Resource Management

Page Index

• Financial management
• Property management

A policy which is embraced by a minister, approved by Cabinet, announced publicly, but inadequately delivered, is worse than no policy at all.

Dr Shergold in an address to a Public Service Commission SES briefing, entitled ‘A Foundation of Ruined Hopes? Delivering Government Policy’, 15 October 2003

Financial management

Following the establishment of the new Corporate Governance Section referred to earlier in this report, a stronger focus was provided for the Financial Management Section to:

• manage the department’s internal and external financial and budgetary processes, including the workplan process and overall funds management process
• prepare portfolio budget statements
• manage the department’s financial management information system, including the general ledger and the chart of accounts
• develop management reports that met the departmental Executive’s needs
• prepare monthly reports and the annual financial statements
• develop policies in relation to financial management and budgeting
• maintain various internal controls, including financial delegations
• manage internal and external auditors, provide comments on reports and implement recommendations
• manage the department’s banking arrangements
• meet relevant statutory requirements, including fringe benefits tax and goods and services tax returns
• assist divisional financial decision-making processes.

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Purchasing

All procurement and purchasing activities conducted by the department were in accordance with the Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines.

The departmental tender box procedures were revised in consultation with the Divisional Support Unit managers to ensure the process for handling tenders received in the department, including their opening and registration, was more robust, secure, accountable and transparent.

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Discretionary grants

In 2003–04 the Office of the Status of Women delivered Women’s Development Programme grants and grants to national women’s secretariats. These and the grant-in-aid for the Australiana Fund were the only ones administered by the department during the year. Details can be found in the reports on performance for Output 2.2 and Output 4.5 respectively.

Property management

On 18 June 2004 the Secretary signed an agreement with the Industry Superannuation Property Trust for the construction of a purpose-built building at 1 National Circuit, Barton (in Canberra), to accommodate the department.

The New Accommodation Project Team was created to manage the fitting out of the new building and the transfer from the department’s current accommodation at 3–5 National Circuit. Pending approval by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, it is expected that the new building will commence construction in the latter half of 2004 and be ready for occupation in early 2007.

The security measures initiated in 2002–03 to protect the department’s premises at 3–5 National Circuit, and reported on in the 2002–03 Annual Report, have been completed. These included a protective film applied to all external windows, enhanced access control arrangements (including upgrading of the foyer), improved closed circuit television coverage, perimeter landscaping alterations to restrict unauthorised access to the building precinct, and increased patrols by contracted security guards.

Major partitioning work was undertaken during the year as a result of organisational changes, and some refurbishing by the building owners, including internal repainting and recarpeting, commenced.

In addition, to meet the growing need for interdepartmental and other meetings, new conference facilities, including two general purpose meeting rooms and a secure conference room, were opened during the year.

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Energy saving measures

The department continues to purchase ‘green power’ through an agreement with its electricity provider, ActewAGL. This energy constitutes 5 per cent of the total power used by the department, which, according to ActewAGL estimates, reduces the quantity of carbon dioxide produced by the department annually by approximately 26 tonnes.

The department recently upgraded computer screens with screens that meet Energy Star programme guidelines for energy efficiency as initiated by the Australian Greenhouse Office. Energy savings realised by the upgrade will be monitored during 2004–05.

The department currently uses an 80–20 (80 per cent recycled–20 per cent new/virgin paper) recycled paper for the majority of photocopying in its Document Reproduction Unit. Other recycled products used by the department include B13 (business size) envelopes, ‘post-it’ notes and writing pads.

Paper-recycling bins are supplied to divisions for waste paper collection; the bins are collected twice a week by a paper-recycling company. A weekly average of 32 of the 240 litre bins is processed by the department, with an estimated 90 per cent to 95 per cent of paper in the department being disposed of in this way.

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Ecologically sustainable development

The department continued to seek and adopt in-house energy saving programmes designed to improve efficiency in the workplace environment, as referred to above.

The department also continued to provide advice to the Prime Minister on environmental issues with a much wider perspective. In particular, the department provided secretariat support for the Sustainable Environment Committee of Cabinet, and advice to the Prime Minister on strategic natural resource management policy issues including the environmental aspects of measures covering climate change, energy efficiency, low emissions technology and transport. Details of these can be found in the performance report for Output Group 1.