STATUTORY AUTHORITIES AND AGENCIES

Cancer Australia 2006-07

1.6        The first annual report of Cancer Australia details the significant progress the agency has made towards achieving the Government's goal of reducing the burden of cancer on the community. Programs have been implemented in areas of consumer support, priority-driven cancer research, support for clinical trials and professional development and quality (pp.12-15).

1.7        Cancer Australia's annual report also refers to the Government response to the recommendations of the Committee's report on the inquiry into gynaecological cancers in Australia, where $1 million has been provided for Cancer Australia to establish and manage initial operations of the National Centre for Gynaecological Cancers. The Centre will increase awareness and education among medical and allied health professionals, leading to improved outcomes for women with gynaecological cancers (p.14).

1.8        Cancer Australia reports that the agency's role is to reduce the impact of cancer for Australians affected by cancer now and in the future (p.15). Key opportunities identified by Cancer Australia to achieve aims in the next financial year include:

• building resources to link people with cancer to clinical trials that are available to them;
  
  
• ensuring even greater stakeholder engagement;
  
  
• progressing the National Centre for Gynaecological Cancers; and
  
  
• using their research findings and cancer control audits to inform Cancer Australia's strategic direction and identify priorities for improving cancer control in Australia (p.15).

1.9        The report includes an overview on how cancer affects the Australian community, including a snapshot of current estimates of cancer risk and outcomes. This chapter also highlights disparities that exist in cancer risk and outcomes by Indigenous status, country of birth, socio-economic status, and rurality and remoteness of residence (pp.22-25).

1.10      Cancer Australia's various programs and priorities are detailed in a chapter in the report which includes progress to date, future plans and key results across four main areas of focus: consumer interests and community partnerships; research; quality and professional development; and policy (pp.44-71).

1.11      The Committee retains a strong interest in the development and progress of Cancer Australia, as is evidenced in Senators' questioning of the agency on a range of matters at Estimates hearings.

 

Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency 2006-07

1.12      The report states that the vision of the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) is 'to create an Australia where women in the workplace can achieve their greatest potential'. EOWA's mission is:

To inspire Australian employers to create workplaces where women's contribution is valued and recognised. EOWA works to achieve this by:

• providing unique, leading-edge knowledge and solutions
  
  
• building strategic alliances and partnerships
  
  
• engaging community debate to increase the rate of change (p.2).

1.13      The EOWA reports it has continued its commitment to educating and assisting organisations to develop their workplace programs to promote equal opportunity for women. Women's participation in the workforce increased from 45 per cent in October 2006 to 45.2 per cent in October 2007. Women's representation in management has increased over the past three years with female managers now constituting 34.3 per cent of all managers in EOWA reporting organisations (p.7).

1.14      EOWA's performance and strategies to deliver the outcomes is set out in table format accompanied by more detailed information and supporting graphs (pp.13-28). Management and accountability matters are included in the report as well as a number of appendices, including the financial statements and a listing of non-compliant organisations (pp.36-74).

 

Indigenous Business Australia 2006-07

1.15      Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) reports that its role is to create opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities to engage with the wider economy and to build assets and wealth. To achieve this IBA:

• helps Indigenous Australians to buy their own homes, both in the general residential market and in townships on community-titled lands
  
  
• enables Indigenous Australians to participate in business through commercial projects and enterprises, including business partnerships with the private sector
  
  
• provides continuing support, including financial and economic advice, to Indigenous Australians who are in business
  
  
• supports Indigenous people's ownership and control of companies and investments that are likely to provide a long-term commercial return and economic self-sufficiency
  
  
• works with Indigenous partners for higher economic return from their assets, and
  
  
• helps established Indigenous investment companies grow by sharing information about wealth-creation opportunities with them (pp.3-4).

1.16      IBA's performance is measured against outcomes and output groups. Performance is well presented with detailed summaries of the year in review, including future aims and challenges. Graphs and tables have also been included. Performance is reported under IBA's programme areas which broadly cover investments, homes, business ventures, and construction activities. Programmes met or exceeded most targets for quality, quantity and price. The target of issuing more than 75 per cent of home loans was unable to be met due to the continuing upward trend in the median price of housing which reduced home loan affordability. Sixty-four per cent of home loans were issued to applicants (pp.11-50).

 

National Blood Authority 2006-07

1.17      The National Blood Authority (NBA) reports that the signing of the Deed of Agreement with the Australian Red Cross Society means that the NBA now have robust agreements in place with all blood suppliers.

1.18      In recognition of further achievement the NBA was awarded the Prime Minister's Silver Award for Excellence in Public Sector Management for their procurement of recombinant products. The NBA considers that their strong relationships with a growing range of stakeholders and their organisational capacity to deliver to their own expectations is the key to their success (p.2).

1.19      The report overview summarises NBA's achievements, and a clearly set out and informative account of performance is provided in Part Three (pp.2-20; 35-71). The report includes a table of some of NBA's achievements against their Statement of Expectation and Statement of Intent (pp.8-9). Further achievements are highlighted throughout the report. The NBA reports that they fully completed approximately 85 per cent of activities detailed in their 2006-07 Operational Plan and Statement of Intent. An explanation is provided for the delays in activities not being able to be completed within planned timeframes (p.69).

 

National Health and Medical Research Council 2006-07

1.20      The establishment of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) as an independent statutory agency on 1 July 2006 under an amended National Health and Medical Research Council Act 1992 now requires the NHMRC to report against a financial year framework, instead of on a calendar year basis. Therefore this annual report provides information on the functions, structure, strategic direction and performance of the NHMRC during the 18 month period ending 30 June 2007.

1.21      The NHMRC is the Australian Government's key agency for:

• managing investment in health and medical research
  
  
• developing health advice for the Australian community, health professionals and government
  
  
• providing advice on ethical behaviour in healthcare and in the conduct of health and medical research (p.49).

1.22      The report states that the establishment of the NHMRC as an independent statutory agency has provided them with an unprecedented opportunity to expand their support for health and medical research that leads to real health, economic and social benefits for Australia (p.4). The NHMRC Strategic Plan 2007-2009 sets a number of objectives designed to challenge as well as position the NHMRC to actively drive health and medical research and innovation into the future (p.50).

1.23      The performance of the NHMRC is reported in detail with achievement against outputs across six themes: health and medical research; health policy and advice; health ethics; human genetics; prohibition of human cloning and licensing of human embryo research; and the National Institute of Clinical Studies (NICS) (pp.13-45). A former Commonwealth owned public company, NICS became an Institute of the NHMRC on 1 April 2007 (p.49).

 

Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council 2006-2007

1.24      The Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council's 2006-2007 annual report was tabled in the Senate on 17 June 2008. The Committee notes that although the Letter of Transmittal to the Minister is dated 10 December 2007 there was a considerable delay between the report being submitted to the Minister which was 8 May 2008.

1.25      The well set out report provides a detailed account of Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council's (WBACC) functions and operations. The Community's vision and the Council's goals to achieve this are also included (pp.1-11). The Council's wholly owned subsidiary company Wreck Bay Enterprises Limited (WBEL) operational activities, outcomes and financial statements are also included in the report (pp.29-33, 73-94).

1.26      The year in review has been a challenging one for the Council. The Chairperson reports that 'the current Board of Directors and Community Members have worked together to reinstate regularity and overcome a number of obstacles during this period' (p.13). The Chief Executive Officer described the year as an 'Annus Horribilis' with senior office bearers leaving the employ of Wreck Bay at the commencement of the financial year, as well as the resignation of the majority of Board Members, and in the first half of the year the withdrawal by the Community of most of the powers of the newly elected Board. By the end of the financial year 'normality had been regained by the new Board'. The operation and functions of the Council during this difficult period are detailed in the report (pp.18-19).

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