Chapter 4—Management and accountability
Corporate governance
The Director provides leadership to the agency and, in consultation with the Deputy Directors and senior managers, is responsible for overseeing corporate governance and determining strategic priorities.
All sections of the agency are accountable through their planning and reporting activities. These planning and reporting activities are centrally managed and coordinated through the Human Resources and Governance Section and the Finance Section, which ensure that the agency complies with its responsibilities as an Executive Agency under the Public Service Act 1999 and the FMA Act.
Relevant activities include:
- developing and implementing Chief Executive’s Instructions
- developing and managing appropriate policies and plans, including risk management, fraud control, business continuity and occupational health and safety
- coordinating and managing strategic planning, including corporate and business plans
- preparing and coordinating reports and advice to key stakeholders, such as the Cabinet Secretary and Special Minister of State, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and the Advisory Council.
Prior to 1 July 2008, Old Parliament House was administered under, and complied with, the corporate governance standards and requirements of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA).
Since its establishment as an Executive Agency on 1 July 2008, as part of the development of its own corporate structure, Old Parliament House has developed and implemented a range of corporate governance arrangements. All new policies and guidelines that were developed as part of this process were based on agency-wide consultation and input.
Senior management committees
The agency maintains committees to assist with its management. The two key committees are the Executive Management Group (EMG) and the Senior Management Group (SMG), both of which meet fortnightly.
EMG consists of the Director and Deputy Directors and deals with management issues across the agency. SMG, which includes EMG and all section managers, deals with corporate and business planning and provides an avenue for consultation across the agency.
Details on the EMG and SMG, along with other agency management committees, are described in Table 7.
| Attendance | Role | Meetings |
|---|---|---|
| Executive Management Group | ||
| Chair: Director Members: Deputy Directors |
Sets strategic directions for the agency. Provides an avenue for discussion and decision making on agency-wide issues. Oversees risk management. |
Fortnightly |
| Senior Management Group | ||
| Chair: Director Members: All section managers |
Provides an avenue for decision making, consultation and feedback on agency-wide issues. Promotes risk management within the agency, regularly reviews and assess key risks, and ensures appropriate linkages between risk management and planning. |
Fortnightly |
| Audit Committee | ||
| Chair: Deputy Director, Corporate and Heritage Deputy Chair:
|
Enhances the agency’s control framework. Assists the agency to comply with legislative and other obligations. Improves the objectivity and reliability of externally published financial information. Provides assurance to the Director in relation to her responsibilities under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997. |
Approximately every three months |
| Occupational Health and Safety Committee | ||
Chair:Deputy Director, Corporate and Heritage Deputy Chair: Manager, Building Services Members:
|
Oversights health and safety matters. Identifies, develops and implements consistent strategies to address occupational health and safety requirements. | Approximately every three months |
| Heritage Actions Committee | ||
Chair and Delegate:Deputy Director, Corporate and Heritage Deputy Chair: Manager, Heritage and Information Technology Members:
|
Discusses action proposals in accordance with Policy 21 of the Heritage Management Plan. Makes recommendations to the Delegate. Suggests independent advice where relevant. Provides input to ensure decisions made regarding use and change in and on the place will not have a significant adverse impact on the heritage values of the place. Activities of the committee are reported to the Advisory Council. |
Fortnightly |
| Acquisitions Committee | ||
Chair and Delegate:Deputy Director, Exhibitions, Research and Programs Deputy Chair: Manager, Research and Collections Secretariat: Registrar Members:
|
Discusses and determines appropriate additions to the collection for approval by the Delegate in accordance with Policy
3.3 of the Collection Management Policy. Activities of the Committee are reported to the Advisory Council. |
Monthly |
Chief Executive’s Instructions
The development of comprehensive Chief Executive’s Instructions was one of the first actions associated with the establishment of the new Executive Agency. The instructions are consistent with the Public Service Act 1999, the FMA Act and other relevant legislation and guidelines. They are reviewed regularly and updated through the Finance Section as required.
Corporate planning
The agency’s Corporate Plan covers the period 2008–11. The plan was developed to take account of the move to Executive Agency status. It outlines the values, mission and objectives of the agency, thus ensuring that the corporate goals and focus of the organisation are aligned with the agency’s Outcome 1.
The Corporate Plan is underpinned by the 2008–09 Business Plan, individual work plans for each section, and the individual performance agreements which form part of the staff Performance and Development Scheme (details of which are outlined under ‘Learning and development’).
Table 8 summarises the main plans and policies that informed the agency’s management and operations in 2008–09.
| Plan/policy | Purpose | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Business Continuity Plan | Outlines processes designed to ensure the agency resumes normal operations quickly and efficiently following disruptions. | 2009–11 |
| Business Plan | Provides a detailed outline of the activities and services that the agency will deliver during the year. | 2008–09 |
| Charter of Operations | Sets out the agency’s obligations and services to the public. Developed to meet government requirements for all national cultural agencies and institutions. | 2008–09 |
| Collection Management Policy | Sets out guidelines for the management, maintenance and development of the Old Parliament House collections. | 2008–13 |
| Corporate Plan | Identifies and provides detail on the agency’s key objectives, priorities and measures of success. | 2008–11 |
| Disaster Management Plan | Manages the agency’s response to and recovery from emergencies, disasters and other disruptive events. | 2008–09 |
| Fraud Control Plan | Complies with statutory obligations and provides guidance to staff on the policy and procedures dealing with fraud. | 2009–11 |
| Fraud Risk Plan | Provides the agency and its staff with a tool to identify and manage fraud. | 2008–09 |
| Guidelines for staff on the APS Code of Conduct | Provides staff with guidance on the standards of behaviour with which they are expected to comply under the Australian Public Service Code of Conduct. | 2008–09 |
| Heritage Management Plan | Meets agency obligations under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. | 2008–13 |
| Internal Audit Program | Provides the agency with a level of independent assurance on the appropriateness of the internal controls and business risk management that meet the agency’s obligations under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997. | 2008–10 |
| Life Cycle Cost Plan | Guides activity for necessary conservation, refurbishment and cyclical building works for a 15-year period. | 2007–22 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Policy | Assists the agency to maintain a safe and healthy workplace in compliance with s. 16 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1991. | 2008–11 |
| Physical Assets Management Policy | Manages the physical items that form the assets of the agency. | 2008–09 |
| Risk Management Plan | Provides the agency and its staff with a tool to identify and manage risk. | 2008–09 |
| Plan/policy Whistleblower Policy and Procedures | Purpose Provides staff with information on whistleblowing and procedures the agency and the whistleblower should follow. | Period 2009–12 |
| Workplace Harassment Guideline | Outlines, in detail, the procedures to follow to address an allegation of workplace harassment. | 2008–11 |
| APS = Australian Public Service | ||
Business continuity
A Business Continuity Plan, aimed at ensuring a timely response to any disruption that may occur and a prompt resumption of normal operations, was developed and implemented in 2008–09. The agency negotiated a memorandum of understanding with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies for the reciprocal provision of emergency off-site accommodation when necessary.
Disaster management
As a major historical and tourist site, Old Parliament House manages and maintains a Disaster Management Plan. The existing plan was revised and updated during 2008–09.
Audit
An Audit Committee was established as required by the FMA Act. The committee aims to:
- enhance the agency’s control framework
- assist the agency to comply with legislative and other obligations
- improve the objectivity and reliability of externally published financial information
- provide assurance to the Director in relation to her responsibilities under the FMA Act.
In addition to agency representatives, its membership includes an independent external member and observers from the Australian National Audit Office. The committee is directly responsible and accountable to the Director for meeting its responsibilities.
The committee met in January and April 2009. Its activities included developing and approving the charters for the committee itself and for internal audit functions, a three-year internal audit program, and a review of the initial Risk Management Plan.
WalterTurnbull was appointed as the agency’s short-term provider of internal audit services. The agency expects to appoint a long-term contractor in 2009–10.
Risk management
An initial Risk Management Plan was developed in 2008–09, drawing on relevant elements of DEWHA plans as well as measures to deal with the agency’s new responsibilities. The plan was subsequently reviewed by the internal auditors and revised to more clearly focus on key strategic risks, and ways to monitor, respond to and minimise them.
Risks are managed and reviewed through the Executive Management Group and Senior Management Group. They provide guidance and feedback on risk management issues and strategies, promote risk management within the agency, regularly review and assess key risks, and ensure appropriate linkages to corporate and business planning processes and budget processes.
Risk management training was undertaken by all staff in 2008–09.
Fraud control
A Fraud Risk Plan and Fraud Control Plan were developed and implemented in 2008–09. These measures were supported by the Risk Management Plan.
The Director appointed the Manager, Human Resources and Governance as the agency’s Fraud Liaison Officer, to deal with any matters related to fraud or suspected fraud.
Annual fraud control data is collected and reported to the Attorney-General’s Department.
These measures help to ensure that the agency complies with the Commonwealth Fraud Control Guidelines. The Director’s certification that the agency has appropriate fraud prevention plans and processes in place is contained in the letter of transmittal.
No cases of suspected fraud occurred and no investigations were undertaken during 2008–09.
Security
The Security Advisor is responsible for maintaining minimum protective security standards within Old Parliament House. This position is held by the Manager, Building Services.
The Security Advisor:
- develops, implements, monitors and reviews building security policies and procedures
- manages the contract with the external supplier of the building’s security guards.
All staff were required to hold protected-level security clearances. All new staff are required to undergo security checks in order to be cleared to that level.
Ethical standards
Old Parliament House strives to create and maintain a safe, healthy and productive workplace, free from discrimination, harassment and other forms of harmful behaviour.
The Australian Public Service (APS) Values and Code of Conduct underpin and are reinforced by the agency’s policies and plans, including the Risk Management Policy and Fraud Control Policy and Plan.
To foster ethical behaviour, in 2008–09 the agency also developed and implemented the:
- Workplace Harassment Guideline
- Whistleblower Policy and Procedures
- Guidelines for staff on the APS Code of Conduct.
Senior executive remuneration
Remuneration for the Director is determined by the minister, with advice from the Remuneration Tribunal, under the Public Service Act 1999.
In 2008–09, remuneration for Senior Executive Service (SES) staff was determined in line with Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts guidelines. The base salary of one SES officer had been set through a pre-existing Australian Workplace Agreement and negotiated between the officer and senior executive management of the then Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. That of the other SES officer was negotiated between the officer and the Director. Performance pay provisions were subject to performance outcomes, and the rate of performance pay was determined by the Director. These conditions were prescribed in individual s. 24 determinations.
More information on terms and conditions and performance pay is provided in the ‘Human resources management’ section. Details of salary ranges are at Appendix E.