transition of credentials from the now obsolete accreditation system. The transition period has now ended.

Endorsed Qualifications

NAATI endorsed qualifications are tertiary translation and interpreting qualifications, at diploma level or higher, provided by Higher Education and Vocational Education Training institutions. The program recognises those institutions that have the required teaching and assessment skills required by the translating and interpreting profession. There were 33 EQ institutions at 30 June 2020.

CREDENTIALS TRANSITION TESTING / ASSESSMENT TOTAL

Certified Conference Interpreter 9 0 9

Certified Advanced Translator 5 0 5

Certified Interpreter 176 34 210

Certified Translator>English 218 61 279

Certified Translator>LOTE 3,733 103 3,836

Certified Provisional Interpreter 1,601 105 1,706

Recognised Practising Interpreter 17 165 182

Recognised Practising Translator 17 25 42

Total 5,776 493 6,269

NSW

ACT

VIC

TAS

WA

SA

QLD

10

1

1

1

5

5

73NZ

CREDENTIALS TRANSITION TESTING / ASSESSMENT TOTAL

Certified Conference Interpreter 9 0 9

Certified Advanced Translator 5 0 5

Certified Interpreter 176 34 210

Certified Translator>English 218 61 279

Certified Translator>LOTE 3,733 103 3,836

Certified Provisional Interpreter 1,601 105 1,706

Recognised Practising Interpreter 17 165 182

Recognised Practising Translator 17 25 42

Total 5,776 493 6,269

This is NAATI“

“NAATI is a unique organisation, exemplified by its broad ownership, diverse Board, and a wealth of expertise across its staff.

28 NAATI

3.1 Our Values

At the core of our organisation are the values we work to, which have been comprehensively reviewed and updated over the last twelve months to underpin how NAATI conducts its business.

Respect, Integrity and Professionalism define who we are. As a values-based organisation, we fully understand that how we treat one another and conduct our business will have implications for our operations and our reputation.

We recognise that we are individually and collectively the custodians of our reputation, and we are all responsible for upholding our values and preserving the trust of our stakeholders.

Respect

NAATI values diversity and ensures that our workplace is inclusive and welcoming. Differences in thought, ideas, cultures and traditions are intrinsic to how we operate, and nurturing a fair and equitable workplace is critical to our success.

Encouraging the free and robust exchange of knowledge and ideas makes us more effective, while communicating with empathy, courtesy and politeness enables us to be more collaborative.

Integrity

NAATI continues to provide a trusted and reliable service and ensure that our decision-making is always open and transparent.

We will be ethical in our conduct and approach and confront behaviours that are inconsistent with our values.

Professionalism

NAATI aims to provide exceptional customer service which would not be possible without valuing the contributions of all employees and stakeholders.

29This is NAATI

We will use our initiative to solve problems and find ways to innovate and improve our services, embracing change and remaining calm and objective in difficult situations.

Finally, NAATI wants to be recognised for how we value and promote the specialist knowledge, skills and expertise required of the translating and interpreting profession.

Pino Migliorino AM, Voula Messimeri AM, Mary Gurgone (NAATI Directors)

3.2 Our Culture - Diverse and Engaged

NAATI understands that, by combining our individual and collective efforts, we will continue to be recognised as a trusted and integral part of the culturally and linguistically diverse communities in which we live.

NAATI is committed to supporting and growing a diverse workforce and inclusive workplace that:

• values the diversity of its employees, contractors, customers and stakeholders

• supports the right of all employees to be treated with dignity, fairness and respect

• is fair and equitable

• is free from unlawful and harmful behaviours such as bullying, harassment, victimisation and discrimination, and

• enables employees to feel confident to contribute their ideas and diverse perspectives, leading to more creativity and innovation.

During this last financial year, NAATI involved its employees in developing its new values: Respect, Integrity and Professionalism. These values underpin everything we do and form the foundations of our new Code of Conduct and Diversity and Inclusion Policy developed during the year.

30 NAATI

Employee wellbeing

A priority focus during the year was the health and wellbeing of employees; in particular during the COVID-19 pandemic, as we moved to working from home arrangements at the end of March 2020.

NAATI’s intranet portal became our central communication hub for staff to stay connected with each other across Australia. Intranet posts were used extensively to share information and resources, providing employees with information on COVID-19 and self-help checklists. Having video conferencing functionality was critical in keeping NAATI employees connected nationally via meetings, phone calls and webinars.

NAATI also offers employees an Employee Assistance Program and this service is available to support employees and their families during difficult times. The program offers all staff nationally a range of counselling services, self-help tools, a mobile app and various checklists and webinars.

Our recent digital transformation meant we could stay connected socially and address isolation issues when working from home. NAATI conducted a staff wellbeing survey in May 2020 to obtain feedback on what worked well during the working from home period and to ensure the wellbeing and productivity of staff. The survey information was vital in planning a return to the office environment that took individual and business needs into account.

In previous years, NAATI has participated in the ACT Government’s Healthier Work program and continued to do so in 2019-2020. Activities during the year included newsletter updates, webinars, support for wellness events including the mentally healthier workplace initiative.

As a diverse and inclusive organisation, our culture is key to our success and the opportunity to share our stories and experiences makes for an engaged and motivated workforce.

3.3 Examiners and Role-players

Examiners are an intrinsic part of NAATI’s work, enabling NAATI to set and maintain high professional standards for assessment of translators and interpreters. Examiners are contracted for their expertise and engaged for setting and assessing a variety of tests.

NAATI greatly appreciates the contribution of these examiners, and the wealth of expertise and experience they contribute in maintaining the profession’s standards.

Role-players also play a key role in delivering the live dialogue tasks of NAATI’s Certified Provisional Interpreter and Certified Interpreter tests.

31This is NAATI

3.4 Our Committees

NAATI’s contribution to the translating and interpreting industry is supported by advice and expertise from its committees, which have a broad membership and experience across the sector.

Dr Adolfo Gentile, Janetta Ziino (NAATI), Dr Marc Orlando

Technical Reference Advisory Committee (TRAC)

This committee has been in operation since 2017 and is a key source of expert advice to the Board and NAATI’s staff on technical translating and interpreting matters.

The TRAC continues to provide independent technical and strategic policy advice to ensure that NAATI remains fit-for-purpose.

As an advisory body, the TRAC has no executive powers or decision-making authority, but complements NAATI’s management and governance committees as well as the network of Regional Advisory Committees (RACs).

The selection of members is based on their broad experience and expertise within the translating and interpreting profession. During the 2019-2020 financial year, the following people served on the committee:

• Professor Ludmila Stern (Chair)

• Gulnara Abbasova

• Ismail Akinci (term commenced 1 January 2020)

• Tea Dietterich

• Dr Adolfo Gentile (term ended 30 December 2019)

• Dr Miranda Lai

• Sandra Leane

32 NAATI

• Dr Marc Orlando

• Magdalena Rowan

• Ranja Zayed (term ended 30 December 2019)

National Indigenous Languages Interpreting Advisory Committee (NILIAC)

The role of this committee is to provide advice to the Board and NAATI staff about issues relating to Indigenous interpreting. The committee fosters communication between NAATI and Indigenous communities in support of our objective to improve the supply of, and demand for, qualified Indigenous interpreters.

The NILIAC is comprised of members with expertise in Indigenous language interpreting, training, education and/or service provision.

The members for the 2019-2020 financial year were:

• Leonora Adidi (Chair)

• Jody Barney

• Anita Bogdanovski

• Deanne Lightfoot

• Lance MacDonald

• Douglas Marmion

• Georgina Nou

• Nicholas Scrymgour

Regional Advisory Committees (RACs)

These committees have existed in some form since the 1980s, providing advice from across Australia through their links with members of the profession and the community.

Committee members are drawn from a cross-section of the profession, including representatives of professional associations, language service providers, government agencies, educational institutions, and individual practitioners.

The main role of these committees is to provide NAATI with advice on local matters relevant to industry needs and professional issues in their region.

Funding and Engagement

34 NAATI

4.1 Funding Initiatives

Research Fund

NAATI continued its investment in promoting relevant translating and interpreting research, with priority areas for funding including:

• certification system quality and scope

• endorsed qualifications

• translating and interpreting practice, and

• broader industry – for example, research to identify priority languages to meet emerging demand within the translating and interpreting sector.

During 2019-2020, the NAATI Board approved funding for two projects:

• Monash University Identification of current gaps in professional development opportunities for translators and interpreters in Australia

• Monash University Building professional competencies in Deafblind communication and interpreting (co-funded with Able Australia and the Australian Research Council).

Industry Development Fund

The Fund is a practical demonstration of NAATI’s strong and continued commitment to support the development of the translating and interpreting profession, in line with our Strategic Plan. The Fund is designed to support projects that address industry needs such as capability, capacity building, and innovation in the Translating and Interpreting profession.

Capability – projects to address issues relevant to professional development, practice methodologies, and other performance or quality improvements in delivering translating and interpreting services and activities.

Capacity Building – projects to address issues relevant to the range and nature of languages in which translating and interpreting capacity needs to be developed or enhanced.

Innovation – projects that could explore the impact of new technologies on practice and standard setting, or the introduction of testing and credentialing frameworks.

35Funding and Engagement

During 2019-2020, the NAATI Board approved funding for five projects:

• Monash University to provide professional development courses in three states for interpreters working in family violence situations

• TAFE SA to develop an online skill-set training program in Auslan

• The Australian Sign Language Interpreters Association to deliver Auslan Interpreter Awareness Training sessions

• Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators (AUSIT) co-funding to establish a training fund to support access to online training for current or potential interpreters in Queensland

• Tasmanian Government further funding for additional scholarships for an Interpreting Skill-set Program (Interpreting Skills for NAATI Certification) consisting of four units of competency.

NAATI staff members, Michael Nemarich and Francesca Cimarelli

36 NAATI 36 NAATI

4.2 Industry Engagement

We have continued our efforts to raise NAATI’s profile, promote the benefits of engaging certified professionals and engage with key stakeholders on significant translating and interpreting industry matters.

Some of the events attended and sponsored during 2019-2020 include:

• Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators (AUSIT) National Conference Hobart – October 2019

• Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) Hobart – October 2019

• International Conference Community Translation (ICCT) RMIT, Melbourne – December 2019

• Advancing Community Cohesion Conference 2020 Sydney – February 2020

• VICForum 2020 Virtual - March 2020

Standards Australia ISO Mirror Committee

In 2016, Australia was awarded participant status on the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) Committee (ISO/TC 37/SC 5) Translating, Interpreting and Related Technology. As a result, Standards Australia established an Australian Mirror Committee to ensure that Australia’s translating and interpreting sector is effectively engage and involved with developing international standards. NAATI continues to be involved with the important work of this Committee in influencing relevant standards and increasing the profile of the translating and interpreting profession in Australia. In May 2020, NAATI’s CEO Mark Painting was appointed Chair of the Australian Standards Mirror Committee for a three-year term.

NAATI CEO Mark Painting with TIS National representatives. L-R: Kathryn, Stephanie, Mark, Aleeda, Robert

Financial Summary for the year ended

30 June 2020

38 NAATI

The following financial summary is based on audited financial statements for 2019-2020 and comparatives for 2018-2019.

Operating Result

NAATI ended the year with a surplus of $3.1M compared to a surplus of $3.8M for 2018-2019. This has resulted in a profit margin of 14% in 2019-2020 compared to 20% in 2018-2019.

Figure 1: Comparison of 2019-2020 performance with the previous year

The operating result for 2019-2020 is less than the previous year despite increase in revenue mainly due to the planned investment in technological advancements and higher testing related expenses.

$-

$5,000,000

$10,000,000

$15,000,000

$20,000,000

$25,000,000

2019-20 2018-19

Total revenue Total expense Net result

2019-2020 2018-2019

Total revenue Total expense

$25,000,000

$20,000,000

$15,000,000

$10,000,000

$5,000,000

$

Net result

39Financial Summary for the year ended 30 June 2020

Revenue

NAATI ended the year with a record high revenue of $22M, the composition of which is as follows:

Figure 2: Composition of revenue for the year ended 30 June 2020

Comparison of 2019-2020 revenue with the previous year:

The revenue for 2019-2020 is $22M compared to $19M in 2018-2019. The main reasons for the increase are as follows:

• additional testing conducted to accommodate increased demand. Travel restrictions due to COVID-19 did not significantly impact test revenue as a number of tests were conducted online.

• received higher transition applications compared to the previous year. The cut-off date for transitioning from the accreditation system to the current certification system was 31 December 2019. This resulted in NAATI receiving 5,325 transition applications in 2019-2020 compared to 3,130 in 2018-2019.

2019-2020 2018-2019

Members contribution 6%

Other operating revenue 4%

Assessment revenue 3%

Project revenue 2% Investment

revenue 2%

Testing revenue 83%

Revenue 2019-2020

40 NAATI

Expenditure

During the year 2019-2020 NAATI incurred $19M in expenditure. The composition of the expenditure is as follows:

Figure 3: Composition of expenditure for the year ended 30 June 2020

Comparison of 2019-2020 expenditure with the previous year:

The expenditure for 2019-2020 is $19M compared to $15M in 2018-2019. The main reasons for the increase are as follows:

• Increase in testing related expenses, examiner payments, venue hire and bank charges in-line with increase in testing revenue.

• Increase in Information Technology expense due to investment in technological advancements including enhancements to the NAATI Credentialing Management System (NCMS) and changes to the customer portal myNAATI to meet the business requirements.

• Increase in employee related expenses due to additional recruitment during the year to meet increased business activity.

• Increase in depreciation expense due to higher capitalisation of NCMS enhancements and amortisation of leased properties as per AASB 16.

Testing and assessment

expenses 70%Other operating expenses 18%

Corporate support & Administration

9%

Projects 2% Corporate Governance &

Compliance 1%

Expenditure 2019-2020

41Financial Summary for the year ended 30 June 2020

Assets

NAATI has $28M in assets as at 30 June 2020. The composition of assets are as follows:

Figure 4: Composition of assets as at 30 June 2020

The major components of assets are as follows:

• NAATI implemented an investment strategy in March 2018 to ensure long-term sustainability and efficient utilisation of surplus funds. In accordance with the investment strategy, NAATI has invested in three portfolios: operational, medium and long-term. The funds invested in the operational portfolio along with investment in term deposits constitute current financial assets. Investment in medium and long-term portfolios make up the non-current financial assets.

• Cash and cash equivalents include cash held in bank accounts and funds held in the cash trust accounts of the investment portfolios.

• Property, plant and equipment consists of office premises leased and considered as assets as per AASB 16, software developed, fit-outs, furniture and fixtures and office equipment.

Current financial assets 35%

Receivables & Prepayments 1%

Property, plant & equipment 16%

Non-current financial assets

20%

Cash & cash equivalents 28%

Assets

42 NAATI

Liabilities

NAATI has $12.3M in liabilities as at 30 June 2020. The composition of liabilities are as follows:

Figure 5: Composition of liabilities as at 30 June 2020

The major components of liabilities are as follows:

• Revenue received in advance relates to testing revenue received, but tests not satas at 30 June 2020.

• Lease liability relates to liability recognised on leased office premises inaccordance with AASB 16.

• Trade and other payables include payments due to examiners and other expenses.

• Employee entitlements include annual and long service leave entitlements.

Lease liability 28%

Trade & Other Payables 8%

Employee entitlements 6% Project funding 2%

Revenue received in advance 56%

Liabilities

National Accreditation Authority forTranslators and Interpreters Ltd(NAATI)ABN: 42 008 596 996

Financial StatementsFor the Year Ended 30 June 2020

National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd (NAATI)ABN: 42 008 596 996

ContentsFor the Year Ended 30 June 2020

Financial StatementsDirectors' ReportAuditors Independence Declaration under Section 307C of the Corporations Act 2001Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive IncomeStatement of Financial PositionStatement of Changes in EquityStatement of Cash FlowsNotes to the Financial StatementsDirectors' DeclarationIndependent Audit Report 40

National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd (NAATI) ABN: 42 008 596 996

Directors' ReportFor the Year Ended 30 June 2020

The directors present their report on National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd (NAATI) for the financial year ended 30 June 2020.

1. General information

Information on directors

The names of each person who has been a director during the year and to the date of this report are:

Voula Messimeri AM ChairExperience Voula Messimeri AM was appointed to the NAATI Board on

1 November 2014, bringing significant experience and skills as an executiveand non-executive director. She is a past CEO of the Australian GreekWelfare Society (AGWS) and past Chair of the peak multicultural nationalbody, the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA).Ms Messimeri has served in leadership positions on several communitymanagement bodies and on Boards such as the RMIT University Counciland the RMIT Training Board. She served for 15 years as Director on theVictorian Interpreting & Translating Service (VITS) Board and was DeputyChairperson twice in that time. She has served on Ministerial, State andFederal advisory structures across diverse areas, including health, ageing,income support and media, and was a member of the Australian MulticulturalAdvisory Council. Ms Messimeri has occupied the role of Chairperson and,until recently, as Patron of In Touch Inc. (the Multicultural Centre againstFamily Violence). She is a Fellow of the Williamson Community LeadershipProgram and has been awarded Honorary life membership for significantcontributions and leadership by FECCA and AGWS. The GreekGovernment recognised her service to the Australian Greek diaspora in2009. Ms Messimeri was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Womenand recognised under the Order of Australia for her contribution to refugees,migrants and women. Ms Messimeri’s term expires on 30 October 2023.

Giuseppe (Pino) Migliorino AM Deputy ChairExperience Pino Migliorino AM was appointed to the NAATI Board on 15 May 2014. He

was born in Bari, Italy in 1959 and migrated to Australia in 1964. Mr Migliorino founded Cultural Perspectives Group 24 years ago. This groupof companies are sector leaders in consulting, researching andcommunicating with culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) andindigenous communities in Australia. Prior to working in the private sector,he held important positions in the third sector and in government, includingExecutive Officer of the Ethnic Communities Council (ECC) of NSW, NSWRegional Coordinator for the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Senior Conciliatorat the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission (HREOC) andPrincipal Policy Officer at the Ethnic Affairs Commission of NSW.Mr Migliorino is an acknowledged expert in immigration, multicultural affairsand social policy areas relevant to diversity. In 2017, he was made amember of the Order of Australia. Pino has a BA and Dip. Ed (Secondary), isa Fellow of the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA), a Graduate ofthe Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and a QualifiedPracticing Market Researcher (QPMR). Mr Migliorino’s term expired on 14May 2020.

1




Information on directorsMr John Williams PSMExperience John Williams was appointed to the NAATI Board on 1 September 2014. He

joined the Department of Immigration in Melbourne in 1964 where he gainedextensive senior management experience before retiring in December 2008.His extensive overseas appointments include serving in the Australian HighCommission London from 1973 to 1975, the Australian Embassy in Belgradefrom 1975 to 1977 and 1983 to 1985, the Australian Embassy in Cairo from1978 to 1979, and the Australian Consulate Cape Town from 1979 to 1982. Mr Williams was extensively involved with multicultural and consularcommunities in his assignments both overseas and in Australia. Whileworking in Australia, he built strong working relationships with othergovernment agencies at the Federal and State level. He was awarded aPublic Service Medal (PSM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honour list in 2008 inrecognition of his work with Australia’s multicultural communities. Sinceretiring from the public service, he has established his own consultancy toassist multicultural communities better connect with and access serviceswithin society. Mr Williams’ term expires on 31 August 2020.

Mary GurgoneExperience Mary Gurgone was appointed to the NAATI Board on 1 November 2014. She

is the Director of the Centre for Capability and Culture with extensiveexecutive experience in Government, private sector and communityorganisations. She was selected Chair and member of various board andAudit and Finance Committees. She is a founding member, Fellow andformer National President of the Australian Institute of Interpreters andTranslators (AUSIT). Ms Gurgone has a Master of Business, Bachelor ofArts as well as qualifications in governance, teaching, vocational educationand interpreting/translating. In 2016, Ms Gurgone led her organisation to winthe WA Government’s Multicultural Award. She introduced a range ofinterpreting and translating programs in the vocational education andtraining sector and presented at International, National and Stateconferences on policy, evaluation, diversity and inclusion. Ms Gurgone’spersonal experience as a migrant has led to her commitment and deep skilldevelopment in the cross-linguistic and cross-cultural sectors. Shecontinues to be involved with international organisations such as ZontaInternational in leadership roles focusing on governance, inclusion, cultureand domestic violence. She has significant experience in working withAboriginal communities including in the Kimberley in Western Australia. MsGurgone’s term expires on 31 October 2020.

2




Information on directors

Mitra KhakbazExperience Mitra Khakbaz was appointed to the NAATI Board on 1 December 2016. She

is the Deputy CEO of Host International working across the Asia Pacificregion. Ms Khakbaz was formerly the Executive Manager with MDA Ltdwhere she oversaw regional settlement, employment, community wellbeing,youth settlement, case work and intensive support services. She has workedin the multicultural sector since coming to Australia from Iran in 1994. Shehas a strong commitment to women’s and children’s rights and in 2013 wasawarded a Churchill Fellowship for improving the economic participation ofrefugee women at risk. Ms Khakbaz has many years of high-levelinvolvement with various community organisations. She was a BoardMember of DV Connect for over 10 years until 2012 and has been amanagement committee member of the Immigrant Women’s SupportService and the Churchill Fellowship Association of Queensland. She iscurrently the co-chair of the Queensland Community Alliance and is also aDirector with the Buddies Refugee Support Group. She holds a Master’sDegree in Applied Linguistics, a Master’s Degree in Social Administrationand a Postgraduate Diploma in Community Development and Social Policy.Ms Khakbaz’s term expired on 30 November 2019.

Dr Michael CookeExperience Dr Michael Cooke was appointed to the NAATI Board on 1 December 2017

and is a Graduate of the AICD. He is a NAATI-recognised practisinginterpreter and translator in Djambarrpuyngu, one of the languages spokenby the Yolngu people of North East Arnhem Land. He completed his PhD inlinguistics in 1997 becoming a specialist in legal interpreting and forensiclinguistics. He is widely known as an expert in his field, researching,presenting, providing expert evidence as a forensic linguist and publishingextensively in language and the law. His long-standing relationship withNAATI began with chairing the Northern Territory Regional AdvisoryCommittee in 1995 and includes previously providing professionalassistance to NAATI as a trainer, examiner and consultant. Dr Cooke’s termexpires on 30 November 2020.

Directors have been in office since the start of the financial year to the date of this report unless otherwise stated.

3




Principal activities

The core mission of the Company is to set and maintain high national standards for the translating and interpretingsector to enable the existence of a supply of appropriately certified translating and interpreting professionals,responsive to the changing needs and demography of Australia’s culturally and linguistically diverse society.

NAATI introduced the new national certification system in January 2018. NAATI is the only organisation to issuecertifications to practitioners who wish to work in the translating and interpreting profession in Australia. In November2018, the NAATI Board approved a new three-year Strategic Plan (2019-2021) that will deliver the objectives of thecompany.

Objectives

The broad long term objectives of the company are to:

• Ensure high national standards for the translating and interpreting profession in Australia and promote theprofession’s reputation, and

• Strengthen access and equity for individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, the DeafCommunity and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Strategy for achieving the objectives

• Maintaining and enhancing a nationally recognised Certification scheme that has integrity and is responsive tothe changing needs of the Australian community;

• Establishing Certification processes, including re-certification that are accountable and subject to continuousimprovement;

• Conferring credentials on translating and interpreting professionals in accordance with the nationally recognisedCertification scheme;

• Developing and maintaining a capability to undertake a range of reliable language testing services;

• Engaging with relevant international organisations in the translating and interpreting industry to ensure theCertification scheme maintains currency and recognition in line with international best practice;

• Providing advisory and consultancy services in relation to the translating and interpreting sector;

• Recognising Endorsed Qualifications in translating and interpreting offered by education institutions;

• Providing certified translators and interpreters to support people with limited English proficiency access servicesand engage with broader community including in government, medical, legal, welfare and private sectorsettings;

• Working with Member Governments and other stakeholders to identify and address areas of unmet demand forcommunity interpreting services;

• Raising community awareness of the value and effective methods of engaging and working with appropriatelycredentialed practitioners; and

4




Strategy for achieving the objectives

• Advocating for and supporting multiculturalism and multilingualism in Australia .

Performance measures

The company measures performance through monitoring benchmarks in respect of:

• numbers of credentials awarded according to type;

• trends in numbers of tests administered;

• time taken to process applications and results;

• existing (accreditation) credentials transitioned to certification;

• variations of expenditures against approved budgets;

• maintaining adequate financial resources to meet liabilities;

• number of complaints; and

• recording, managing and reporting on complaints received.

Members' guarantee

National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd (NAATI) is a company limited by guarantee. In the event of, and for the purpose of winding up of the company, the amount capable of being called up from each member and any person or association who ceased to be a member in the year prior to the winding up, is limited to$10 for members, subject to the provisions of the company's constitution.

At 30 June 2020 the collective liability of members was $90 (2019: $90).

5



Meetings of directors

During the financial year, 10 meetings of directors (including Audit and Risk committee meetings) were held.Attendances by each director during the year were as follows:

Directors'Meetings

Audit and RiskCommitteeMeetings

Numbereligible to

attendNumberattended

Numbereligible to

attendNumberattended

Voula Messimeri AM 6 6 - -Giuseppe (Pino) Migliorino AM 5 5 4 4Mr John Williams PSM 6 6 4 4Mary Gurgone 6 6 4 4Mitra Khakbaz 2 2 - -Dr Michael Cooke 6 6 - -

Auditor's Independence Declaration

The auditor's independence declaration in accordance with section 307C of the Corporations Act 2001, for the yearended 30 June 2020 has been received and can be found on page 7 of the financial report.

Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Board of Directors:

Director: ...............................................................Voula Messimeri AM

Dated 28 August 2020

6


Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive IncomeFor the Year Ended 30 June 2020

Note2020

$2019

$Revenue and other income 5 22,212,979 19,045,261Administrative expenses (7,888,670) (6,012,850)Depreciation and amortisation 9(a) (830,871) (237,208)Finance costs (136,317) -Other expenses (10,233,496) (8,997,162)

Profit before income tax 3,123,625 3,798,041Income tax expense - -

Profit for the year 3,123,625 3,798,041

Other comprehensive incomeItems that will be reclassified to profit or loss whenspecific conditions are metFair value movements on investments held at FVOCI (345,961) 266,541

Other comprehensive income for the year (345,961) 266,541

Total comprehensive income for the year 2,777,664 4,064,582

The Company has initially applied AASB 15 and AASB 1058 using the cumulative effect method and has not restatedcomparatives. The comparatives have been prepared using AASB 111, AASB 118, AASB 1004 and related interpretations.The Company has initially applied AASB 16 using the cumulative effect method and has not restated comparatives. Thecomparatives have been prepared using AASB 117 and related interpretations.

The accompanying notes form part of these financial statements.8


Statement of Financial PositionAs At 30 June 2020

Note2020

$2019

$

ASSETSCURRENT ASSETSCash and cash equivalents 6 7,764,286 6,836,394Trade and other receivables 7 119,578 761,061Other financial assets 8 9,713,951 8,791,519Other assets 10 108,010 134,643TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 17,705,825 16,523,617NON-CURRENT ASSETSOther financial assets 8 5,692,785 4,492,257Property, plant and equipment 9 4,646,888 890,363TOTAL NON-CURRENT ASSETS 10,339,673 5,382,620TOTAL ASSETS 28,045,498 21,906,237

LIABILITIESCURRENT LIABILITIESTrade and other payables 11 1,020,687 922,942Lease liabilities 12 515,889 -Employee benefits 13 579,029 544,404Contract liabilities 14 7,062,315 7,249,649TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 9,177,920 8,716,995NON-CURRENT LIABILITIESLease liabilities 12 2,960,514 -Employee benefits 13 132,504 89,859TOTAL NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES 3,093,018 89,859TOTAL LIABILITIES 12,270,938 8,806,854NET ASSETS 15,774,560 13,099,383

EQUITYReserves 5,040,033 3,785,994Retained earnings 10,734,527 9,313,389TOTAL EQUITY 15,774,560 13,099,383




Statement of Changes in EquityFor the Year Ended 30 June 2020

2020

Note

RetainedEarnings

$

GeneralReserve

$

FinancialAsset

Reserve$

FVOCIreserve

$Total

$Balance at 1 July 2019 9,313,389 3,400,000 - 385,994 13,099,383Restatement due to adoption of AASB 16 2 (102,487) - - - (102,487)

Balance at 1 July 2019 restated 9,210,902 3,400,000 - 385,994 12,996,896Profit for the year 3,123,625 - - - 3,123,625Transfers from retained earnings to general reserve (1,600,000) 1,600,000 - - -Total other comprehensive income for the period - - - (345,961) (345,961)

Balance at 30 June 2020 10,734,527 5,000,000 - 40,033 15,774,560

2019

RetainedEarnings

$

GeneralReserve

$

FinancialAsset

Reserve$

FVOCIreserve

$Total

$Balance at 1 July 2018 6,939,307 2,000,000 95,494 - 9,034,801Change in accounting policy to reflect the retrospectiveadjustments - adoption of AASB 9 (23,959) - (95,494) 119,453 -

Balance at 1 July 2018 restated 6,915,348 2,000,000 - 119,453 9,034,801Profit for the year 3,798,041 - - - 3,798,041Transfers from retained earnings to general reserve (1,400,000) 1,400,000 - - -Total other comprehensive income for the period - - - 266,541 266,541

Balance at 30 June 2019 9,313,389 3,400,000 - 385,994 13,099,383

The Company has initially applied AASB 15 and AASB 1058 using the cumulative effect method and has not restated comparatives. The comparatives have been prepared using AASB111, AASB 118, AASB 1004 and related interpretations.The Company has initially applied AASB 16 using the cumulative effect method and has not restated comparatives. The comparatives have been prepared using AASB 117 and relatedinterpretations.



Statement of Cash FlowsFor the Year Ended 30 June 2020

Note2020

$2019

$

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:Receipts from customers 24,345,897 22,499,806Payments to suppliers and employees (20,047,152) (16,922,398)Interest received 210,683 97,039

Net cash provided by operating activities 23 4,509,428 5,674,447

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:Dividends received 237,182 255,899Purchase of property, plant and equipment (881,587) (492,535)Purchase of financial assets (2,468,921) (7,518,418)

Net cash (used in) investing activities (3,113,326) (7,755,054)

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:Payment of finance lease liabilities (468,210) -

Net cash (used in) financing activities (468,210) -

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents held 927,892 (2,080,607)Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 6,836,394 8,917,002

Cash and cash equivalents at end of financial year 6 7,764,286 6,836,395




Notes to the Financial StatementsFor the Year Ended 30 June 2020

The financial report covers National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd (NAATI) as an individual entity. National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd (NAATI) is a not-for-profit Company limited by guarantee, incorporated and domiciled in Australia.

The functional and presentation currency of National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd (NAATI) is Australian dollars.

Comparatives are consistent with prior years, unless otherwise stated.

1 Basis of Preparation

The financial statements are general purpose financial statements that have been prepared in accordance with theAustralian Accounting Standards and the Corporations Act 2001.

The financial statements have been prepared on an accruals basis and are based on historical costs modified, whereapplicable, by the measurement at fair value of selected non-current assets, financial assets and financial liabilities.

Significant accounting policies adopted in the preparation of these financial statements are presented below and areconsistent with prior reporting periods unless otherwise stated.

2 Change in Accounting Policy

Revenue from Contracts with Customers - Adoption of AASB 15

The Company has adopted AASB 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers and AASB 1058 Income of Not-for-Profit Entities for the first time in the current year with a date of initial application of 1 July 2019.

The Company has applied AASB 15 and AASB 1058 using the cumulative effect method which means thecomparative information has not been restated and continues to be reported under AASB 111, AASB 118, AASB 1004and related interpretations. All adjustments on adoption of AASB 15 and AASB 1058 have been taken to retainedearnings at 1 July 2019.

The key changes to the Company's accounting policies and the impact on these financial statements from applyingAASB 15 and AASB 1058 are described below.

Changes in presentation

In addition to the above changes in accounting policies, the Company has also amended the presentation of certainitems to align them with the requirements of AASB 15 and AASB 1058:

• liabilities related to fees received in advance presented as income in advance and are now shown as Contractliabilities.

Leases - Adoption of AASB 16

The Company has adopted AASB 16 Leases using the modified retrospective (cumulative catch-up) method from 1July 2019 and therefore the comparative information for the year ended 30 June 2019 has not been restated and hasbeen prepared in accordance with AASB 117 Leases and associated Accounting Interpretations.

12


Notes to the Financial StatementsFor the Year Ended 30 June 2020

2 Change in Accounting Policy

Leases - Adoption of AASB 16

Impact of adoption of AASB 16

The impact of adopting AASB 16 is described below:

Company as a lessee

Under AASB 117, the Company assessed whether leases were operating or finance leases based on its assessmentof whether the significant risks and rewards of ownership had been transferred to the Company or remained with thelessor. Under AASB 16, there is no differentiation between finance and operating leases for the lessee and thereforeall leases which meet the definition of a lease are recognised on the statement of financial position (except for short-term leases and leases of low value assets).

The Company has elected to use the exception to lease accounting for short-term leases and leases of low valueassets, and the lease expense relating to these leases are recognised in the statement of profit or loss on a straightline basis.

AASB 16 includes a number of practical expedients which can be used on transition. The Company has used thefollowing expedients:

• contracts which had previously been assessed as not containing leases under AASB 117 were not re-assessedon transition to AASB 16;

• lease liabilities have been discounted using the Company's incremental borrowing rate at 1 July 2019;

• right-of-use assets at 1 July 2019 have been measured at an amount equal to the lease liability adjusted by theamount of any prepaid or accrued lease payments;

• a single discount rate was applied to all leases with similar characteristics;

• the right-of-use asset was adjusted by

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