Overview
1.1
The Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation
Committee's (the committee) report on annual reports provides an overview of
the committee's examination of annual reports for the 2014–15 financial year
tabled between 1 November 2015 and 30 April 2016. The
committee is responsible for examining the annual reports of departments and
agencies within the portfolios of:
-
Agriculture and Water Resources; and
-
Infrastructure and Regional Development.[1]
1.2
This is the second of two reports on annual reports that the committee
is required to produce in 2016.
Terms of reference
1.3
Under Senate Standing Order 25(20), annual reports of departments and
agencies shall stand referred to the legislation committees in accordance with
an allocation of departments and agencies in a resolution of the Senate. Each
committee shall:
- Examine each annual report
referred to it and report to the Senate whether the report is apparently
satisfactory.
- Consider in more detail, and
report to the Senate on, each annual report which is not apparently
satisfactory, and on other annual reports which it selects for more detailed
consideration.
- Investigate and report to the
Senate on any lateness in the presentation of annual reports.
- In considering an annual
report, take into account any relevant remarks about the report made in debate
in the Senate.
- If the committee so
determines, consider annual reports of departments and budget-related agencies
in conjunction with examination of estimates.
- Report on annual reports
tabled by 31 October each year by the tenth sitting day of the following year,
and on annual reports tabled by 30 April each year by the tenth sitting
day after 30 June of that year.
- Draw to the attention of the
Senate any significant matters relating to the operations and performance of
the bodies furnishing the annual reports.
- Report to the Senate each
year whether there are any bodies which do not present annual reports to the
Senate and which should present such reports.
Purpose of annual reports
1.4
The tabling and scrutiny of annual reports by Senate committees under
Standing Order 25(20) is an important element in the process of government accountability
to Parliament. The information provided in annual reports is placed on the
public record and assists Parliament in its examination of the performance of
departments and agencies and the administration of government programs.
Reports referred to the committee
1.5
In accordance with Standing Order 25(20)(f), this report examines annual
reports tabled between 1 November 2015 and 30 April 2016.
The committee examined the following reports:
Agriculture and Water Resources Portfolio
-
Australian Grape and Wine Authority—Report for 2014-15;
-
Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation—Report for
2014-2015;
-
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation—Report for 2014–15;
-
Grains Research and Development Corporation—Report for 2014–15;
-
Cotton Research and Development Corporation—Report for 2014–15;
-
Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority—Annual
Report 2014–15;
-
Torres Strait Protected Zone Joint Authority—Annual Report for
the Financial Years 2011–12, 2012–13 and 2013–14;
-
Queensland Fisheries Joint Authority—Report for 2014–15;
-
Northern Territory Fisheries Joint Authority—Report for 2014–15;
-
Western Australian Fisheries Joint Authority—Report for 2014–15;
-
Murray- Darling Basin Authority—Annual Report 2014–15;
-
Dairy Australia Limited—Report for 2014–15; and
-
Australian Livestock Export Corporation Limited (LiveCorp)—Report
for 2014–15.
Infrastructure and Regional
Development Portfolio
-
National Capital Authority—Annual Report 2014–15;
-
Airservices Australia—Report for 2014–15;
-
Australian Maritime Safety Authority—Report for 2014–15; and
-
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator – Annual Report 2014–15.
Reports not examined
1.6
The committee is not obliged to report on Acts, statements of corporate
intent, surveys, corporate plans or errata. The following documents were
referred to the committee but have not been examined:
-
Report to the Parliament in relation to the Funding Agreement
2010-14 with the Australian Livestock Export Corporation Limited (LiveCorp);
-
Report to the Parliament in relation to the Statutory Funding
Agreement 2013-17 (funding contract) with Dairy Australia Limited;
-
Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997—Live-stock
mortalities during exports by sea—Report for the period 1 July to
31 December 2015;
-
Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997—Live-stock
mortalities during exports by sea—Report for the period 1 January to
30 2015;
-
Independent Reviewer's Report to the Australian and Tasmanian
Governments on the third five-yearly review of the Tasmanian Regional Forest
Agreement—November 2015;
-
The Australian National Audit Office Independent Report of
Norfolk Island's Financial Statements 2014-15;
-
Sydney Airport Demand Management Act 1997—Quarterly report
on the maximum movement limit for Sydney Airport for 1 July to
30 September 2015; and
-
Sydney Airport Demand Management Act 1997—Quarterly report
on the maximum movement limit for Sydney Airport for 1 October to 31 December 2015.
1.7
Appendix 1 sets out a complete list of documents referred to the
committee during the period 1 November 2015 and 30 April 2016
(including those not examined). This appendix includes references to the
relevant legislation, the letter of transmittal dates, the dates on which the
annual reports were sent to, and received by, the relevant minister, and the
dates on which the annual reports were tabled in both the House of Representatives
and the Senate.
Method of assessment
1.8
Senate Standing Orders require the committee to examine the annual
reports referred to it to determine whether they are timely and 'apparently
satisfactory'. In forming its assessment, the committee considers whether the
reports comply with the relevant legislation and guidelines for the preparation
of annual reports.
1.9
The annual reports of 2014-15 mark the first time departments and
agencies are required to report under the Public Governance, Performance and
Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act), which commenced on 1 July 2014.
1.10
The PGPA Act consolidates the governance, performance and accountability
requirements contained in the Financial Management and Accountability Act
1997 (FMA Act) and the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997
(CAC Act). It also establishes a performance reporting framework for all Commonwealth
entities and companies.
1.11
Taking into account these changes, the 2014-15 annual reports were
prepared and assessed under the following arrangements:
-
for non-corporate Commonwealth entities (departments, executive
agencies and statutory agencies): the Public Service Act 1999, sections
63(2) and 70(2), and the Parliamentary Service Act 1999, section 65;
other relevant enabling legislation for statutory bodies; and the Requirements
for Annual Reports for Departments, Executive Agencies and Other Non-Corporate
Commonwealth Entities (Requirements for Annual Reports) issued by the
Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet on 25 June 2015 and approved by the
Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA);
-
for corporate Commonwealth entities: the Commonwealth Authorities
(Annual Reporting) Orders 2011 prescribe material that must be included in
corporate entities' annual reports. These Orders continue to apply to 2014-15
annual reports under the PGPA (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Rule;
-
for Commonwealth companies: the Commonwealth Companies (Annual
Reporting) Orders 2011 prescribe material that must be included in corporate
companies' annual reports. These Orders continue to apply to 2014-15 annual
reports under the PGPA (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Rule; and
-
for non-statutory bodies: the guidelines are contained in the
government response to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration
Report on Non-Statutory bodies.[2]
Notes on future methods of assessment
1.12
In its report on the development of the Commonwealth performance framework,
the JCPAA indicated that in future years, the annual report requirements 'will
be replaced through the consolidation of all mandatory requirements into a rule
made for the purposes of section 46 of the PGPA Act'.[3]
1.13
While the Requirements for Annual Reports issued on 25 June 2015
apply to annual reports for 2014-15, it was noted that:
Significant revisions to the Requirements are anticipated for
the 2015-16 financial year with the commencement of the performance reporting
model under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013
(PGPA Act).[4]
Timeliness in tabling of annual reports
1.14
Standing Order 25(20)(c) requires the committee to report to the Senate
on the late presentation of annual reports.
1.15
To ensure compliance with the PGPA Act, annual reports must be tabled in
Parliament by 31 October each year. In addition, annual reports must be
provided to the responsible minister by the 15th day of the fourth
month after the end of the reporting period. If Senate Supplementary Budget
Estimates hearings are scheduled to occur prior to 31 October, it is best
practice for annual reports to be tabled prior to these hearings.[5]
1.16
The committee observes that while many agencies and other relevant
entities provided their reports to the responsible minister within the
specified timeframes, a considerable number were not tabled by 30 April 2016. Further
details on tabling dates and timelines can be found in Appendix 1. The
committee will continue to monitor the matter of timeliness in future reports
on annual reports.
Comments on reports
1.17
On 15 December 2014, the government announced that the Australian
Landcare Council (ALC) would be replaced by the non-statutory National Landcare
Advisory Committee. Since appointments to the ALC lapsed in 2013, the committee
notes that the 2012-13 annual report of ALC is its final report.
1.18
The committee considers that all reports received were 'apparently
satisfactory'. The following chapter examines selected annual reports in
further detail.
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