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Last updated: 9 March 2006

Supporting Ministers, Upholding the Values

The guide examines broad good practice principles associated with establishing the roles and responsibilities that define interactions between Australian public servants and Ministers and their advisers. It also identifies particular issues that present challenges to APS staff from time to time that might call for more specific guidance at the agency level.

Foreword

Introduction

• Target audience and key messages
• Background to the Guide
• State of the Service reports and other evidence

Part 1: Building effective relationships—basic requirements, roles and responsibilities

• 1.1 Basic requirements
  • 1.1.1 The statutory framework
  • 1.1.2 The Prime Minister’s Guide
• 1.2 Roles and responsibilities
  • 1.2.1 Agency heads and the executive
  • 1.2.2 Heads of statutory authorities
  • 1.2.3 Senior managers
  • 1.2.4 Working with advisers
  • 1.2.5 Working with new Ministers and new or less experienced advisers
  • 1.2.6 Working with non-Cabinet Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries
  • 1.2.7 Departmental Liaison Officers
  • 1.2.8 Ministerial Liaison Areas
  • 1.2.9 The Parliamentary Network

Part 2: Agency protocols

• 2.1 Protocols on general agency arrangements, roles and responsibilities
• 2.2 Specific protocols on specific issues that may raise challenges
  • 2.2.1 Caretaker periods
  • 2.2.2 Disbursement of grants and making appointments
  • 2.2.3 Revising briefing materials
  • 2.2.4 Providing briefings that relate to particular electorates
  • 2.2.5 Supporting Cabinet processes
  • 2.2.6 Supporting Budget processes
  • 2.2.7 Record keeping
  • 2.2.8 Responding to questions on notice and appearing before parliamentary committees
  • 2.2.9 Assistance with media issues and public presentations by public servants

Part 3: Promoting effective relationships

• 3.1 Good practice documentation
• 3.2 Good practice in training, development and briefings

Appendices

1. Managing official information: disclosing and using information
2. Portfolio Ministers’ entitlements—financial arrangements—Department of Finance and Administration
3. Examples of good practice agency protocols
   • 3.1 General Principles for the Preparation of High Quality Advice to Ministers—Department of Transport and Regional Services
   • 3.2 Minutes to the Minister—The Essentials—Department of Health and Ageing
   • 3.3 Protocols—Guidance for Handling Ministerial Correspondence and Briefing—an example
   • 3.4 Extracts from the Legislation Directory (July 2004)—Department of Transport and Regional Services
   • 3.5 Example of documentation setting out the regular meetings that occur between agency employees and the Minister, and how these work
   • 3.6 Extract from departmental document on the preparation of Question Time Briefs: Online Information Sheet: Parliamentary Sitting Day Processes—Department of Family and Community Services
   • 3.7 Extract from How to Deal with Ministers and the Parliament: A Guide for Senior Officers—Australian Taxation Office
   • 3.8 An example of departmental Intranet guidance on handling media inquiries
4. Good Practice Checklist for Agency Heads
5. Good Practice Checklist for Agencies’ Ministerial Liaison Areas
6. Good Practice Checklist for APS Employees
7. Resources
   • Australian Public Service Commission
   • Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
   • Other resources (including online resources)
   • Where to get more advice
   • Further reading

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