Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present two government responses to committee reports as listed at item 14 on today’s Order of Business. In accordance with the usual practice, I seek leave to incorporate the documents in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The documents read as follows—

Australian Government response to the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee report: Annual Reports (No.1 of 2016)

The Australian Government' s response to recommendations made in the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee - Annual Reports (No.I of 2016).

The Committee Report made recommendations in relation to the National Portrait Gallery of Australia's 2014-15 annual report that:

"2.28 The committee expresses its concern that without an explanation or notes to the key performance indicators table it is unable to accurately review the NPGA's performance or make comparisons with previous years. The committee recommends that the NPGA, for its future annual reports, present its performance information with supporting notes or discussion, particularly where information reported in one year has changed in the next."

The introduction of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) has provided very clear guidance and has streamlined the requirements for annual reports. In particular, the introduction of annual performance statements requires both performance results and analysis, and the PGPA Rules (16F and 17 BE(u)) provide specific guidance on matters to be addressed in the analysis of performance and the inclusion of a compliance index. These requirements appear to address the matters raised by the Committee.

The Committee' s findings have been brought to the attention of the National Portrait Gallery of Australia.

Australian Government response to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee report: Annual Reports (No.1 of 2015)

The Australian Government response to recommendations made in the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee - Annual Reports (No. 1 of2015).

The Committee Report made recommendations in relation to the National Gallery of Australia's 2013-14 annual report:

2.15 ... "The annual report only provides quantitative targets and results for 2013-14. The committee recommends including previous year results as a useful comparison on the gallery's success. Furthermore, in instances where a deliverable or KPI is not met, the committee recommends that the gallery include an explanation for the shortfall in its annual report."

The introduction of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) has provided very clear guidance and has streamlined the requirements for annual reports. In particular, the introduction of annual performance statements requires both performance results and analysis. PGPA Rule 16F specifies the minimum matters to be addressed in the analysis of performance and these requirements appear to address the matters raised by the Committee.

The Committee's findings have been brought to the attention of the National Gallery of Australia.

The Committee Report also made a recommendation in relation to the Attorney-General's Department 2013-14 annual report:

"l.10 The committee would like to draw the department's attention again to the use of quantitative KPI targets. The use of quantitative KPI targets has been utilised in some programmes, such as programme 2.1, and in this instance it simplifies the performance monitoring process. The committee recommends the department applies this approach to the assessment of its other programs; however, it also acknowledges the difficulty in using quantitative KPI targets to assess the effectiveness of departmental programs that involve policy development."

The Attorney- General' s Department notes the recommendation made by the Committee, and will implement this as appropriate in future annual reports.