Role, functions and purpose
DPS is one of the four parliamentary departments which together comprise the Parliamentary Service. DPS' role and functions are set out in its purpose in the DPS Corporate Plan 2015–16 which states:
Our role
The Department of Parliamentary Services supports the functions of the Australian Parliament and the work of parliamentarians through the provision of professional services, advice and facilities, the ongoing maintenance of Australian Parliament House; and makes the building, and the important activity that takes place within it, accessible.
Our core functions
DPS provides services and products to support the function of the Australian Parliament, and the work of parliamentarians. Working in collaboration with the house departments, DPS provides, or facilitates the following:
- library and research services
- information and communication technology services
- security services
- building, grounds and heritage management services
- audio visual and Hansard services
- art services
- visitor services
- food and beverage, retail, health, banking and childcare services, and
- corporate, administrative and strategic services for DPS.
DPS reports to the Presiding Officers of the Parliament (the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives).
Outcome and program structure
The DPS outcome in 2015–16 was: Support the functions of Parliament and parliamentarians through the provision of professional services, advice and facilities and maintain APH.
In the 2015–16 Portfolio Budget Statement DPS had two programs:
- Program 1: Parliamentary Services had the following program objectives:
- provide a range of research, information and reporting services to support the Parliament and the work of parliamentarians, and engage the community
- provide services to building occupants and electorate offices to enable them to conduct their work, and
- provide services and facilities for visitors to Parliament House.
- Program 2: Parliament House Works Program had the following program objectives:
- strategically plan to maintain and upgrade Parliament House
- maintain Parliament House as a safe and accessible workplace and public building
plan, develop and deliver into service an ongoing building works program, and
- plan and deliver physical security upgrades to Parliament House.
Services provided by DPS
Library and research services
The Parliamentary Library provides information, analysis and advice to senators and members in support of their parliamentary and representational roles.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Services
DPS manages the infrastructure and delivery of ICT services to registered users in APH, Federal Electorate Offices (EOs) and Commonwealth Parliament Offices (CPOs). This includes service design, implementation and support in the form of a central help desk, training, the provision of software and hardware, and management of the department’s relationships with external ICT providers.
Hansard and audio visual Services
DPS provides Hansard and audio-visual services, including recording, broadcasting and archiving the audio-visual record of Parliament and parliamentary committee proceedings and the production of the written record (Hansard).
Hansard Editor Sam Pritchard is one of the team of editors that produces the permanent record of all parliamentary proceedings.
Design integrity
APH is an architecturally significant and important 20th century building. It is a place where major decisions are made that impact on the daily life of all Australians.
DPS is charged with the management of the design integrity of Parliament House while ensuring its future as a working building. As custodian, DPS has a responsibility to manage the building for current and future generations.
Art services
DPS manages the extensive Parliament House Art Collection by acquiring, cataloguing, researching, digitising, conserving, preparing and presenting works of art to the highest possible museum standards. DPS staff allocate and install artworks in senators’ and members’ suites as well as in the circulation spaces throughout the building, and develop and present displays and exhibitions.
Visitor services
DPS provides a range of visitor services and facilities including:
- guided tours for visitors and school groups
- events and exhibitions
- the Parliament Shop, and
- managing the catering contract for the Queen's Terrace Café.
Other services to support parliamentarians and building occupants
DPS facilitates a range of services to support parliamentarians and building occupants.
These services include:
- food and beverage services
- a health and recreation centre
- a post office
- banking and financial services
- a child care centre
- a travel agent
- a nurse's centre
- physiotherapist services, and
- a hairdresser.
Additionally, DPS manages the licences for the members of the Press Gallery, who occupy space within APH.
Corporate, administrative and strategic services
DPS' corporate and strategic areas provide advice and services to the DPS Executive and staff on a range of governance, strategic, financial, procurement, human resources and records management matters. This ensures that DPS complies with its responsibilities under the Parliamentary Service Act 1999, the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (the PGPA Act) and a range of other legislative obligations, including human resources-related legislation.
DPS Secretary Rob Stefanic with participants in the PEL1 Development Program, which commenced in May 2016.
Summary of financial performance
DPS receives departmental and administered operating and capital funding as well as funds through third-party drawing rights. Details of the DPS appropriations, programs and an explanation of the results are provided below:
Table 1: Summary of financial performance
|
Department of Parliamentary Services
|
Actual available appropriation for
2015-16
$’000
|
Payments made
2015-16
$’000
|
Balance remaining
2015-16
’000
|
|
|
|
(a)
|
(b)
|
(a) – (b)
|
|
Ordinary Annual Services1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Departmental appropriation2
|
|
178,247
|
156,713
|
21,534
|
|
Administered annual appropriation
|
|
7,703
|
4,077
|
3,626
|
|
Total Ordinary Annual Services
|
A
|
185,950
|
160,790
|
25,160
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Administered non-operating
|
|
|
|
|
|
Administered Assets and Liabilities3
|
|
158,617
|
20,166
|
138,451
|
|
Total other services
|
B
|
158,617
|
20,166
|
138,451
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total net resourcing and payments for the Department of Parliamentary Services
|
A+B
|
344,567
|
180,956
|
163,611
|
1 Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No.1) 2015-16. This includes Prior Year departmental appropriation, capital and S.74 relevant agency receipts.
2 Includes an amount of $22.9 million in 2015-16 for the Departmental Capital Budget. For accounting purposes this amount has been designated as ‘contributions by owners’.
3 Includes Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Act (No.1) 2015-16 and prior year appropriations.
Departmental operating and capital result
DPS recorded an operating loss of $19.7 million in 2015–16. This loss was primarily caused by $19.1 million in depreciation and amortisation which is not funded through revenue appropriations but rather through the department's capital budget. $0.6 million of the remaining loss was due to the movement in the bond rate, which increased the department’s leave liability, and a minor overspend in supplier expenses.
The total departmental expenses excluding depreciation and amortisation were $127.5 million. This consisted of $82.6 million in employee expenses, $44.7 million in supplier costs and $0.2 million in loss on sale of assets and write downs. This was mostly funded by $119.0 million in revenue from government and $7.9 million in own source revenue.
Figure 1: Departmental Operating Expenses by Functional Area
Departmental capital is used to deliver a program of work in support of the work of parliamentarians, occupants of the building and visitors to Parliament House. It incorporates activities relating to technology, the Parliamentary Library and parliamentary experience.
The departmental capital result for 2015–16 was $27.2 million. This is $4.3 million more than the $22.9 million in departmental capital appropriated for 2015–16. This $4.3 million was funded through unspent appropriations from prior years. The additional works represents the delivery of not only the 2015–16 capital program but also projects delayed in previous financial years.
Administered operating and capital result
The administered activities of the department deliver a building works program that maintains Parliament House as a safe and accessible workplace and public building. It incorporates activities relating to the building or art within the building. The administered program also includes the Australian Parliament House Security Upgrade project budget measure which was originally appropriated in 2014–15.
DPS spent $20.2 million in administered capital and $3.9 million in administered operating in 2015–16 (excluding depreciation and amortisation), which was $36.9 million less than the planned amount. The delay was principally due to the time it took to develop the program of works that would meet the requirements of the Building Condition Assessment Report outcomes. The time taken to recruit suitably qualified staff and to conduct the necessary stakeholder engagement saw the majority of the planned works slip into 2016–17. The preliminary works were completed in 2015–16 and DPS is now in a position to implement the BCAR recommendations in 2016–17.
Third party drawing rights
DPS draws from to the Department of Finance’s appropriation for the purposes providing technology services to electoral offices and photographic services to Parliament in accordance with the Parliamentary Entitlements Act 1990. DPS also provides infrastructure and communications technology services to former Prime Ministers’ offices. In 2015–16 DPS conducted a project to install more secure networking equipment and to provide additional capabilities for a secure wireless infrastructure in each electorate office and Commonwealth Parliament Offices that connect to the parliamentary computing network. DPS drew down $24.3 million from the Department of Finance’s appropriation to deliver these services.
Departmental structure
DPS is established as a department under the Parliamentary Service Act 1999. The Act provides that the department consists of a Secretary of the department, together with the Parliamentary Librarian and Parliamentary Service employees assisting the Secretary and the Parliamentary Librarian. The Secretary is the Accountable Authority and is the leader of DPS’ senior executive team.
The Parliamentary Librarian is the holder of a statutory office established by authority of the Parliamentary Service Act 1999. The Parliamentary Librarian reports directly to the Presiding Officers—and to the Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library—in respect of her statutory functions.
DPS structural changes
During 2015–16, there was one structural change within DPS. A small Archives Unit was established in March 2016 that is overseen (as additional duties) by the Parliamentary Librarian.
Senior Executive as at 30 June 2016
Secretary, Rob Stefanic
Mr Rob Stefanic was appointed Secretary of DPS in December 2015, after 19 years’ experience in parliamentary service at the NSW Parliament. As head of the NSW Department of Parliamentary Services, he implemented service reforms and oversaw a major program of capital works. Mr Stefanic forged a strong cooperative relationship with the Clerks to develop successive strategic plans for the Parliament and to achieve ‘whole of parliament’ outcomes. Prior to this, he served as Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the department, overseeing the delivery of ICT, library, archival and Hansard services to the NSW Parliament.
Prior to joining DPS in NSW, Mr Stefanic worked for the Department of the Legislative Council at the NSW Parliament for over a decade, where he held a number of senior positions including that of Clerk Assistant and Committee Secretary for various standing and select committees. Before working in the parliamentary environment he worked in the chartered accounting and legal fields.
Mr Stefanic has Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Laws (Hons) degrees and a Master’s degree in Public Administration.
For the first half of 2015-16, from 1 July 2015 until 11 December 2015, Dr Dianne Heriot was Acting Secretary of DPS.
Parliamentary Librarian, Dr Dianne Heriot
Dr Dianne Heriot was appointed as Parliamentary Librarian in May 2012, having acted in that position since February 2012. Prior to that, she was Assistant Secretary of the Research Branch of the Parliamentary Library.
Dr Heriot has many years’ experience in senior management positions in the Australian Public Service (APS) including in the Attorney-General’s Department (AGD) and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C). She has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons), Master of Arts (Medieval Studies) and Doctor of Philosophy in Literature.
Chief Information Officer, Eija Seittenranta
Ms Eija Seittenranta commenced as the CIO at DPS in October 2012. Prior to joining DPS, Ms Seittenranta held a number of senior positions in ICT in the APS. Ms Seittenranta’s public service career was broken by a two-year stint working overseas for Standard Chartered Bank in an ICT executive role and a year to complete her MBA. Since re-joining the public service, Ms Seittenranta has held senior ICT positions with Centrelink, the Department of Health and Ageing, and the Department of Human Services.
A/g First Assistant Secretary Building and Asset Management, Paul Cooper
Mr Paul Cooper has been acting as First Assistant Secretary, Building and Asset Management Division, since
17 June 2016. He is also Assistant Secretary, Security Branch, on secondment from AGD. Mr Cooper is an experienced SES officer with an extensive background in security issues and people management.
From 1 July 2015 until 16 June 2016 the position of First Assistant Secretary, Building and Asset Management Division, was held by Mr Rob Barnes.
Chief Operating Officer, Myra Croke PSM
Ms Myra Croke was appointed as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at DPS in December 2014. In this role she is
responsible for departmental activities including human resource management, strategic planning, communications and media, governance, financial services, procurement management, compliance and audit, and performance reporting. Prior to joining DPS Ms Croke held a number of senior positions at PM&C.
Ms Croke was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2010 for outstanding public service in establishing and managing the secretariat for the National Security Committee of Cabinet.