Chapter ThreeCorporate governanceThe Official Secretary, in his role as Chief ExecutiveOfficer, is accountable for <strong>the</strong> efficient, effective,economical and ethical use <strong>of</strong> resources and <strong>the</strong>achievement <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> highest possible performancefrom <strong>the</strong> Office. The Office’s ManagementCommittee assists <strong>the</strong> Official Secretary to meethis statutory responsibilities under <strong>the</strong> <strong>Governor</strong>-<strong>General</strong> Act 1974 and <strong>the</strong> Financial Management andAccountability Act 1997. The Office recognises <strong>the</strong>need for a high level <strong>of</strong> accountability.The Corporate Services Branch supports<strong>the</strong> Official Secretary’s overall governanceresponsibilities by facilitating <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong>business plans, establishing policy and accountabilityframeworks, managing risk, fraud and securityplanning, setting frameworks for advising on peoplemanagement, managing industrial relations, managinginformation and communications technology, andoverseeing budget management <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Office. TheBranch also manages <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficial properties andcoordinates physical security services.CommitteesTo support <strong>the</strong> Official Secretary <strong>the</strong> Officehas established several committees:• Management Committee• Audit Committee• Financial Statements Sub-committee• Workplace Consultative Committee• Work Health and Safety Committee.Management CommitteeThe Management Committee comprises <strong>the</strong> OfficialSecretary as Chief Executive Officer; <strong>the</strong> DeputyOfficial Secretary as Deputy Chief Executive Officer;<strong>the</strong> Directors <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Corporate Services, Honoursand Awards, and Executive and Protocol Branches;and <strong>the</strong> Chief Financial Officer. The group meetsmonthly and considers strategic issues affecting <strong>the</strong>Office, including any emerging or ongoing risks, andmonitors <strong>the</strong> delivery <strong>of</strong> performance outcomes for<strong>the</strong> Office.The Management Committee has <strong>the</strong> followingoverall responsibilities:• to establish and drive <strong>the</strong> direction, strategies,compliance, financial objectives and monitoringarrangements for <strong>the</strong> Office• to implement Office policies, strategies andfinancial objectives• to ensure <strong>the</strong> Office delivers itscorporate objectives• to ensure <strong>the</strong> Office delivers its outcometo <strong>the</strong> Government• to provide active leadership <strong>of</strong> riskmanagement activities• to monitor compliance with regulatoryrequirements and ethical standards.Audit CommitteeThe Audit Committee comprises an externalmember, Mr Bruce Jones (Chair), Mr Mark Fraser(Deputy Official Secretary), Ms Sharon Prendergastand Ms Karen Baker (Directors <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Honoursand Awards Branch and Corporate ServicesBranch respectively). It is responsible for providingindependent assurance and assistance to <strong>the</strong>Official Secretary on <strong>the</strong> Office’s risk, control andcompliance frameworks and external accountability.The Audit Committee endorses <strong>the</strong> annualaudit program for <strong>the</strong> Office, considers <strong>the</strong>recommendations contained in individualreports, and monitors <strong>the</strong> implementation <strong>of</strong>any changes in policies and practices pursuantto such recommendations. The Committee alsoreceives and approves <strong>the</strong> Office’s annual financialstatements and associated audit report.Government House staff meet to plan <strong>the</strong> <strong>Governor</strong>-<strong>General</strong>’sforward program <strong>of</strong> commitments48 OFFICE OF THE OFFICIAL SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL
Management and accountabilityFinancial Statements Sub-CommitteeThe Financial Statements Sub-Committee, firstestablished in 2010–11, continued its workoverseeing <strong>the</strong> effective preparation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Office’sfinancial statements.Workplace Consultative CommitteeThe Workplace Consultative Committee (WCC),representing all staff <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Office, continued to providea forum for management and employees to discussmatters affecting <strong>the</strong> workplace. Meetings <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> WCCare chaired alternately by a representative <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>Official Secretary and a representative <strong>of</strong> employees.The membership <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> consultative committeecomprises:• <strong>the</strong> Official Secretary or nominee• one o<strong>the</strong>r management representative• five employee representatives• one union workplace delegate• one union <strong>of</strong>ficial.Work Health and Safety CommitteeThe Work Health and Safety Committee is chairedby <strong>the</strong> Director Corporate Services Branch.Membership includes management representativesand health and safety representatives from across<strong>the</strong> Office. The Committee’s responsibility is t<strong>of</strong>acilitate discussion and cooperation on work healthand safety (WHS) issues in <strong>the</strong> workplace. Thecommittee met quarterly in <strong>2011</strong>–12.Strategic Planning FrameworkFigure 2: Strategic Planning FrameworkPortfolio Budget StatementsDescribes <strong>the</strong> Office’s allocation <strong>of</strong>resources to its Outcome and <strong>the</strong>means by which <strong>the</strong> Office’s performancewill be measuredRisk Management andFraud Control PlansIdentify and considerbusiness and fraud risksand <strong>the</strong> controls in placeto manage <strong>the</strong>mStrategic Business PlanSets directions for <strong>the</strong> Office to guideits work and enable it to meetpriorities and allocate resourcesBranch Operational PlansDescribe <strong>the</strong> business strategies which willdeliver on <strong>the</strong> Office’s Outcome and allocateresponsibility for delivering on <strong>the</strong>seIndividual Performanceand Development PlansRecord key deliverables and developmentoutcomes for staff to deliver insupport <strong>of</strong> Branch Operational PlansICT Strategic PlanProvides guidance on futureselection <strong>of</strong> informationand communicationstechnology and systems<strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> <strong>2011</strong>–<strong>2012</strong>49