Travel Policy

1. Purpose

This policy provides guidance on official travel and applies to all CIT staff who travel and/or are engaged in travel related administrative processes.

2. Scope

This policy covers:

• Domestic travel;
• International travel;
• Travel for staff development activities (including Study Assistance and Professional Development Fund activities);
• Attendance at conferences, presentations or other similar external forums; and
• Cabcharge

This policy applies to all CIT staff including full time, part time, casual and contracted employees and other people travelling at CIT’s expense for official purposes.

CIT is committed to the principles and practices outlined in the Public Sector Management Standard 2006 Part 7.1 – Travel - domestic and international. This is in accordance with Section 113 of the Public Sector Management Standards 2016.

3. Principles

3.1 All CIT travel must be undertaken in accordance with the principles set out below and in accordance with the CIT Travel Procedures.

3.2  All payments for travel related expenses including actual travel, cabcharge/s, accommodation and meals and incidental expenses are met from public monies and are therefore auditable and subject to scrutiny. Travellers are required to consider this principle at all times in considering reasonable and foreseeable expenditure.

Travel Planning

3.2Approved travel must be for official purposes only.

3.3Travel should be undertaken only where it is the most effective and efficient means of achieving a particular business objective.

3.4 All travel must be suitably planned to ensure that the best fares and rates are obtained in accordance with the Public Sector Management Standard 2006 Part 7.1 – Travel – domestic and international. This is in accordance with Section 113 of the Public Section Management Standards 2016.

Approval

3.5 All CIT travel must be approved by a CIT staff member other than the traveller.

3.6 All travel is to be approved under the relevant delegations prior to booking the travel. No person is permitted to approve their own travel or approve reimbursement of their own travel expenses.

3.7 Prior written approval must be obtained from the CIT’s Chief Executive Office (CEO) for all official travel undertaken by non-CIT employee travellers.

3.8 All international travel must be approved prior to booking by the Minister through the Office of the Chief Executive. Refer to the CIT Travel Procedures for the required process.

3.9 An Overseas Commercial Allowance (OsCA) payment must be approved prior to a staff member travelling overseas.

Booking

3.10 Travel be booked through the contracted travel providers CTM except in special circumstances. The current contracted providers are Corporate Travel Management (CTM) for flights, accommodation and car hire bookings.

3.11 Travel can be booked either by CIT Finance or the traveller. Travellers wishing to book their own travel, can do so by completing this application form to obtain access to the CTM portal. Bookings will workflow to their line delegate for approval.

3.12 If travellers would like CIT Finance to book travel, requests should be submitted at least two weeks prior to planned travel date. CIT Finance will select the appropriate travel with the event details provided and in accordance with the PSM standards unless specific details are provided.

Traveling and Record Keeping

3.13 Whilst travelling, care must be taken to ensure that all meal and incidental expenses are necessary and reasonable. https://www.ato.gov.au/law/view/pdf/pbr/td2023-003.pdf

3.14 Original invoices or receipts are to be retained and as applicable, attached to reimbursement claims.

3.15 completed.

Cabcharges

3.16 To be approved by the relevant financial delegate prior to issue and use including, Transport Canberra MyWay cards, etc.) must be used for official undertakings only, including for the following purposes though not limited to:

• performing official duty outside of normal office hours where other forms of transport to or from the staff members normal place of residence or other bona-fide location are not practical options;
• where required for an official CIT visitor;
• where staff are required to attend other premises including other CIT campuses for meetings where no practical/suitable, time efficient or alternative means of transport are available; or
• travelling between conference or meeting venues and accommodation when in a place or places, other than the ACT, where there is no other viable means of transport.

3.17 A Cabcharge for persons other than CIT staff may be issued in exceptional circumstances and are to be approved by the appropriate financial delegate.

3.18 Cabcharge may be issued in bulk to Branches or Colleges and a Travel Register is to be maintained in CIT Finance.

3.19 The travel register is to be reconciled and acquitted monthly.

3.20 Cabcharges are accountable documents and are to be acquitted in accordance with the CIT Cabcharge Procedures.

3.21 Cabcharge transactions must be documented, verified and approved in accordance with CIT Financial Delegations and the CIT Cabcharge procedure.

3.22 Where instances of actual or possible misuse of Cabcharges are identified, the traveller may be held personally liable for the associated expenditure and investigative and/or disciplinary action may be initiated.

Meals & Incidentals

3.23 If travelling for official purposes, staff members are eligible for reimbursement of reasonable meal and incidentals expenses.

3.24 As a guide, expenditure on any meal purchase should not exceed the rates as provided for by the ATO (refer to this link for the relevant rates).

3.25 Expenditure on incidentals, being items that are deemed necessary due to the travel requirement are to be kept to reasonable levels.

3.26 Unless specific and unavoidable reasons exist, any instance of a meal where reimbursement will exceed the specified rate will be considered to be excessive with the gap not being reimbursable.

3.27 Accumulating daily allowances to meet an excessive meal cost is not permitted.

3.28 Unless authorised by a delegate for a particular reason or circumstance, alcohol is not reimbursable.

International Travel

3.29CIT international travellers have a responsibility to ensure that they are fully informed of possible risks to safety on the journey and in the destination city and country.

3.30The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) website travel advice at https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/, is recognised as the most reliable, easily accessed, constantly updated, official source of information concerning the safety of Australian travellers. All travelling staff are to consult this reference point prior to travelling and are to address any concerns prior to travelling.

3.31CIT international travellers are to take reasonable steps to obtain further updates while offshore.

3.32Travellers should note that in some circumstances, failure to observe DFAT travel advice could result in the negation of insurance coverage.

Recreational Leave while Travelling

3.33 No personal travel is permitted to accompany any travel arranged and paid for by government appropriation.

4. Documentation

Legislation

• ACT Government Public Sector Management Standards 2006, Chapter 7– Administration and Training – Part 7.1 – Travel - Domestic and International
• ACT Government Public Sector Management Standards 2006, Chapter 4 – Conditions of Employment and Attendance – Part 4.7 – Additional requirements for managing overtime duty
• ACT Government Public Sector Management Standards 2016, Section 113
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011

Related ACT Government/CIT Policies and Procedures

• CIT Travel Approval Form
• CIT Staff Reimbursement – AP Cover Sheet
• GL Account Codes for Travel and PD Reimbursements CIT Travel Procedures
• Approval for Use of Cabcharge.pdf (CIT Staff only)
• International Travel Request for Chief Executive Approval form (CIT Staff only)
• Financial Delegations (CIT Staff only)

5. Definitions

All terminology used in this policy is consistent with definitions in the CIT Definitions of Terms.

6. Policy Contact Officer

For further information contact the Manager Financial Services or email CITFinance@cit.edu.au.

Contact CIT Student Services on (02) 6207 3188 or email infoline@cit.edu.au for further information.

7. Procedures

This policy is implemented through the associated procedures. Authority to make changes to the procedures rests with the policy owner.