1996-1997
7.1: Executive Services
The 1996-97 Portfolio Budget Statements, informs Senators and Members of Parliament of the proposed allocation of resources to portfolios outcomes and their objectives and targets including the agencies within the Health and Family Services portfolio.
Objective
- To ensure the Department meets the requirements of Ministers and the Parliamentary Secretary in order to achieve the government's objectives for the Department as expressed in the Corporate Plan, and the obligations placed on it as a Department of State.
Goals
- High quality and timely advice to the Ministers and Parliamentary Secretary on portfolio issues.
- Effective leadership and management of the Department in responding to the directions of the Government during a period of rapid change.
- High quality and timely policy advice and project management by the Portfolio Strategies Group (PSG), to assist the Executive and Ministers on cross-portfolio and Commonwealth-State issues.
- Improved accountability mechanisms and performance measurement in the Department.
Strategies
- Development of a Corporate Plan to deliver the cultural and organisational changes required by the Government's objectives for the Department.
- Establish close linkages between the Executive and the Minister and Parliamentary Secretary and their offices.
- Develop clear decision making processes within the Department, and ensure the Department complies with all relevant legislation.
- Use the PSG to assist the Executive and Ministers on overall resource management and accountability through the:
- Budget strategy, including in relation to the Government's fiscal targets;
- Portfolio Budget Statements, incorporating key results areas and commitments to performance targets;
- evaluation strategy, including better integration with overall planning and reporting strategies; and
- Departmental Annual Report, with improved reporting against performance indicators.
- Provide leadership in assisting the Minister to develop the Commonwealth's position on Commonwealth-State reforms in health and related community services, in negotiating and implementing reforms with the States and Territories, and in consulting with the community and other stakeholders.
- Implement and evaluate Coordinated Care Trials to test whether the models trialed provide better quality and more cost effective options for service delivery and funding arrangements for the health and well being of people with multiple service needs.
- Use the Audit and Fraud Control Branch to monitor, review and advise on accountability, financial administration, the efficiency and effectiveness of resource usage, and the management of fraud and waste in the Department.
Performance Indicators and Targets
Effectiveness
- Overall Departmental effectiveness as measured by performance indicators in the Corporate Plan.
- Extent to which PSG input is taken up in the further development of Commonwealth and COAG policy positions on Commonwealth-State reforms in health and related community services and in the implementation of reforms.
- Quality of accountability reporting as reviewed by external assessors.
- Establishment of a set of Coordinated Care Trials across Australia each of which is likely to make a robust contribution to testing the objectives of the Trials.
Efficiency
- Achievement of the Government's efficiency and savings targets (running costs and programme costs) for HFS set in the 1996-97 Budget.
Quality
- Ministerial satisfaction with policy advice from the Department (Is it timely and relevant; and does it provide rigorously based, cost-effective options for achieving the Government's objectives?)
Target: High level of satisfaction. - Satisfaction by Ministers, the Secretary and Division Heads with policy advice and coordination provided by PSG (Is it timely and relevant, and does it provide rigorously based, cost-effective options for achieving the Government's objectives?).
Target: High level of satisfaction. - Executive and Departmental Audit Committee satisfaction with the planning, coverage and outcomes of internal audits and reviews undertaken in accordance with the annual Audit Programme and the Fraud Control Plan.
Target: High level of satisfaction.
Budget Measures
Savings
Application of an Efficiency Dividend to Commonwealth Own Purpose Outlays and Specific Purpose Payments of a Running Costs Nature
1996-97 $m | 1997-98 $m | 1998-99 $m | 1999-00 $m |
- | -0.01 | - | - |
Across-the-Board Reduction of 2% in Running Costs
1996-97 $m | 1997-98 $m | 1998-99 $m | 1999-00 $m |
-0.1 | -0.1 | -0.1 | -0.1 |
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