Output 1—Core department: Performance
Page contents:
| Outcome |
| Effective and efficient delivery of social and health-related services, including financial assistance, to the Australian community |
| Output Group 1—core department |
| The Department of Human Services ensures a whole-of-government approach to social and health-related service delivery |
The core department’s performance is measured on quality, timeliness, quantity and price.
Detailed reports on the core department’s performance against each of those measures follow.
| Measure | Target | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity | In 2004–05, the department expected to a : | |
|
The department processed 4,615 items of ministerial correspondence. | |
|
The department processed 856 briefings. | |
|
The department prepared draft answers to 125 parliamentary questions in writing and 164 written Senate estimates questions. | |
| Timeliness | The department aimed to meet specific deadlines as follows: | |
|
A response was prepared within 14 days of the date of receipt in the department in 72% of cases. | |
|
A response was prepared within 21 calendar days in 84% of cases. | |
|
83% of answers prepared for the House of Representatives and 92% of answers prepared for the Senate met these standards. | |
|
91% of briefings were prepared within the agreed timeframes. | |
| Quality | The degree of satisfaction of the Minister and his office with the timeliness of advice and the achievement of key tasks, as expressed through formal and informal feedback | Feedback indicated a high level of satisfaction with the way the department carried out its responsibilities. The department was considered responsive and reliable in providing professional and timely advice. |
| Price | Price of outputs $7.6 million | Cost of outputs $6.0 million |
a Part-year target
Service delivery
Strategy and coordination
The core department is responsible for ensuring a coordinated approach by Human Services agencies in relation to property, procurement and information technology (IT) matters, and for developing a service delivery strategy aimed at ensuring the effective, efficient and sympathetic delivery of health and welfare–related services.
Procurement policy
During 2004–05, the department revised the cross-agency procurement process, established cross-agency working groups for general and IT-specific procurement and assessed all significant procurement proposals of Human Services agencies.
These activities resulted in:
- Australian Hearing procuring computing equipment using CRS Australia and Centrelink contracts
- Centrelink planning to provide IT support services to CRS Australia
- the Health Insurance Commission (HIC) releasing a single tender to meet the long-life plastic card requirements of all agencies
- the Child Support Agency (CSA) using a CRS Australia contract to acquire multifunction devices.
Our procurement initiatives have resulted in savings for Human Services agencies and in many cases have led to faster deployment of new products and services.
Property-related decisions
During the year, the department revised cross-agency property-related processes, established a cross-agency working group and assessed all significant property procurement proposals by Human Services agencies. These initiatives resulted in some CRS Australia and Centrelink offices being co-located—for example, CRS Australia partly occupies Centrelink-leased premises at Mt Druitt and Shellharbour in New South Wales—and in cost savings to specific agencies, arising from their ability to leverage, rather than redevelop, property-related processes such as environmental management plans.
Technology-related initiatives (other than procurement)
The department commissioned a review of the Centrelink Refresh software by an independent consultancy and established a panel of specialist information and communication technology consultants to review the status and progress of key IT projects. In addition, we established a cross-agency working group to identify and pursue more efficient and better uses of information technology.
These initiatives resulted in an agreed approach to standardising website design, the timely addressing of specific issues associated with the software, and the identification of opportunities for increasing the level of uptake and functionality of online services.
Government policy
The department worked with the Australian Taxation Office to develop more coordinated approaches to cross-agency initiatives. We represented Human Services agencies on working groups established by the Australian Government Information Management Office and the Attorney-General’s Department, to ensure that social and health-related service delivery issues were addressed.
Development and delivery of services
During the financial year, we commenced to develop improved service delivery strategies and we worked with Centrelink and the HIC to improve Family Assistance Office services.
Policy
The department supported the delivery of the government’s 2004 election commitments and contributed to the development and implementation of budget initiatives.
Budget strategy 2005–06
The 2005–06 Budget process began before DHS was established. In its early days of operation, the core department had to develop the DHS budget strategy for 2005–06. In close consultation with Human Services agencies, we provided advice to government on all policy proposals affecting the agencies and, in particular, advised on their service delivery impacts. This enabled the government to consider both the policy and the service delivery implications of proposals throughout the budget process.
Policy and service delivery reform agendas
Confirming our influential role in the government’s social and health-related policy reforms, we participated in a number of forums reviewing social and health-related issues. We have established a place at the table at these forums, which provide input to the government’s policy reform agendas.
Our most significant achievement was our participation in the Welfare to Work Taskforce, which led to the key government reforms announced in the budget to improve participation and reduce welfare dependency. As well as involving a significant implementation role for Centrelink, the reforms brought a considerable body of work to Human Services, with the department allocated responsibility for the design and implementation of Comprehensive Work Capacity Assessments and Pre-vocational Assistance Participation Account measures.
We assisted government consideration of ways to reduce Family Tax Benefit (FTB) overpayments, which culminated in the package of measures announced on Budget night.
In early 2005, we provided information and advice to the Ministerial Taskforce on Child Support on key opportunities for change to existing child support arrangements. We also established a cross-agency working group and submitted the first departmental submission, with suggested service delivery improvements, in response to a government discussion paper on the implementation of wide-ranging reforms to the family law system.
Prime Minister’s priorities
We have delivered or are delivering on the priorities set by the Prime Minister when the department was established, including advising the government on the best ways to deliver new and existing payments. We have also been instrumental in achieving another of the Prime Minister’s key priorities: improving the flow of clients from Centrelink to the Job Network. Voluntary referrals from Centrelink to the Job Network for non-activity tested customers increased dramatically as a result of a concerted and coordinated effort by the Department of Human Services, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and Centrelink. This increase was achieved through an improved ‘work first’ message to clients at every contact with Centrelink, combined with an outbound call strategy to non-activity tested customers. The most significant increase in referrals was in the Parenting Payment customer group.
Our work with CRS Australia, HSA Group and Centrelink in the area of rehabilitation reform, another of the Prime Minister’s priorities for the department, has resulted in people with injuries being referred more quickly for assessment, intervention and rehabilitation support. This group includes Disability Support Pension claimants and the large number of Newstart recipients who are exempt from activity testing through incapacitation. Centrelink now engages a greater number of customers at the point of assessment to ensure that they know of and are encouraged to take up appropriate identified interventions, such as short-course training programs, vocational rehabilitation or referral to the Job Network.
Inquiries
The department assisted government and contributed to reforms through its submissions to a variety of inquiries, including the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family and Human Services Inquiry into Balancing Work and Family, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s National Inquiry into Employment and Disability, and the inquiry of the Senate Select Committee on Mental Health. Human Services coordinated input from all relevant service delivery agencies and provided a single submission to each inquiry. For the mental health inquiry, the department’s contribution was included in a whole-of-government submission, coordinated by the Department of Health and Ageing.
Local Liaison Officer Program
One of our key achievements was the successful implementation of the Local Liaison Officer Program, an initiative of the Minister for Human Services. The program was introduced in February 2005 for members of the House of Representatives, and in March 2005 for senators, to further improve and coordinate support provided to customers who approach agencies through their federal member or senator. The program also improves the information services and support provided by Human Services agencies to all members and senators. Local liaison officers from all Human Services agencies are based in every federal electorate and are available to assist all members of parliament. To 30 June 2005, local liaison officers dealt with 1,920 cases referred by members of parliament, and resolved 99.6 per cent of them within two working days.
Strategic initiatives
In addition to participating in a range of working groups resulting from election commitments and budget proposals, the department provided service delivery options and advice leading to the successful implementation of measures such as FTB quarantining, the $300 increase to the maximum rate of FTB (Part B), the 30% Child Care Tax Rebate initiatives, and the Accommodation Bonds Asset Test Exemption.
Delivery analysis
The department has been involved in gaining a better understanding of its agencies’ functions,directions and financial positions. We monitor and report on ongoing performance issues,including audit reports and progress on policy implementation. We are also responsible for managing and reviewing governance structures of Human Services agencies.
Governance reviews
In 2004–05, we completed a review of existing governance structures and arrangements, taking fully into account the findings of the Uhrig report, Review of the Corporate Governance of Statutory Authorities and Office Holders. The assessment forms the basis for continuing review and consideration of the most appropriate governance structures for Human Services agencies.
The most significant review outcomes during the financial year included those related to pending changes to the Centrelink and the HIC governance structures. On the basis of the government’s response to the Uhrig report and our assessments, the Minister for Human Services introduced legislation on 23 June 2005 to abolish the Centrelink and HIC governance boards and to bring both agencies closer to government by redefining them as statutory agencies. Once the legislation is passed, the agencies’ chief executive officers will report to the Minister through the Secretary of the Department of Human Services from 1 October 2005.
Delivery performance and financial analysis
The department analysed its agencies’ performance and financial reports with a view to briefing the Minister on emerging issues, areas in which service delivery can be improved and the potential for agencies to share information on best practices.
Where appropriate, we assisted agencies in their relationships with purchasing departments in order to promote transparency, efficiency and a whole-of-government approach.
We report to the Minister regularly on the implementation of activities to achieve the government’s objectives of efficient and effective social and health-related service delivery.
Agency audit and risk management
Our audit and risk management activities mainly concentrated on providing appropriate responses to Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) reports and related documents generated within our agencies. We analysed in detail many ANAO reports of reviews conducted within and across Human Services agencies, focusing our attention on specific-issue performance audits and on those reports that may have wider relevance for agencies as guides to better practice. We contributed to the formulation of coordinated agency responses to those ANAO findings.
Our officers represented the department, as observers, on a number of Human
Services agencies’ boards and management, audit and risk committees,
to understand each agency’s business and financial risks and the management
strategies being used to minimise those risks.
The officers were therefore able to give timely and comprehensive briefings
to the Secretary on
emerging issues to facilitate high-level discussions with agencies on improving
risk management
and driving risk reduction.
Marketing and communication
The core department oversees communication activity across the six Human
Services agencies.
Over the past eight months, we have introduced a coordinated approach to
marketing and
communication across the agencies.
Communication strategies and coordination
The customer services delivered by the six Human Services agencies are supported by comprehensive communication programs.
In 2004–05, the Human Services Marketing and Communication Committee, comprising senior marketing managers from the department and its agencies, was the driving force behind a strategy to coordinate and improve agencies’ communication with their customers.
The department implemented a process for coordinating agency publications and letters and reviewed media monitoring and analysis across the six agencies to determine how coordination of these services might improve capability and reduce costs. Streamlined monitoring arrangements, to be introduced from July 2005, will reduce duplication and associated costs.
During the year, the department established a website; produced publications, speeches and Media releases; undertook media monitoring services and issues analysis; and produced an internal newsletter.
Communication campaigns
In line with our service delivery responsibilities, the core department coordinated two pre-existing communication campaigns: More Help for Families and Keeping the System Fair. Both campaigns have impacts at service delivery level.
More Help for Families informs parents about government benefits. The specific goal of this campaign was to encourage people receiving FTB or child-care benefits to update their income estimates. Keeping the System Fair promotes compliance by alerting people to the consequences of not providing accurate information. Delivery of the campaigns involved a close working relationship with the Department of Family and Community Services and the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.
The core department and agencies collaborated during the year to develop the Human Services Community Information and Education Program, to be implemented in 2005–06. This new program will inform Australians about health, family and welfare–related services and benefits.
Outlook
In 2005–06, the core department will continue to contribute to ensuring a whole-of-government approach to the delivery of social and health-related services. We expect to substantially progress some of the service delivery work we began this year, such as the HIC and Centrelink contributions to the eTax online initiative, and the deployment of the full range of Family Assistance Office services from Medicare offices.
As part of our focus on IT improvements, we will work to ensure that Centrelink provides select IT support services to CRS Australia. We will also commission an independent external review of select IT initiatives in a number of Human Services agencies to ensure that cost, schedule, quality and risk issues are being appropriately managed and the required outcomes achieved. We will provide advice to the government on ways to improve the scope and use of online service delivery and service delivery to Indigenous Australians through cooperative arrangements across Human Services agencies.
A key role for the core department in 2005–06 will be to steer DHS through its first full budget cycle and to coordinate whole-of-government advice to allow further government consideration of a possible ‘Government Services Smartcard’. We will also support CSA in determining and implementing the new arrangements arising from the report of the Ministerial Taskforce on Child Support, which recommended considerable reform of the system, and we will prepare for the implementation of Comprehensive Work Capacity Assessments and Pre-vocational Assistance Participation Account measures.
In the coming months, we will establish the operational framework to support the new governance arrangements for Centrelink and the HIC. This will include providing input to the Minister’s Statement of Expectations for each agency. It will also entail reviewing and monitoring each agency’s Statement of Intent, which outlines the initiatives that the agency is taking to meet the expectations and priorities of government and articulates measurable and verifiable key performance indicators to be agreed with the Minister.
We will monitor the performance of the chief executive officers and their agencies against the performance indicators and will report the results to the Minister.
The core department will continue to ensure financial accountability and improve costing transparency by contributing to the review of the Centrelink Funding Model and the development of benchmarking and costing model options.
We will continue further coordination and improvement of marketing and communication across the agencies in 2005–06 and will prioritise our review of websites and customer letters as part of that process. We expect to implement the Human Services Community Information and Education Program from September 2005.