Management and accountability in PDF (529KB)

The department’s operations are primarily administrative and are therefore not usually subjected to formal external scrutiny.

In this section:

Judicial and administrative decisions

No judicial decisions or decisions of administrative tribunals or by the Australian Information Commissioner during 2013–14 had, or are anticipated to have, a significant effect on the operation of the department.

Reports by the Auditor-General, a parliamentary committee or the Commonwealth Ombudsman

The Australian National Audit Office audited the department’s 2012–13 financial statements and provided an unqualified audit report.

The Clerk made submissions to the House Standing Committee on Procedure on the inquiry into the use of electronic devices in the House of Representatives Chamber and the Federation Chamber.

The department continued to support the Standing Committee on Appropriations and Administration. The Clerk and other departmental staff provided the committee with information on the department’s budget position and attended the committee’s meetings to enable the committee to discharge its responsibilities under standing order 222A. The committee presented one report: Budget estimates 2014–2015. (In light of the upcoming election in 2013, the committee presented its annual report for 2012–13 in June 2013.) In its budget estimates report, the committee commended the department’s careful financial management over many years, and indicated that it will continue to monitor closely the department’s financial position into the future.

No investigations by the Commonwealth Ombudsman in 2013–14 involved the department.

Freedom of information

The department is excluded from the application of the Freedom of Information Act 1982, under section 68A of the Parliamentary Service Act.

Public interest disclosure

The Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 was enacted in 2013. In accordance with this Act, procedures were developed, and authorised officers in the department were appointed by the Clerk. Staff of the parliamentary departments attended information sessions, conducted by the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman, about the operation of the Act.

Privacy

While the department is not an agency to which the Privacy Act 1988 applies, we abide by the principles of the legislation in our dealings with employees, including handling employees’ records.

Disability reporting mechanisms

The National Disability Strategy 2010–2020 sets out a 10-year national policy framework to improve the lives of people with disability, promote participation and create a more inclusive society. A high-level two-yearly report will track progress against each of the six outcome areas of the strategy and present a picture of how people with disability are faring. The first of these reports will be available in late 2014 on the Department of Social Services website (www.dss.gov.au).