DIMA Annual Report 1997-98
Sub-program 6.1: Ministerial and Executive Services
Performance information
Financial and staffing resources summary
Performance outcomes
Objective
To provide high level strategic and administrative support to the Minister and timely information to the public on portfolio policies and programs.
Description
The sub-program supports the Minister and the Executive through the:
- coordination of responses to parliamentary questions, ministerial correspondence and parliamentary committee reports;
- coordination of briefs, speeches and messages related to the range of portfolio activities;
- provision of secretariat services to the Ministerial Council on Immigration and Multicultural Affairs and its Standing Committee of Senior Officials;
- provision of a range of administrative support to the Minister's office;
- coordination of responses to Parliamentary Committee reports, the Ombudsman, the Privacy Commissioner and the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC);
- provision of advice on processing Freedom of Information requests and on the Department's responsibilities under the Privacy Act 1988; and
- provision of advice on the preparation and handling of Cabinet documents.
The sub-program also provides professional advice and assistance on media matters generally, and on the development and implementation of information programs to enhance community awareness and understanding of portfolio issues.
The Ministerial and Communications Branch is responsible for administering this sub-program.
[ Top Of Page ]Performance information
Outcomes are measured against the efficiency and timeliness with which the following services are delivered:
- support to the Minister and the Executive; and
- development and dissemination of portfolio information.
Financial and staffing resources summary
1997–98 |
1997–98 |
1996–97 |
|
| Budgetary (cash) basis | |||
| Components of appropriations | |||
| Annual appropriations | |||
| Running costs | 5 669 |
5 168 |
n/a |
| Other program costs | 0 |
0 |
n/a |
| Total appropriations | 5 669 |
5 168 |
n/a |
| Less adjustments | 153 |
160 |
n/a |
| Total outlays | 5 516 |
5 008 |
n/a |
| Total revenue | 0 |
0 |
n/a |
| Staffing | |||
| Staff years (actual) | 45 |
58 |
n/a |
Due to program restructures in both 1996–97 and 1997–98, sub-program figures for1996–97 actuals are not meaningful for comparative purposes to 1997–98 figures. They have therefore not been included in this table.
[ Top Of Page ]Performance outcomes
(i) Support to the Minister and the Executive
There were 29 696 items of ministerial correspondence received, an increase of 62 per cent on the 18 568 items for 1996–97 (10 258 items were received in 1995–96), and all items were distributed in the Department within 48 hours of receipt.
The average monthly overdue rate was 19 per cent, and 96 per cent were signed by the Minister without change to the format or content. This is an improvement of two per cent and seven per cent respectively on 1996–97 figures.
A major factor in achieving this improvement was the creation of the Special Correspondence Unit, in May 1997, to focus on the prompt preparation of standard responses; it received 13 336 and finalised 13 934 letters.
The Unit's principal tasks are to prepare responses to correspondence asking the Minister to exercise his intervention power under the Migration Act 1958, and to take on responsibility for the preparation of standard responses to letters concerning other portfolio matters.
The sub-program coordinated the preparation of 463 possible parliamentary questions and current issues briefs (1 020 in 1996–97 and 620 in 1995–96), many of which were revised several times. It also dealt with answers to 63 parliamentary questions on notice (64 in 1996–97 and 34 in 1995–96).
Ministerial requests for some 998 function briefs (background briefings for the Minister's attendance at a function), speech notes and messages were distributed throughout the Department and the responses were monitored to ensure deadlines were met.
Advice was given on the preparation and arrangements for lodgment of seven Cabinet papers (12 in 1996–97 and 13 in 1995–96).
Comments were coordinated in response to 48 draft Cabinet papers circulated by other portfolios (92 in 1996–97 and 86 in 1995–96).
The total number of formal complaints from the Ombudsman and the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) finalised in the year was 123 (100 in 1996–97 and 96 in 1995–96), reflecting a 36.8 per cent increase in finalised HREOC cases and 19.8 per cent increase in Ombudsman cases. In summary:
- There were 94 formal and 245 informal Ombudsman complaints received (compared with 83 and 233 in 1996–97 and 82 and 278 in 1995–96), with 97 and 230 respectively being finalised (compared against 81 and 231 in 1996–97 and 82 and 279 in 1995–96).
The average time taken to finalise complaints from the Ombudsman was 76.5 days for formal complaints and 13.8 days for informal complaints (84 and 11 days in 1996–97 and 80 and nine days in 1995–96); and - There were 17 formal complaints received from the HREOC (22 in 1996–97). Twenty six formal complaints were finalised (19 in 1996–97), mostly in regard to unlawful non-citizens in detention.
The average finalisation time taken was 115 days (64 days in 1996–97), reflecting the finalisation of a number of lengthy cases. In addition, seven informal complaints were received from HREOC during the year, with nine finalised at an average of 37.4 days each.
A total of 7 504 Freedom of Information (FOI) applications were received in 1997–98, compared with 6 898 in 1996–97. There were 7 698 cases finalised (6 771 in 1996–97) of which 64.4 per cent were finalised within the statutory 30 days (70 per cent in 1996–97).
This represents an increase of 8.8 per cent in cases received and 13.7 per cent finalised with no additional resources, and resulted in an overall decrease of cases on hand.
The average processing time increased from 24 days to 33, reflecting a focus on finalising older cases. (Also see part four, Appendix Three, the Department's statement on FOI).
(ii) Portfolio information
The emphasis for this year has been on the quick placement of factual information into the public arena to promote informed debate on immigration and related issues.
This was achieved primarily through media calls, the Department's Internet site, Fact Sheets and publications such as Immigration: The Facts.
While it is difficult to measure the impact of such work, monitoring of the media showed the strategy achieved frequent publication and broadcasting of factual material. In summary:
- there were 4 700 media and related calls (4 000 in 1996–7 and 3 500 in 1995–96) which resulted in the publication of information on portfolio-related matters or the placing of information with individuals or groups. Journalists were provided with research and statistics through verbal or written briefings. The Department took an active approach to handling inaccurate media reporting, which often resulted in correcting or clarifying statements;
- an important tool for disseminating information quickly is the Department's Internet site (www.immi.gov.au) which now attracts approximately 9 000 visitors a week (an increase of 5 500 on the weekly number at June 1997). In tandem with a Ministerial site (www.minister.immi.gov.au), the Department's presence expanded with special home pages created for a citizenship schools kit, the 50th anniversary of the AMEP and the Immigration: The Facts. Pages were also created for specific migration issues such as the entry for Olympic visitors and special arrangements for Indonesian nationals. Emphasis was given in ensuring that material was placed quickly on the Internet so information was readily available to this growing user group;
- a portfolio of 57 Fact Sheets is now distributed in hard copy and electronic form using six category titles. The material was frequently used by the electronic and print media and others with an interest in the Portfolio;
- Immigration: The Facts, an information kit which dispels some of the myths surrounding immigration and Australia's culturally-diverse society, was launched in August 1997. There were 15 000 printed kits distributed, and the Internet version averaged around 800 'hits' a week. An update of the kit is now in production, following strong public demand;
- there were 140 ministerial and 26 departmental media releases produced (112 and nine for 1996–97 and 146 and 33 for 1995–96), to announce or highlight Portfolio changes. Better and more efficient distribution of announcements was achieved through use of the Internet and the 'fax on demand' facility; and
- support was provided to other sub-programs to develop, implement and manage information campaigns, including those on changes to the migration program, Australia Day citizenship ceremonies, employer awareness on work rights for non-citizens, Refugee Week and preparatory work on facilitating the entry of Olympic visitors.
The 'fax on demand' service continues to provide interested parties with access to media releases and fact sheets, as soon as they are released. This user pays facility received about 150 calls per month, a similar number to the previous year.
Design or desktop publishing assistance, up to full pre-print production, was provided for a range of external and internal publications - for example Immigration: The Facts (update), Budget Pack, Diary of Multicultural Events, Workplace Behaviour book and leaflets, Employer Awareness Campaign kit and the Department's Annual Report.
The sub-program continued to produce the weekly Staff News - partly to keep staff informed of departmental activities and issues - and the Multicultural Media Summary, the weekly summary of relevant Portfolio issues published in the Australian non-English language press.