Travel

3. Travel funding

Travellers may represent DET in a variety of funded travel activities. Travel may be fully or partly funded by DET, or through other sources including sponsored travel or self-funded travel.

DET has a duty of care to travellers on official business and an onus of public accountability for travellers who are travelling as representatives of the education portfolio.

Regardless of the funding source, travellers travelling on behalf of DET (in any capacity) are required to abide by the policy and Rules, including the pre-travel approval process (see section 4.2 and 4.3) and personal travel guidelines (see section 4.4)

3.1 Partially funded travel

Where DET is only partially funding travel, the travel request must identify all funding sources and be approved in advance of travel. The external funding source is to be identified along with the breakdown of all funds to be received. Such travel is subject to approval.

3.2 Self-funded travel

Travellers may co-fund or wholly fund official travel. If the traveller is officially representing DET, travel approval must be obtained.

3.3 Sponsored travel

Sponsored travel should be declined unless a legitimate business benefit for acceptance can be demonstrated. Personnel approving acceptance of sponsored travel offers should determine that no conflict of interest or improper influence will result from acceptance and ensure there is a legitimate business benefit from acceptance.

If travel is in the public interest, the department or school should consider paying for the travel, accommodation and associated costs in full. Personnel should be careful not to accept any sponsored travel offer where this could be perceived as endorsing an organisation or product.

Travellers and travel approvers must ensure that sponsorship arrangements are with organisations where the reputational risk to the state or DET is low or nil. Travellers and travel approvers should carry out reasonable background checks on potential sponsorship associates, their full range of business interests and activities, and ensure any potential risks are identified.

Sponsorship agreements should specify in writing that school acceptance of the sponsorship is not a general endorsement of the organisation or its products by DET or the school, and that the arrangement must not be promoted or publicised as such.

Personnel must declare and receive approval for any sponsored travel offer through the department’s online gifts, benefits and hospitality registry system, before submitting a travel request approval (TRA). Refer to: Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality (staff login required).