Governance
Senior management committees and their roles
During 2005-06, we underwent a comprehensive planning process, with appropriate performance reporting requirements, to identify strategic priorities, and manage effort appropriately.
We complemented this process with a comprehensive review of the key performance indicators set out in our Portfolio Budget Statements. The review aims to consolidate and simplify these into a more meaningful set of indicators as part of a commitment to continuous improvement and transparency, both of which underpin the DIMA Plan 2006-07. This will give the Executive a more strategic view of performance against measures related to people, business activity, client service, and finances.
Over the past year, we have significantly strengthened our governance arrangements to provide clearer lines of responsibility and accountability to create and maintain a culture that supports our strategic value statement: people our business.
We have created an element of the new governance arrangements - the governance committee framework - to reflect a changed understanding of the risks we face. This has guided us through the period of change following the Inquiry into the Circumstances of the Immigration Detention of Cornelia Rau (the Palmer Inquiry) and the Inquiry into the Circumstances of the Vivian Alvarez Matter (the Comrie Inquiry).
The Secretary established the Executive Management Committee as the key senior advisory committee, supported by a Corporate Leadership Group and a Change Management Steering Committee.
Six other governance committees report to the Executive Management Committee:
- Departmental Audit and Evaluation Committee
- People Management Committee
- Systems Committee
- DIMA Performance Management Committee
- Values and Standards Committee
- Fraud, Integrity, and Security Committee.
The governance committees are directly responsible for:
- monitoring the areas of risk of which they have ownership
- determining broad directions and providing support to the managers charged with dealing with those identified risks
- reporting to the Secretary, and any relevant management committee that assists him, on strategic issues of greatest significance.
We also convene cross-organisational strategic policy and steering committees from time to time to facilitate collaboration on key initiatives or areas of policy development.
Following is more detailed information about the role of each of our governance committees and at Figure 46 a diagram showing our governance committee framework.
Figure 46: Governance committee framework
Executive Management Committee
The Executive Management Committee (EMC) helps the Secretary to set corporate priorities, determine the standards by which success in achieving these priorities is measured, and appropriately resource these priorities. The EMC also considers key business issues and makes determinations on their future direction.
The EMC meets weekly and consists of the Secretary, Deputy Secretaries, the Chief Financial Officer, the Head of Strategic Policy, the Chief Legal Officer, and the National Communications Manager.
Corporate Leadership Group
To assist the EMC in its work, the Corporate Leadership Group (CLG) convenes monthly to share information about business risk and change, to discuss the broader strategic environment in which we operate, and to negotiate agreement on joint operational responsibilities. The CLG also provides a forum for considering policy submissions, research, and other studies commissioned by the CLG on topics approved or referred by the Secretary.
The CLG consists of the Secretary, Deputy Secretaries, Division Heads, State and Territory Directors, the Head of Strategic Policy, the National Communications Manager, and the National Training Manager.
Change Management Steering Committee
The Change Management Steering Committee (CMSC) advises the EMC on issues to do with our broad change agenda, helping the EMC make well informed decisions about priorities and change. The CMSC supports the EMC by monitoring the development of internal and external policy and major process change proposals, to ensure these are consistent with our business priorities and directions.
The CMSC also ensures there is an appropriate level of control and integration of the change agenda in relation to a range of factors. These include the commitment of resources, organisational priorities, impact on the workforce, service delivery, and geographic priorities.
Departmental Audit and Evaluation Committee
The Departmental Audit and Evaluation Committee (DAEC) is headed by an external Chair, and includes another external member. The DAEC ensures all key controls are adequate for the task of achieving our goals and objectives, and that they operate effectively.
The DAEC also provides independent assurance to the Secretary in relation to our risk, control and compliance framework, and our external accountability responsibilities, and helps the Secretary to meet his statutory and fiduciary duties.
The DAEC’s key objectives are to strengthen our risk management and quality assurance frameworks, and to promote compliance and a culture of risk management awareness within the department.
People Management Committee
The People Management Committee (PMC) contributes to organisational effectiveness by strengthening our understanding of the impact of strategic human resource initiatives. The PMC ensures that planning and policies on human resource issues are consistent with government objectives and our business directions. It advises EMC on a wide range of people management issues, ensuring there is a considered corporate view on how these issues affect our performance.
Systems Committee
The Systems Committee is responsible for advising the Secretary and the EMC on the carriage of major technology and systems matters, such as the Systems for People programme. It also makes recommendations on strategic directions for technology and systems, consistent with government objectives and our business strategies. The Systems Committee is supported by six boards, four representing specific business areas and two that focus on broader corporate areas with systems and business information needs.
DIMA Performance Management Committee
The DIMA Performance Management Committee (DPMC) is responsible for improving and managing the quality and consistency of our performance. The DPMC oversees the translation of our strategic priorities into operational priorities for our staff and managers. It is responsible for establishing performance measures and targets that give our staff a focus in delivering strategic priorities. The DPMC is responsible for establishing service standards and strategies, monitoring service delivery performance, and ensuring best practice is identified and replicated.
The DPMC is supported by Performance Management Boards in each of the policy and programme divisions and these boards participate in the development of performance management processes. These include the effective use of management information to monitor and assess quantitative and qualitative performance measures across the service delivery network. They also address any service gaps and ensure business unit performance remains aligned with our priorities.
Values and Standards Committee
The role of the Values and Standards Committee (VSC) is to provide advice and to influence the leadership role consistent with the APS Values and the Code of Conduct. The VSC also helps us to develop a positive and client-focussed culture which supports our strategic value statement. It ensures training activities are aligned with the APS Values and that these values underpin our strong client focus.
Fraud, Integrity, and Security Committee
The Fraud, Integrity, and Security Committee (FISC) provides assurance to the Secretary and direction to managers on risks relating to the integrity and security of our business operations - particularly programme integrity and security of our staff and property.
Key outcomes from the FISC include an assessment of risks to our output integrity and delivery of a report identifying key risks that need to be managed. The report is being used by programme managers, to address any risks to programme integrity in their business plans, and to ensure risks are being appropriately managed. The report will also guide the future work programme of the FISC.
Strategic Policy Committees and Steering Committees
Strategic Policy Committees and Steering Committees are cross-organisational groups whose purpose is to facilitate collaboration on key initiatives or areas of policy. These committees afford opportunities for work priorities and responsibilities to be negotiated by the areas directly charged with their delivery.
Steering Committees oversee the management and achievement of the outcomes of a project. They normally represent all the stakeholder interests (business, user, and supplier) for a project and provide direction and advice and a point of escalation and reporting for the project manager.