Commissioner's overview
My office has been involved in a number of matters impacting on the administration of the Parliamentary Service in 2013-14.
Amendments to the Parliamentary Service Act 1999 came into effect on 1 July 2013 modelled on similar amendments to the Public Service Act 1999 that came into effect on the same date. I reported on these amendments in last year's annual report.
The amended Parliamentary Service Act is supported by Parliamentary Service Determination 2013 which also came into effect on 1 July 2013 and largely reflects arrangements in the Australian Public Service (APS). As required by the Parliamentary Service Act, I was consulted about the determination by the Presiding Officers before it was made. Following appropriate consultation, the Presiding Officers made two further determinations during 2013-14 amending Parliamentary Service Determination 2013, including amendments relating to the commencement of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013.
In 2013 I was asked by Senator the Hon John Hogg and Ms Anna Burke MP (the then Presiding Officers) to conduct an inquiry under section 40(1)(b) of the Parliamentary Service Act to verify the case for shared services arrangements in the Parliamentary Service and provide advice as to the steps necessary to establish such shared services arrangements if it was cost effective to do so. This included consideration of the transactional/processing elements of human resources management, financial and office services for the four parliamentary departments. I reported to the Presiding Officers in November 2013 and on 13 February 2014 the Presiding Officers decided, in the light of the report, not to proceed with any further work in this area for the time being.
The Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) approached the Australian Public Service Commission this year and arranged to participate in the annual employee census conducted for the purposes of the Australian Public Service (APS) State of the Service Report so as to benchmark its results against the average for the APS. This is a sensible initiative for DPS. Other departments may care to consider, having regard to their role and functions, whether there is merit in participating in future surveys in light of the DPS experience.
This report presents information covering the four parliamentary departments collectively. Further information about the individual departments can be found in their respective annual reports.
Stephen Sedgwick AO, FIPAA
Parliamentary Service Commissioner
October 2014
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