DIMIA Annual Report 2004-05
Corporate governance
SENIOR MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES AND THEIR ROLES
The senior management responsibilities of the department are shown in the corporate structure chart on pages 12 and 13.
The department's executive arrangements include a Management Board, Finance Committee, Departmental Audit and Evaluation Committee, People Management Committee, and IT Governance Committee. During the year the Senior Management Committees reviewed their terms of reference to ensure that their roles, responsibilities and accountabilities were clearly documented. The following diagram shows the various Executive Management Committees.
Figure 115: Senior Management Committees
The Management Board (MB) is responsible for providing leadership and overall management of the department through the development of strategies and plans. The MB monitors the achievement of departmental outputs centrally, in state and territory offices and overseas through an established reporting framework, and is supported by a number of specialised committees.
The Finance Committee provides advice to the MB on strategic financial management issues, planning and performance monitoring, and reporting. The Finance Committee oversees and monitors budget, performance improvement and corporate governance processes, ensuring consistency with government objectives and the department's business directions.
The People Management Committee was established to strengthen our focus on strategic human resource management with a view to achieving high performance outcomes and becoming an employer of choice. The People Management Committee provides guidance to the MB on a wide range of strategic people management issues.
The IT Governance Committee provides advice on the carriage of major technological matters and makes recommendations on strategic directions for technology that are consistent with government objectives and the department's business strategies.
The Departmental Audit and Evaluation Committee (DAEC) provides regular assurance to the Secretary and the MB on the efficiency, effectiveness and probity of our activities.
In addition to the Senior Management Committees listed above, we have established the following steering committees to help manage particular issues:
- the Departmental Security Steering Committee provides the MB with advice on security within the department. This encompasses the security of people (staff and clients), information and assets
- the Client Access Steering Committee advises the MB regarding strategic directions for client access and ensures that these are consistent with government objectives and business directions
- the Identity Fraud Management Steering Committee oversees and coordinates activities across the department related to identity fraud and proof of identity
- the Biometrics Steering Committee oversees and coordinates the work done within the department on biometrics to ensure that it meets the department's corporate needs.
The department has a National Staff Consultative Forum (NSCF) established under its Certified Agreement. The NSCF meets three times a year and provides an opportunity for senior management, employee representatives and representatives of employee organisations to consult on conditions of employment including the implications of legislative, funding, organisational, technological and procedural changes for employees.