Annual Report - 3.1 Corporate Governance

Table of contents

Part 3: Management Arrangements

Part 4: Accountability Reporting

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The Department’s governance framework provides the structure for informed decision making, efficient and effective program management, risk management and accountability. The structure of high level committees, as indicated below, provides the Department with a transparent, rigorous and robust capacity for effective governance across all areas of the Department’s operation.

Departmental Committees

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee comprises the Secretary, Deputy Secretaries and Chief Medical Officer and meets every week. In 2008–09, the committee provided leadership and strategic guidance for the Department, and considered recommendations from other departmental governance committees. The Executive Committee made decisions on departmental policy, financial and operational issues. It also assessed expenditure proposals involving major investment, and was responsible for strategic people management issues. (Discussion relating to the Department’s people management can be found in Part 3.2 People Management.)
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Planning and Performance Committee

The Planning and Performance Committee comprises a Deputy Secretary, the Chief Operating Officer, the First Assistant Secretary of Portfolio Strategies Division and other divisional representatives, and advises the Executive Committee on strategic resourcing issues. It generally meets every two months and is responsible for departmental planning, budgeting and divisional reporting processes. Information Technology systems and applications proposals, and funding priorities and pressures were also priority areas.

During 2008–09, the Planning and Performance Committee met on three occasions and oversaw the implementation of a departmental financial review. A number of business cases for capital funding were also considered following assessment by the Business Investment Committee. The Planning and Performance Committee also commenced a review of departmental reporting which it expects to finalise this calendar year.

Risk and Security Committee

The Risk and Security Committee comprises a Deputy Secretary, the Chief Operating Officer and other divisional representatives. The committee meets every two months and ensures that the Department has appropriate risk management, security, and business continuity frameworks in place including: an Enterprise Risk Management Plan; policies, guidelines, and standards; business processes; and operational performance reporting. The committee monitors, encourages and supports compliance with these frameworks.

In 2008–09, the committee monitored the progress of risk treatments outlined in the Department’s Enterprise Risk Management Plan, reviewed the Enterprise Risk Management Framework, endorsed a new Agency Security Plan, and updated the Department’s Business Continuity Framework. The committee supported the conduct of protective security risk assessments of the Department’s premises and noted the organisation’s ongoing performance against key result areas in the annual Comcover Risk Management Survey. The committee also tested elements of the Department’s Business Continuity Plan, and developed a specific action plan to ensure departmental preparedness for managing the pandemic (H1N1) 2009.
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Audit Committee

The Audit Committee comprises a Deputy Secretary, two First Assistant Secretaries, two independent members and a State Manager. The committee meets every quarter and in 2008–09 provided independent assurance and advice to the Secretary on the Department’s risk, control and compliance framework, and its external accountability responsibilities. This included reviewing the Department’s financial statements and advising the Secretary regarding their signing. The committee also reviewed the coverage and annual work plans of internal audits, and provided input and feedback on the financial statement and performance audit coverage afforded by the Australian National Audit Office. Further discussion relating to the Audit Committee can be found in Part 3.6 Internal Audit Arrangements.

Advisory, Information Sharing and Consultative Forums

Secretary’s Meeting – meets every week. Facilitates information sharing and allows the Secretary to provide advice and direction on emerging and immediate issues. The meeting is attended by the Executive and First Assistant Secretaries. Observers: General Manager Communications and People Strategy Branch, Assistant Secretary Ministerial and Parliamentary Support Branch, and Assistant Secretary Audit and Fraud Control Branch;
First Assistant Secretaries’ Forum – meets three times a year (after Budget, before the internal budgeting process, and at the end of the calendar year). Provides a forum for discussion of strategic corporate issues; and
Senior Executive Staff Forum – meets two times a year. Allows discussion of emerging themes, priorities and strategic corporate issues.

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Ethical Standards

During 2008–09, the Department continued its commitment to maintaining high ethical standards by reinforcing the Australian Public Service Values and Code of Conduct.

The Department achieved this by providing new staff with a copy of the Australian Public Service Values and Code of Conduct, and making all staff aware of their responsibilities under the Public Service Act 1999 through DoHA Essentials. This new training course highlights linkages to the Code of Conduct, and emphasises the workplace behaviours expected of all staff by outlining their associated responsibilities.

The Department takes all alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct seriously, and formal investigations into these matters are undertaken when there is a prima facie case to answer. Investigations of this nature are managed in accordance with Australian Public Service guidelines which can be accessed online at <www.apsc.gov.au>. During 2008–09, the Department finalized nine investigations into suspected misconduct, eight of which were found to have breached the Australian Public Service Code of Conduct.

The Department also ensured staff were aware of the Australian Public Service Commission guidelines (available at www.apsc.gov.au) to help them declare and manage any conflicts of interest in carrying out their duties. All employees were required to notify their managers and declare to the Secretary any and all financial and personal private interests that could present a real or apparent conflict with their official duties.

2006–09 Department of Health and Ageing Corporate Plan

The Department’s Corporate Plan is a high level planning document that identifies:

Our Vision: the Department’s overall objective;
Our Key Priorities: the Department’s key areas of focus based on the Government’s priorities for the Health and Ageing portfolio;
Our Goals: high level, long-term goals that are directly aligned with the Department’s outcomes;
Our Values: the Department’s culture and valued behaviours of staff and management;
Our Managers and Our People: the way in which team leaders and staff work to achieve the Department’s priorities; and
Our Performance: the Department’s performance management structure.

Sections of the Corporate Plan have been quoted throughout this Annual Report. The full document is available at www.health.gov.au.

During 2008–09, the Department commenced work on its 2010–13 Corporate Plan, which is to be published in the next financial year.

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