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Last updated: August 2007
Accountability
Annual reporting
skip further information boxInformation supplied by:
- Australian Public Service Commission
- Department of Environment and Water Resources
- Department of Finance and Deregulation
- Department of Immigration and Citizenship
- Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
For more information :
Disclosure of information to the Parliament and the public about the performance of APS activities and functions is essential to sound governance in the APS. An agency’s respective annual report is the principal vehicle by which it publicly reports on its performance. Other relevant reports are also tabled on an annual basis, for example the Access and Equity Annual Report.
Agency annual reports
skip further information boxDepartment of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
For more information :
Sections 63 and 70 of the Public Service Act 1999 require secretaries of Departments and the heads of executive agencies (respectively) to provide their Minister with an annual report that details their activities during the year for presentation to the Parliament. The report must be prepared in accordance with the Requirements for Departmental Annual Reports as approved by the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit. As a matter of policy, the Requirements also apply to prescribed agencies under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (FMA Act)
Statutory agencies that form part of the APS have their own reporting requirements in their legislation.
Annual financial reporting under the Financial Management and Accountability Act
skip further information boxDepartment of Finance and Deregulation
For more information :
Chief executives of agencies subject to the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (FMA Act) (in most cases, the agency head) are required to:
- prepare annual financial statements, in accordance with the Finance Minister’s Orders, which give a true and fair view of the matters required by those Orders ( subsection 49(2)); and
- provide annual financial statements to the Auditor-General (section 49(1)).
These audited financial statements are included in agency annual reports.
Access and Equity Annual Report
skip further information boxDepartment of Immigration and Citizenship
For more information :
The Access and Equity Annual Report is prepared by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC).
Information for the report is provided by agencies covered by the Public Service Act 1999 against the performance management framework of the Charter of Public Service in a Culturally Diverse Society (the Charter). The annual report report is based on input provided by agencies on their performance in providing accessible services to people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and is tabled in Parliament by the Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs.
Energy Efficiency and Environment reporting
skip further information boxDepartment of Environment and Water Resources
For more information :
- Department of Environment and Water Resourcese—Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation
- Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
- Improving agency environmental performance
- Energy use in the Australian Government's Operations (annual reports)
- Energy Efficiency in Government Operations
- Performance Audit No. 24, 2002-2003 Energy Efficiency in Commonwealth Operations-Follow up Audit
Under section 516A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), Australian Government agencies must ensure that their annual reports include information on:
- how the activities of their agency accord with the principles of ecologically sustainable development
- how the activities of their agency affect the environment
- measures undertaken to minimise the impact of their activities on the environment.
Reporting guidance can be found at the Department of Environment and Water Resources website.
The policy Energy Efficiency in Government Operations includes requirements for agencies to consider energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions in purchasing or leasing goods and services including buildings, houses, equipment, appliances and vehicles. Agencies are required to report annually on their energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions to the Australian Greenhouse Office for inclusion in an annual whole-of-Government report of the total energy use and estimated greenhouse gas emissions of Australian Government agencies.
Agency heads also are required to report to and be accountable to their Ministers for progress against all measures taken in relation to energy efficiency. See ANAO Performance Audit No: 24 Performance Audit No. 24, 2002-2003 Energy Efficiency in Commonwealth Operations-Follow up Audit.
State of the Service Report
skip further information boxAustralian Public Service Commission
For more information :
Section 44(2) of the Public Service Act 1999 provides, among other things, that the Public Service Commissioner must provide a report to the Parliament on the state of the Australian Public Service during the year. One of the main sources of information for the report is a questionnaire sent to agencies employing 20 or more staff under the Public Service Act. Another important source is a sample survey of APS employees working in agencies with 100 or more APS employees.
Agency heads must give the Public Service Commissioner whatever information the Commissioner requires for the ‘State of the Service Report’ under section 44(3) of the Public Service Act.
Past State of the Service Reports can be found on the Australian Public Service Commission website.
