Output 4.5—Support to official establishments

Page Index

• Feedback on performance
• Key results
• Administered item—Prime Minister’s official residences

Feedback on performance

The management of the official residences received positive comments from many of the parties involved.

The Chairman of the Official Establishments Trust, Mr Richard Griffin AM, indicated the Trust’s satisfaction with the quality of secretariat support provided.

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Key results

The Official Establishments Unit continued to provide high-quality management services for the Prime Minister’s official residences and efficient and responsive secretariat support to the Official Establishments Trust.

Official residences

The Official Establishments Unit continued to manage the Prime Minister’s official residences—The Lodge in Canberra and Kirribilli House in Sydney—in consultation with the Official Establishments Trust and other relevant agencies.

Official Establishments Trust

The Official Establishments Trust met four times during the year, and the Government House Committee met twice. The unit provided secretariat support for each of these meetings. During the year, the unit managed the processes of reappointing five members of the Trust (whose terms of appointment ceased during the year) and appointing one new member, Mr Bryce Raworth, who replaced Mr Bruce Trethowan.

Australiana Fund

The unit administers a grant-in-aid for the Australiana Fund to enable the Fund to obtain professional assistance to meet the objectives set out in its memorandum of association. The grant also ensures that money raised by the Australiana Fund is available for the acquisition of Australian objects for placement or display in accordance with the Fund’s objectives. The 2004–05 grant-in-aid received by the Fund was $90,500. In April 2005, the unit facilitated a visit to The Lodge by Fund members in association with the Fund’s annual general meeting.

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Administered item—Prime Minister’s official residences

Feedback on performance

The presentation and maintenance of the official residences received positive comments from all parties involved.

Key results

The Lodge

During 2004–05, four small occasional tables and two ottomans were commissioned and placed in the Morning and Drawing rooms. The Official Establishments Trust agreed to the design for the replacement carpet for the foyer and main staircase, and production began. The installation of the carpets will complete the refurbishment project.

In close consultation with the gardening contractors and the Drought Advisory Office of ACTEW, the Australian Capital Territory’s water utility, the unit developed and implemented a water usage reduction strategy for The Lodge. The measures taken enabled water consumption at the residence to be reduced by 40 per cent, as required under the territory’s then current Stage 3 water restrictions. When the territory returned to Stage 2 restrictions in March 2005, an agreement with ACTEW to reduce water consumption by 25 per cent was entered into.

Revised Australian Workplace Agreements were negotiated and approved by the Office of the Employment Advocate for all full-time staff at the residence.

Kirribilli House

No major structural or refurbishment work was undertaken at Kirribilli House during 2004–05. A drip irrigation system was installed to provide a more efficient watering system, and a sandstone path was repaired.

Revised Australian Workplace Agreements were negotiated and approved by the Office of the Employment Advocate for all full-time staff at the residence.