7.2: Corporate services

The 1997-1998 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.

In this section:

Budget Measures

Objective

To ensure effective leadership and management of the Department, and to support the Executive and Programme Managers in achieving corporate objectives.

Priority outcomes

Cost competitive, accountable, efficient and effective support and advice to program managers, Ministers, Executive, staff and external stakeholders.
Support for the Department in managing major change, including Government priorities for greater efficiencies.
Fulfilment of departmental obligations as a public sector agency.
Assistance to community organisations to facilitate their input into policy and program development in the portfolio.

Strategies

Review and reform Corporate Services.
Provide the Executive with independent advice to ensure that departmental operations are well directed, effective, efficient, equitable and accountable.
Undertake centralised processing, coordination and internal consultancy activities on behalf of clients, including payroll, accounts, parliamentary, legal and public affairs.
Develop an appropriately skilled and equipped workforce, through staff management, workforce planning, staff development and internal communication.
Maintain, develop and promulgate consistent planning and management processes.
Support the achievement of the corporatisation process of the Department's business units and portfolio agencies.
Systematically develop options for improved corporate governance, bench marking, contestability, contracting out and cost savings across the Department and portfolio.
Successfully integrate the information services and corporate services functions.
Coordinate external reporting and compliance with relevant legislation to ensure that the Department meets its obligations as a public sector agency.
Implement outcomes of the review of the Community Sector Support Scheme.

Performance assessment: indicators and targets

Effectiveness

Indicator	Target	Information source and reporting frequency
Development of an integrated accrual based financial framework within the Department to facilitate enhanced reporting and management practices (Priority Outcome 1; Strategy 2)	Implement Financial Management Systems enhancements for accrual accounting by 30 June 1998	Financial Management Information System data; internal reporting systems
Extent to which departmental objectives and priorities are reflected in business plans (Priority Outcome 2; Strategy 5)	90 per cent of business plans reflect departmental objectives and priorities	Review of business plans
Relevant statutory obligations met in relation to the Department's audit, financial and public information obligations as a public sector agency (Priority Outcome 3; Strategy 9)	Issue of Chief Executive Instructions and Procedure Rules by July 1997 Audited Financial Statements produced on time	Not applicable
Individual contracts to ensure that each organisation funded under the Community Sector Support Scheme is appropriately focussed on portfolio priorities (Priority Outcome 4; Strategy 10)	100 per cent of individual contracts negotiated with specified outcomes	Negotiated contracts Annual
Corporatisation of Australian Government Health Service (AGHS), Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service (CRS) and Australian Hearing Service(AHS) (Priority Outcome 1; Strategies 6, 7)	AGHS established as a GBE company from 1 July 1997; AHS from 1 July 1998 CRS separated from the Department by 1 July 1998.	New legislation and incorporation of companies

Efficiency

Indicator	Target	Information source and reporting frequency
Reduction in total costs of corporate services and information services to the Department (Priority Outcome 1; Strategies 1,8)	Reduction in cost of corporate and information services over 1997-98 in keeping with reduction in overall departmental staff numbers	Running costs data
Unit cost per training day (Priority Outcome 2; Strategy 7)	Five per cent reduction in unit costs	National Organisation Management Database and running costs data

Quality

Indicator	Target	Information source and reporting frequency
Quality of services provided to management and staff (Priority Outcomes 1,2; Strategies 3, 4,5)	80 per cent of legal advice provided within 21 days High level of satisfaction of senior management with departmental strategic planning activities	In house Computerised Legal Advising Register and Information System for legal advice Feedback from senior management

Equity

Indicator	Target	Information source and reporting frequency
Progress towards Australian Public Service (APS) Year 2000 Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) targets (Priority Outcome 3; Strategy 4)	Progress at least equivalent to that of the APS generally	Internal administrative systems and APS EEO data

Performance assessment: evaluation

Corporate Services Reform: A Corporate Services reform process is under way to allow the Corporate Services Program to respond to the changes in departmental direction and to the Government's human resource reform agenda. The reform, which is targeted for completion by the end of 1998, will evaluate the full range of corporate services in a staged approach.
How the program is resourced: reconciliation of appropriations to the program and summary of portfolio outlays (Excel 36 KB)

Variations to Program Outlays 1996-97 to 1997-98 (Excel 21 KB)