Governing the City State - Chief Minister and Treasury Directorate ...

oles where individuals are to exercise the total powers of multiple regulators, but ORSshould look at its functions and roles to test opportunities for enhanced ways of working,sharing information and regulation of ACT laws. In a small jurisdiction with finite resourcesit makes administrative sense that a fair trading inspector should be able to check that abusiness is meeting its general obligations under other statutes administered by ORS. Wherethe detail of enquiry extends beyond the expertise of the official the matter would be referredto the relevant technical area.An increased effort is being made to build the capability and capacity of WorkSafe ACT. Arecurrent investment in building both the technical and non-technical skills of ORS officialswill allow for further consolidation of functions, establishment of good practices anddevelopment of a highly skilled workforce.Chapter 4 proposes augmentation of existing ORS functions with the transfer of other similarstreams of work. In tandem with these expanded responsibilities, ORS should continue toinvest in the development and implementation of a coherent compliance framework.The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) sees administration of regulation as a clearand distinct part of the regulatory process: “using its legislated powers, a regulatoradministers its regulatory functions to achieve defined policy objectives.” 324 Administrationof regulation is complex and involves responding to the environment in which the regulationsare operating as well as the objectives defined by policy makers.To further support the exercise of good regulation, consideration could be given to regularsystematic external review of the functions of the regulator as suggested by the CPSU:The Office of Regulatory Services should be empowered and resourced for transparentcentralised regulatory control and be able to monitor agency compliance without interferencefrom, or overlap with policy areas. CMD should be tasked with reviewing ORS functions,lines of communication and reporting with a view to clarifying areas of responsibility andassociated accountability. 325Codifying good work practices in operational regulation will be essential to collapsing ‘oldpractices’ and replacing them with models of excellence.Service Delivery CapabilityThe prevailing view among officials was that service delivery across the ACTPS could beenhanced. In the move to a single ACTPS, Canberra Connect will be a central plank of thesingle and unified identity of the ACTPS. The exemplary service offered by CanberraConnect (see case study below) is often referred to as a model of outward facing servicedelivery.324 Australian National Audit Office (2007) Administering Regulation: Better Practice Guide. Commonwealth Government,Canberra, p.2.325 Submission No.11.Capability, Capacity and Effectiveness: 251