3.1 Corporate Governance

The department’s governance framework provides the structure for informed decision making, efficient and effective program management, risk management and accountability

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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.

The structure of high level committees in the Department of Health and Ageing
Text version of this chart

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee comprises the Secretary, Deputy Secretaries and Chief Medical Officer and meets every week. In 2010-11, 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.

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 2010-11 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 3.6 Internal Audit Arrangements.

Policy Development and Implementation Committee

The Policy Development and Implementation Committee provides advice to the Executive Committee on the development and implementation of major policy and oversees implementation of major policy and health reform. The committee is chaired by a Deputy Secretary and is comprised of other Deputy Secretaries, the Chief Executive Officer for the National Health and Medical Research Council, the National Manager of the Therapeutic Goods Administration and First Assistant Secretaries. It develops options for future policy initiatives for consideration and approval by the Executive and is a forum for the discussion of major policy issues. It puts forward major and long term policy positions for endorsement and consideration by Government in the appropriate forum. The Policy Development and Implementation Committee may commission specific research projects. It provides advice and makes recommendations to the Executive about priorities for the department’s research agenda.

Finance, Risk and Security Committee

The Finance, Risk and Security Committee provides advice and makes recommendations to the Executive Committee on financial management, risk management and strategic security management policies, initiatives and reviews. In addition, it is a forum for the discussion, prioritisation and planning of such matters.

The committee is chaired by a Deputy Secretary with 10 members representing key areas of the department. The Finance, Risk and Security Committee meets at least once a quarter and requires a minimum of five members (quorum) to conduct business. Special meetings are called by the Chair as required. The committee met on five occasions in 2010-11.

The Finance, Risk and Security Committee can establish sub-committees to allow minor detailed consideration of specific issues. The Departmental Capital Management Sub-Committee and Strategic Security Sub-Committee have been formed for this purpose.

Key activities considered by the committee in 2010-11 included endorsing a Risk Management Roadmap; the impacts of the new Commonwealth net cash appropriation framework introduced on 1 July 2010; the status of departmental capital projects and associated appropriation funding; issues associated with the 2011-12 departmental business planning cycle incorporating consideration of indicative 2011-12 and 2012-13 business unit allocations; and updates on strategic security policy, framework improvements and testing programs including those associated with the Business Continuity Plan and the Disaster Recovery Plan.

People Committee

The People Committee was formed in June 2010 to oversee and prioritise resources for the development and implementation of activities identified in the department’s People Strategy 2010-2015 and action plans, and make recommendations to the Executive Committee. It is chaired by a Deputy Secretary and is comprised of nine SES and six APS/EL staff. The committee is made up of staff from state and territory offices, diversity groups, the graduate program and the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Membership is determined by the Executive Committee on an annual basis with the exception of the Chair who holds the position for two years. Other attendees may be invited to participate or observe in the meetings as required.

Over 2010-11, the committee met five times and considered items such as the development of the National Attendance Management Strategy, the Graduate Development Program, the Health and Life Strategy, progress against and update of the Disability Workforce Action Plan 2011-2013 and the identification of new focus areas for the 2011-2012 People Strategy Action Plan.

Information, Knowledge and Technology Committee

The Information, Knowledge and Technology Committee is chaired by a Deputy Secretary, has senior executive membership from across the department, is accountable to the Executive Committee and has met three times since its inception, with the first meeting held in April 2011.

The committee provides advice and makes recommendations to the Executive on strategic information, knowledge and technology matters. It guides and monitors implementation of the strategies covering the department’s information and knowledge management activities as well as the overall information technology activities. Matters that are considered by this committee include, but are not limited to: the Information and Knowledge Management (IKM) Policy, Principles, Strategy, Procedures, Standards and necessary technology support; alignment of IKM delivery with agreed priorities and whole-of-government directions and standards; and setting and delivery of the IT Strategy and the overall IT delivery work-plan.

The committee’s role is to: agree and recommend the department’s IKM Vision, Policy, Principles, Strategy, Procedures, Standards and high level requirements for technology support; ensure alignment of IKM delivery with agreed departmental priorities and whole-of-government directions and standards; and provide advice to the Executive and the Finance, Risk and Security Committees on project proposals to ensure alignment with approved information, knowledge and technology directions, strategies and plans. Further, the committee’s role includes to agree and recommend the IT Strategy and the methodology for prioritising IT work within the department and subsequently the overall annual IT work-plan by monitoring the implementation of annual delivery plans and review relevant business plan components that refer to information, knowledge and technology; providing direct support and recommendations on steps to ensure agreed processes, strategies and plans are incorporated in business planning and delivered across the department; and evaluating and reporting progress to the Executive Committee.

Clinical, Scientific and Medical Committee

The Clinical, Scientific and Medical Committee is chaired by the Chief Medical Officer, meets quarterly and is comprised of Deputy Secretaries; seniors members from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care; Therapeutic Goods Administration; National Health and Medical Research Council; the Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer; and Professor John Horvath. During 2010-11, the committee provided advice to the Executive Committee on technical, medical and scientific issues.

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