The department: Corporate governance
Page contents:
- Corporate goals and values
- The executive
- Governance framework
- Risk management, internal audit and fraud control
- Ethical standards
- Social justice and equity
This section reports on corporate governance matters common to the core department, CSA and CRS Australia. Corporate governance matters specific to the core department, CSA and CRS Australia are reported on in the management and accountability sections in the chapters on each entity.
Corporate goals and values
The governance model in DHS is consistent with the Commonwealth governance model. It supports the Secretary in the management of the department and in assisting the Minister to fulfil his accountability obligations.
This in turn helps DHS meet its obligations under, for example, the Australian Public Service Values and Code of Conduct, and legislative requirements placed on us as members of the Australian Public Service.
APS Values and Code of Conduct
The core department, CSA and CRS Australia all explicitly embrace the APS Values and Code of Conduct. Commitment to the Values and Code of Conduct are highlighted in the corporate plans, certified agreements (in CSA and CRS Australia), Australian workplace agreements, client/service charters, Chief Executive Instructions and the agency’s own values/behaviour statements. Each agency provides training for staff in the APS Values and Code of Conduct.
The executive
The core department, CSA and CRS Australia all explicitly embrace the APS Values and Code of Conduct. Commitment to the Values and Code of Conduct are highlighted in the corporate plans, certified agreements (in CSA and CRS Australia), Australian workplace agreements, client/service charters, Chief Executive Instructions and the agency’s own values/behaviour statements. Each agency provides training for staff in the APS Values and Code of Conduct.
The executive coordinating team
The executive team comprises the Secretary, the heads of the Human Services agencies and the senior executive staff of the department.
Executive responsibilities
The Secretary is directly responsible to the Minister for the leadership, management and sound governance of the department, and for shaping its future. She is responsible for delivering organisational performance through determining priorities and resource allocations. Five committees have been created to assist the Secretary to fulfil her responsibilities. The committees make recommendations, but ultimate authority remains with the Secretary.
The General Manager of CSA provides leadership to ensure that the agency continues to move towards its vision that parents accept their child support responsibilities. This position also holds the statutory office of the Child Support Registrar, which has legal responsibility for the administration of child support legislation. The General Manager contributes to the overall management of Human Services through the Agency Heads Meeting and membership of the DHS Audit Committee.
The General Manager of CRS Australia is responsible for the leadership, sound management and performance of CRS Australia within the delegations established by the Secretary of the DHS. The General Manager contributes to the overall management of Human Services through the Agency Heads Meeting and membership of the Audit Committee.
Executive remuneration
Salary ranges for executive employees are provided in Appendix 1.
Information on executive staff members who received, or were due to receive, total remuneration of $100,000 or more is set out in Note 15 to the Financial Statements in this report.
Governance framework
Agency Heads Meeting
The Agency Heads Meeting provides advice to the Secretary on matters pertaining to the agencies of the department. This is a monthly meeting chaired by the Secretary and attended by all six Human Services agency chief executive officers.
Audit Committee
The DHS Audit Committee has audit oversight for the core department, CSA and CRS Australia. The other Human Services agencies—Centrelink, the Health Insurance Commission (HIC), Australian Hearing and HSA Group —have their own audit committees.
The Audit Committee, chaired by the Deputy Secretary, reviews, monitors and recommends improvements to:
- risk management identification and amelioration
- internal control processes (including fraud control)
- the financial reporting process
- the functioning of the department’s Internal Audit Unit
- the external audit process
- the department’s process for monitoring compliance with legislation, regulations and government policy.
In performing its responsibilities, the Audit Committee provides advice and support to the Secretary, the chief executive officers of CSA and CRS Australia, and line managers. It also manages a working relationship with the Australian National Audit Office.
Membership of the Audit Committee is determined by the Secretary in consultation with the Executive Management Group and is for a fixed term, as determined by the Secretary. To ensure a smooth transition of new members and retention of corporate knowledge, a program of rotating membership will be developed by the Chair of the Audit Committee for the Secretary’s approval. The Audit Committee meets every two months, and as required.
| Audit Committee (core department, CSA, CRS Australia) | Agency Heads Meeting |
|---|---|
| Deputy Secretary DHS (Chair) | Secretary DHS (Chair) |
| Two independent members | Chief Executive Officer Centrelink |
| General Manager CRS Australia | General Manager CRS Australia |
| General Manager CSA | General Manager CSA |
| Chief Financial Officer DHS (attendee) | Managing Director HIC |
| Acting Managing Director HSA Group | |
| Managing Director Australian Hearing | |
| Secretariat: Project Officer | Secretariat: Executive Officer |
Risk management, internal audit and fraud control
As of 30 June 2005, the DHS Audit Committee was oversighting the development of an internal audit plan for the core department, CSA and CRS Australia. As part of this process, the Audit Committee will determine the most effective way for the department to deal with internal audit issues. Until the internal audit plan is complete, CSA will use the panel arrangements of the Department of Family and Community Services, and CRS Australia will use those of the Department of Health and Ageing.
In a cooperative arrangement with Comcover, the department has developed a phased approach to preparing its fraud control plan. The initial phase will be to establish the risk profile of the department through a series of discussions facilitated by the senior executive. Once the risk assessment is complete, the department will be able to finalise its fraud control plan. The Audit Committee expects that the interim fraud control plan will be updated in late 2005.
CSA and CRS Australia report on aspects of risk management, internal audit and fraud control specific to them in their respective management and accountability sections.
Ethical standards
The requirement for all members of the department to uphold the ethical values embodied in the Public Service Act 1999 and the Australian Public Service Values and Code of Conduct has been clearly articulated in a number of departmental documents. Those documents include the Declaration of Confidentiality, Security and Privacy; the department’s people management policies and security plans; and the Chief Executive’s Instructions.
The requirement to uphold the highest standards is reinforced on a regular basis at staff meetings and underpins the charters of the management committees.
Social justice and equity
Human Services recognises the importance of ensuring that Australians have equitable access to the full range of social and health-related services, and that people are not disadvantaged by service delivery arrangements. This has been a key consideration in developing improved service delivery strategies.
We are developing communication strategies that take account of culture, language, disability and remote location requirements of Human Services customers and the wider community. The Human Services website, updated in June 2005, is compatible with browsers used by people with impaired vision.