Administrative arrangements
Commissioner's role
The Parliamentary Service Act provides for an independent Commissioner appointed by the Presiding Officers. The Commissioner’s role is set out in section 40 of the Parliamentary Service Act and includes advising the Presiding Officers on the management policies and practices of the Parliamentary Service; and inquiring into Parliamentary Service matters if requested by the Presiding Officers. The Commissioner is not subject to direction by or on behalf of the executive government in the performance of his functions.
The Parliamentary Service Act empowers the Presiding Officers to make determinations on a range of matters affecting the Parliamentary Service. The Parliamentary Service Act also requires the Presiding Officers to consult the Commissioner before making these determinations.
Section 42 of the Parliamentary Service Act requires the Commissioner to give a report to the Presiding Officers for presentation to the Parliament on the activities of the Commissioner during the year.
Merit Protection Commissioner's role
The role of the Merit Protection Commissioner includes inquiring into public interest disclosures to the extent that such disclosures relate to alleged breaches of the Parliamentary Service Code of Conduct; functions prescribed in determinations made for the purposes of section 33 of the Parliamentary Service Act (review of actions); and inquiring into actions at the request of the Presiding Officers.
Section 49 of the Parliamentary Service Act requires the Merit Protection Commissioner to give a report to the Commissioner for inclusion in the Commissioner’s report under section 42.
The Merit Protection Commissioner’s report is included in this report.
Roles and responsibilities of the individual departments
Four parliamentary departments are established under the Parliamentary Service Act.
The Department of the Senate and the Department of the House of Representatives provide advice and support to the Senate and Senators, and to the House of Representatives and Members, respectively, and to parliamentary committees.
The role of the Parliamentary Budget Office is to inform the Parliament by providing independent and non-partisan analysis of the budget cycle, fiscal policy and the financial impact of proposals.
The Department of Parliamentary Services provides support services for the Parliament and for Parliament House. Its services include library information and research services to the Parliament, security, facilities, visitor services, building management and maintenance, landscaping, ICT, telecommunications management, broadcasting and records services.
Secretaries
Under the Parliamentary Service Act, the Secretaries of the parliamentary departments have roles and responsibilities similar to those of Australian Public Service agency heads.
Appointments to statutory offices under the Parliamentary Service Act are made by the Presiding Officers either jointly, or separately as in the case of the Secretaries of the house departments and with the approval of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit in the case of the Parliamentary Budget Officer.
The Secretaries of the house departments are Dr Rosemary Laing, Clerk of the Senate, and Mr David Elder, Clerk of the House of Representatives. They are appointed for non-renewable terms of ten years. Dr Laing’s appointment is from 5 December 2009. Mr Elder was appointed from 1 January 2014.
Mr Phil Bowen PSM is the Parliamentary Budget Officer and Secretary of the Parliamentary Budget Office. His appointment is for a term of four years from 23 July 2012.
Dr Dianne Heriot has acted as Secretary of the Department of Parliamentary Services since 16 March 2015.
Parliamentary Librarian
Dr Dianne Heriot also holds the office of Parliamentary Librarian. Her appointment is for five years from 10 May 2012.
Previous | Next