Summary of Key Achievements in 2008-09

Provision of advice and support to the Prime Minister on:

  • The global financial crisis
  • Council of Australian Governments (COA G) Reform Agenda
  • National security
  • Victorian bushfires
  • International engagement
  • Climate change
  • Pandemic influenza
  • Education Revolution
  • Murray-Darling Basin

In 2008–09 some of our key achievements included:

Leading

  • preparation of the Prime Minister’s inaugural National Security Statement
    • Mr Duncan Lewis appointed to the new position of National Security Adviser
  • development of a broader framework for National Intelligence priority setting.
    • Setting up the National Intelligence Coordination Committee
  • Australia’s involvement in G20 efforts to address the global economic crisis
  • historic reform of the Federation through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG):
    • Signing the Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations
    • Streamlining over 90 special purpose payments down to five new national specific purpose payments
    • 16 National Partnership agreements agreed through COAG
  • development of other key national agreements including:
    • the Jobs and Training Compact
    • the National Strategy on Energy Efficiency
    • an intergovernmental agreement for Murray-Darling Basin reform
  • preparations for the Pacific Islands Forum to be held in August 2009, and
  • preparation of the Nation Building Plan released in December 2008.

Delivering

  • the Prime Minister’s first annual statement to parliament on Closing the Gap on Indigenous disadvantage
  • the inaugural Families in Australia report
  • the Green Paper on Electoral Reform
  • exposure draft legislation driving reforms to Freedom of Information law, and
  • 235 Cabinet and Committee meetings, including Community Cabinet meetings, 27 meetings of the Federal Executive Council and 14 meetings of the Secretaries’ Committee on National Security

Coordinating

  • the government’s $42 billion Nation Building and Economic Stimulus Plan
    • Office of the Commonwealth Coordinator-General established in the department
  • input, handling and advice on the Defence White Paper
  • whole of government advice on ways to improve the national innovation system and increase the international competitiveness of Australian businesses
  • 165,000 items of correspondence to the Prime Minister, other portfolio ministers and their offices, and
  • 1,860 briefs to the Prime Minister, other portfolio ministers and their offices.

Supporting

  • the transition of the incoming Governor- General, Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC
  • development of the 2009–10 Federal Budget and the 2008–09 Updated Economic and Fiscal Outlook
  • work on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme White Paper
  • development of the $4.5 billion Clean Energy Initiative
  • the development and launch of the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute
  • further recognition for the Battle of Long Tan and the awarding of the first‘Victoria Cross for Australia’ to Trooper Mark Donaldson VC
  • 37 guest-of-government visits to Australia, 11 official visits overseas by the Prime Minister and many other events
  • development of the government’s teleconferencing project to reduce the need for official travel, and
  • work on the National Compact with the non-profit sector.
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Last Updated: 27 November, 2009