3.5 External Liaison and Scrutiny

We value working in an apolitical, fair, professional and ethical manner.

In 2007–08 the Department, through its Audit and Fraud Control Branch, worked with the Australian National Audit Office, and provided responses to proposed audit findings and recommendations prior to the Auditor-General presenting his reports to Parliament.

The Department also liaised with the Commonwealth Ombudsman on complaints relating to aspects of the Department’s administrative activities; and with the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit and the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing on matters relating to the Department.

Information on the Auditor-General’s reports, the reports of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing and the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s complaints, is set out below.

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Australian National Audit Office

The Australian National Audit Office tabled several reports in Parliament in 2007–08 on audits involving the Department. Included were audits specific to the Department, cross-agency audits where the Department was involved and other audits where the Department was not directly involved but where recommendations were targeted at all agencies.

Audits Specific to the Department

National Cervical Screening Program: Follow-up (Audit Report No.5 of 2007–08, tabled 16 August 2007)

The audit assessed the Department’s progress in addressing the four recommendations from Audit Report No.50 of 2000-01, designed to improve the administration and performance of the National Cervical Screening Program. The audit concluded that the Department had made progress, with three recommendations implemented and the fourth being partially implemented. The Australian National Audit Office made no further recommendations in this report.

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Australia’s Preparedness for a Human Influenza Pandemic (Audit Report No.6 of 2007–08, tabled 11 September 2007)

The audit examined Australia’s preparedness to respond to a human influenza pandemic and an outbreak of avian influenza in domestic poultry. The audit assessed: the whole-of-government arrangements for an influenza pandemic; and the Department’s planning for, and execution of, Exercise Cumpston ’06, an exercise that tested the preparedness and response to an influenza pandemic. It also reviewed the Department’s establishment, management, and deployment arrangements for the National Medical Stockpile. The overall conclusion of the audit was that the Australian Government has established a sound contingency framework to respond to an influenza pandemic. The Department has implemented all three recommendations of the audit relating to the management of the National Medical Stockpile.

Administering Round the Clock Medicare Grants (Audit Report No.25 of 2007–08, tabled 27 February 2008)

The audit examined the effectiveness of the Department’s administration of the Round the Clock Medicare: Investing in After Hours General Practice Services Program. The audit report acknowledged the Department’s achievements in responding quickly to the (then) Government’s decision to establish the program. The audit identified some areas for the Department to consolidate and build on its achievements and strengthen the future administration of the grants program. The audit made three recommendations, all of which were supported by the Department. The Department is in the latter stages of implementing the recommendations.

Administration of the Pathology Quality and Outlays Memorandum of Understanding (Audit Report No.34 of 2007–08, tabled 21 May 2008)

The audit examined the effectiveness of the Department’s administration of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government and the pathology profession, to ensure that it is achieving its objectives. The audit concluded that the Department’s monitoring of and reporting on pathology outlays was comprehensive, and made one recommendation to assist the Department in the work it is already undertaking. The Department agreed with the recommendation.

Building Certification of Residential Aged Care Homes (Audit Report No.35 of 2007–08, tabled 22 May 2008)

The audit assessed the Department’s administration of building certification of residential aged care homes. The audit examined the Department’s arrangements to plan for, and report on, the certification program, manage the delivery of certification services and manage stakeholder relations. The audit concluded that the Department had been successful in the implementation and administration of the certification program. The audit made two recommendations to strengthen the future administration of the certification program, in the areas of program performance assessment and stakeholder communications. The Department agreed with both recommendations.

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Cross Agency Audits Where the Department was Involved

The Department was involved in two cross agency audits:

• Whole of Government Indigenous Service Delivery Arrangements (Audit Report No.10 of 2007–08) (tabled 17 October 2007); and
• The Management of Cost Recovery by Selected Regulators (Audit Report No.23 of 2007–08) (tabled 21 February 2008).

Other Audits Where the Department was Not Directly Involved But Where Recommendations Were Targeted at All Agencies

The Department was also involved in other audits targeted at all government agencies. These included:

• The Senate Order for Departmental and Agency Contracts (Calendar Year 2006 Compliance) (Audit Report No.7 of 2007–08) (tabled 27 September 2007);
• Management of Recruitment in the Australian Public Service (Audit Report No.31 of 2007–08) (tabled 29 April 2008);
• Management of Credit Cards (Audit Report No.37 of 2007–08) (tabled 3 June 2008); and
• Management of Personnel Security – Follow-up Audit (Audit Report No.41 of 2007–08) (tabled 18 June 2008).

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The Department’s Audit Committee maintained scrutiny over the implementation of relevant recommendations from Australian National Audit Office reports. Formal reports including details of implementation actions were provided to the Audit Committee at least twice yearly. Further discussion relating to the Audit Committee can be found in the 3.1 Corporate Governance and 3.6 Internal Audit Arrangements chapters.

Details of the Auditor-General’s reports, including responses to the recommendations where the Department was involved in the audits, can be found at the Australian National Audit Office website <www.anao.gov.au>. Other enquiries regarding the reports should be directed to the Assistant Secretary, Audit and Fraud Control Branch, in the Department. Telephone and address details for the Department are listed in the 6.1 Department of Health and Ageing Contact Details chapter.

Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit

In 2007–08, the Department attended two public hearings of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit relating to reviews of reports of the Auditor-General. Reports of the committee relating to the reviews have not been tabled.

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Judicial Decision and Decision of Administrative Tribunals

The Department was involved in 25 matters before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal; one matter before the Federal Magistrates Court; and four matters before the Federal Court. The Department had no matters before the High Court and one matter before the Full Federal Court during 2007–08.

House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing

On 9 August 2007, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing tabled its report on the inquiry into the health benefits of breastfeeding entitled The Best Start.

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On 15 August 2007, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing tabled a report entitled Review of Auditor-General’s Report No.19 (2006-2007) Administration of State and Territory Compliance with the Australian Health Care Agreements.

Other Parliamentary Scrutiny

The Department appeared before the Senate Community Affairs Committee (Senate Estimates) on two occasions during 2007–08, for a total of four days. The Department also gave evidence and/or made submissions to a number of Parliamentary Committee inquiries. These are set out below.

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Table 3.5.1: Evidence and/or Submissions to Parliamentary Committee Inquiries

Parliamentary Committee	Inquiry
Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs	Mental Health Services in Australia Alcohol Toll Reduction Bill 2007 Inquiry into Ready-to-Drink Alcohol Beverages Provisions of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Emergency Response Consolidation) Bill 2008 The Operation and Effectiveness of Patient Assisted Travel Schemes: Highway to Health: better access for rural, regional and remote patients Health Insurance Amendment (Medicare Dental Services) Bill 2007 A matter relating to the PET Review of 2000 Inquiry into the Funding and Operation of the Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement Inquiry into the cost of living pressures on older Australians A decent quality of life
House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family, Community, Housing and Youth	Inquiry into the Impact of Illicit Drug Use on Families – The winnable war on drugs
Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs	Inquiry into the Stolen Generation Compensation Bill Inquiry into Older People and the Law
House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing	Inquiry into Obesity in Australia Inquiry into the Health Benefits of Breastfeeding

In addition, the Department had a significant workload of Parliamentary Questions with a combined total of 108 questions received on notice from the House of Representatives and the Senate completed, and a total of 275 from the two Senate Estimates hearings. The number of Parliamentary Questions on Notice received in 2007–08 was lower than in recent years, most likely as a result of the Federal Election in November 2007.

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Figure 3.5.1: Parliamentary Questions Completed by the Department: 2002–03 to 2007–08

Source: Department of Health and Ageing Annual Reports, 2002–03 to 2007–08.

Commonwealth Ombudsman

Anyone with concerns about the Department’s actions or decision-making is entitled to make a complaint with the Commonwealth Ombudsman, to determine whether the Department was wrong, unjust, unlawful, discriminatory or unfair. Further information on the role of the Commonwealth Ombudsman can be obtained from the website <www.ombudsman.gov.au>.

During 2007–08, the Commonwealth Ombudsman investigated 26 complaints against the Department’s administrative practices, seven of which had carried over from 2006–07. Of the 19 new complaints, investigations commenced in 2007–08, and 15 remained open as at 30 June 2008. The Commonwealth Ombudsman has advised of two findings of administrative deficiency relating to the Department in 2007–08.

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How Else Can I Provide Feedback or Make a Complaint?

Some areas of the Department have charters explaining what people can expect in terms of service, and how they can either provide feedback or make a complaint. Each of the following service charters offer a variety of ways in which to do this, for example, by telephone, mail, online or fax:

• the Office of Hearing Services Service Charter (available at <www.health.gov.au>). The Complaints Officer can be contacted by telephone on 1800 500 726 (voice) or 1800 500 496 (TTY equipment);
• the Therapeutic Goods Administration Customer Service Charter (available at <www.tga.gov.au>). The Customer Feedback/Complaints Service numbers are 1800 020 653 (voice), 1800 555 677 (TTY equipment – callers must ask for 1800 020 653), and 1800 555 727 (Speak and listen users – callers must ask for 1800 020 653);
• the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (available at <www.ogtr.gov.au>). The contact number for the office is 1800 181 030; and
• the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (available at <www.nicnas.gov.au>). The contact number for the scheme is 1800 638 528.

The Department also managed the Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme, which is available for anyone who has a complaint or concern about an Australian Government subsidised aged care service (residential or community care). Further details are available from <www.health.gov.au> or 1800 550 552.