Chapter 1 - Annual reports of departments


Chapter 1 - Annual reports of departments

1.1        The following reports of departments for the financial year 2005‑06 were referred to the committee for examination and report:

  • Attorney-General's Department; and
  • Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs[1].

Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA)

1.2        On 27 January 2006, responsibility for Indigenous affairs (formerly outcome 3) was transferred to the renamed Department of Families, Community Services, and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA). DIMA reported that the unspent administered appropriations were transferred to FaCSIA together with the administration of the Grants Management System.[2]

1.3         DIMA reported on the progress of its reform and improvement program. The improvement program is part of the 'Palmer Plus' package of measures aimed at addressing criticisms contained in the Palmer and Comrie Reports.[3] DIMA identified several important aspects of the package that have been, or are in the process of being, delivered, including:

  • enhanced detention health service delivery;
  • major improvements to client service delivery; and
  • stronger stakeholder engagement and feedback mechanisms.

1.4        The committee maintains a keen interest in the progress of DIMA's reform program and welcomes comments made by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) that: '....DIMA has gone to great lengths to improve the attitude of staff towards detainees in immigration detention centres over the past year.'[4]

1.5        The committee also agrees with the Secretary of DIMA that:

The scale of change I have asked of my staff in 2005-06 has been substantial and challenging and, while I believe we are making good progress, there is always more to do.[5]

1.6        After receiving approval from the Minister for Finance and Administration to budget for an operating loss of $28 million, DIMA incurred a deficit of $39.5 million for 2005-06 financial year. DIMA cited several factors that contributed to the increase in the expected loss, including:

  • additional costs related to the implementation of projects arising out of the Palmer and Comrie reports;
  • refugee caseloads with a high proportion of difficult cases requiring more intensive investigations; and
  • higher costs for security checks.[6]

1.7        The committee finds the annual report of DIMA to be 'apparently satisfactory'.

Attorney General's Department

1.8        Despite receiving approval from the Minister for Finance and Administration to budget for a deficit of $10 million, AGD achieved a surplus of $18.4 million for the financial year. AGD attributed the surplus to greater than expected independent revenue receipts and lower than expected employee expenses.[7]

1.9        AGD cited several highlights during the 2005-06 period, including:

  • a new family law system;
  • security and counter-terrorism activities;
  • international engagement; and
  • combating identity crime.[8]

1.10      AGD assisted with the development and implementation of significant family law reforms including the passage of the Family Law Amendment (Shared Parental Responsibility) Act 2006. AGD also reported on the establishment of a network of Family Relationship Centres and a Family Relationship Advice Line.[9]

1.11      The annual report noted AGD had an ongoing focus on national security, in particular counter-terrorism. Most significantly, the 2005-06 period saw the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act 2005 and Anti-Terrorism Act (No 2) 2005 providing new measures relating to control orders and preventative detention. AGD also continued to play a co-ordinating role in Australia's counter-terrorism arrangements through the Protective Security Coordination Centre, as well as continuing to operate the National Security Hotline and Watch Office.[10]

1.12      As demonstrated in the annual report and highlighted by the Secretary, the AGD now performs:

...an increasing range of important but discrete functions which, on the surface, have little to do with each other. They range from national security and emergency management to advice on constitutional and international law...to family law reform; and so the list goes on.[11]

1.13             The AGD assisted in the negotiation of treaties with Malaysia, China and Hong Kong on mutual legal assistance and extradition. AGD also reported representing the Australian Government in a number of international forums such as the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.

1.14      During the reporting period AGD continued work on the National Document Verification Service which will allow authorised government agencies to check on a range of identification documents online and in real time.

1.15      The committee finds the annual report of the AGD to be 'apparently satisfactory'.

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