Part 3.1: Corporate Governance

We value being aware of our responsibilities and managing our own performance.

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 and rigorous capacity for effective governance across all areas of the department’s operation.

Departmental Committees

Image showing deparmental committee hierarchy

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee comprises the Secretary, Deputy Secretaries and Chief Medical Officer and meets every week. In 2009-10, 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.)

Risk and Security Committee

The Risk and Security Committee comprises a Deputy Secretary, the Chief Operating Officer and other divisional representatives. The committee met four times in 2009-10. The Risk and Security Committee ensures that the department has appropriate risk management, security, insurance and business continuity frameworks; policies, guidelines, and standards; and business processes and operational performance reporting. The committee monitors, encourages and supports compliance with these frameworks.

In 2009-10, the committee revised the Risk and Security Committee charter and terms of reference, developed revised risk management reporting processes, endorsed the security awareness strategy for the department and a protective security management plan. The committee also revised the business continuity framework and continued testing elements of the department’s Business Continuity Plan and business continuity management readiness. The committee also revised the department’s insurance framework and analysed its contingency liability reporting, ensuring adequacy of insurance coverage for the department.

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee comprises two independent external members, one of whom is the Chair, and five departmental members. The committee met seven times during 2009-10 and provided independent assurance and advice to the Secretary on the department's risk, control and compliance framework and its external accountability responsibilities. Additionally, the committee reviewed the department's financial statements and advised the Secretary regarding their signing.

The committee regularly reviewed the coverage of audits throughout the department against the internal audit work plan 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 3.5 External Liaison and Security, and Part 3.6 Internal Audit Arrangements.

People and Corporate Support Committee

The People and Corporate Support Committee is a new committee and met for the first time in June 2010. The committee determines the prioritisation of people, information technology and corporate support goals and activities, the allocation of resources to its implementation and the evaluation mechanisms; oversees the development and implementation of action plans and reviews relevant business plan components that refer to people and information technology; ensures actions are incorporated in business planning and delivered across the department; and evaluates and reports progress to the Executive Committee.

The committee is chaired by a Deputy Secretary and includes the Chief Operating Officer; General Manager, Communication and People Strategy; Assistant Secretaries from information technology, corporate support and human resource management; and others representing interest groups.
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ICT Management Committee

The Information and Communications Technology Management Committee oversees the department’s information and communications technology and its associated investments and projects. Responsibilities include directing and overseeing the information and communications technology strategy and related architectures; endorsing and monitoring annual information and communications technology plans and strategies; implementing mandatory Australian Government information and communications technology initiatives; and reviewing, endorsing and monitoring major information and communications technology projects.

The committee comprises one Deputy Secretary, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Financial Officer and seven First Assistant Secretaries who represent the interests of their divisions. It is accountable to the Executive Committee and met five times during 2009-10.

Ethical Standards

During 2009-10 the department continued its commitment to maintaining high ethical standards by reinforcing the APS Values and the APS Code of Conduct.

The department achieved this by providing new staff with a copy of the APS Values and the APS Code of Conduct, and making all staff aware of their responsibilities under the Public Service Act 1999 through DoHA Essentials (a training course for all staff, delivered online). This training course highlights linkages to the APS 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 APS 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 2009-10, the department finalised formal investigations into 13 employees alleged to have breached the APS Code of Conduct. Eleven of the employees had allegations relating to bullying and harassment and some of these also had allegations relating to other elements of the code.

Of the 13 employees investigated, six employees were found to have breached the APS Code of Conduct. Three breaches specifically related to bullying and harassment and three breaches were related to other elements of the code. Of the six found to have breached the code, three reprimands and one reduction in salary was imposed. In the case of two employees, no formal sanctions were imposed.

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.

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