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Annual Report 06–07
Overview: The Human Services "Portfolio"
Senator The Hon. Chris Ellison
In October 2004, the Department of Human Services was established within the Finance and Administration Portfolio. In January 2007, the Department became an Australian Government portfolio department in its own right. Its primary role is improving the development and delivery of government social and health-related services to the Australian people.
The Minister
The Minister for Human Services is Senator the Hon Chris Ellison, who has been a Senator for Western Australia since 1993 and Minister for Human Services since 9 March 2007.
The Minister is responsible for the administration of the following legislation:
- Australian Hearing Services Act 1991, except to the extent that it is administered by the Minister for Health and Ageing;
- Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989, insofar as it relates to the exercise of the powers and functions conferred on the Child Support Registrar under the Act;
- Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988, insofar as it relates to the appointment of the Child Support Registrar and the exercise of the powers and functions conferred on the Registrar under the Act;
- Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency Act 1997; and
- Medicare Australia Act 1973.
During the reporting period, the position of Minister for Human Services was also held by the Hon Joe Hockey MP (to January 2007) and the then Senator the Hon Ian Campbell (to March 2007).
Portfolio structure
The Portfolio Department of Human Services (DHS) includes the Core Department, the Child Support Agency (CSA) and CRS Australia:
- the Core Department directs, coordinates and brokers improvements to service delivery across Human Services agencies;
- the Child Support Agency helps separated parents transfer payments for the benefit of their children; and
- CRS Australia provides vocational rehabilitation services to people with a disability, injury or health condition, and helps employers keep their workplaces safe.
Centrelink delivers a range of government payments and services for retirees, families, carers, parents, people who are seeking work or studying, people with disabilities, Indigenous people, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and provides wider services at times of major change.
Medicare Australia administers a range of health and payment programmes, including Medicare, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, the Australian Organ Donor Register, the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register and Aged Care Payments to approved aged care providers. Medicare Australia also delivers Family Assistance Office services.
Australian Hearing provides a range of hearing services for a broad group of eligible Australians, including children and young people up to the age of 21 years, eligible adults and aged pensioners, and war veterans.
The HSA Group focuses primarily on providing occupational health, safety and medical assessments.
The Human Services Portfolio is shown in Figure 1.
Performance reporting
Section 63 of the Public Service Act 1999 stipulates that departmental annual reports must be prepared in accordance with the guidelines approved on behalf of the Parliament of Australia by the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit in Requirements for annual reports for departments, executive agencies and FMA Act bodies. DHS has prepared this report in accordance with those guidelines and as required by the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.
The agencies within the Human Services Portfolio that do not form part of DHS (Centrelink, Medicare Australia, Australian Hearing and the HSA Group) report according to different legislative requirements and publish their own annual reports. Detailed information about the activities and responsibilities of the agencies may be obtained from each agency’s website.
Reporting arrangements for all entities within the Human Services Portfolio are outlined below.
Core Department
The Core Department reports in this annual report on its performance, corporate governance and other matters as required by legislation. It reports against the Human Services Portfolio Budget Statements 2006–07 and Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements 2006–07.
Internet: www.humanservices.gov.au
Telephone: 1300 55 44 79
Child Support Agency
CSA reports in this annual report on its performance, corporate governance and other matters as required by legislation. It reports against the Human Services Portfolio Budget Statements 2006–07 and Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements 2006–07.
Internet: www.csa.gov.au
Telephone: 131 272
CRS Australia
CRS Australia reports in this annual report on its performance, corporate governance and other matters as required by legislation. It reports against the Human Services Portfolio Budget Statements 2006–07 and Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements 2006–07.
CRS Australia’s performance is also reported in the annual report of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations in respect of its delivery of vocational rehabilitation services funded by that department.
Internet: www.crsaustralia.gov.au
Telephone: 1800 277 277
Centrelink
Centrelink, an agency formed under the Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency Act 1997, provides its own annual report covering its performance, corporate governance and other matters as required by legislation. It reports against the Human Services Portfolio Budget Statements 2006–07 and Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements 2006–07.
Internet: www.centrelink.gov.au
Telephone: 1800 050 004
Medicare Australia
Medicare Australia provides its own annual report covering its performance, corporate governance and other matters as required by legislation. It reports against the Human Services Portfolio Budget Statements 2006–07 and Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements 2006–07.
Internet: www.medicareaustralia.gov.au
Telephone: 132 011
Australian Hearing
Australian Hearing is a Commonwealth Statutory Authority. It publishes its own annual report under the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 and the Australian Hearing Services Act 1991.
Internet: www.hearing.com.au
Telephone: 131 797
HSA Group
HSA Group is a public non-financial corporation. It publishes its own annual report under the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997.
Internet: www.hsagroup.com.au
Telephone: 1300 361 046