Download Annual Report 2011-2012 - Governor-General of the ...

OverviewOffice overviewThe Office of Governor-General was established bythe Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australiain 1901. The Governor-General represents TheQueen in Australia: exercising the executive powerof the Commonwealth; upholding and executingits laws and Constitution; and performing a broadrange of constitutional, statutory, ceremonial andcommunity responsibilities. The Governor-General isalso Commander-in-Chief of the Australian DefenceForce. The Governor-General acts on the advice ofthe elected Government in all relevant matters.The Office of the Official Secretary to theGovernor-General, which was established in 1984by amendment to the Governor-General Act 1974,supports the Governor-General in the fulfilment ofthese responsibilities, according to section 13 of theAct, which is administered by the Prime Minister.Prior to 1984, the Governor-General’s office wasadministered by the Department of the PrimeMinister and Cabinet.The Office comprises three branches and acommunications and media unit which reportto the Official Secretary in his capacity as ChiefExecutive Officer. Figure 1 shows the structure ofthe Office at 30 June 2012.The Executive and Protocol Branch provides directsupport to the Governor-General by planning,organising and managing her forward program ofnational and international engagements; advising oncontextual matters and other issues; and draftingbriefings, speeches and messages. The Branchresponds to a large volume of communicationsfrom the public, and handles visits to GovernmentHouse by thousands of school children eachyear. It also manages household operations andrepresentational activities at Government Houseand Admiralty House.The Australian Honours and Awards Branch receivesand/or researches nominations and recommendationsfor honours and awards for Australians who providedistinguished service to the community and thenation. The Branch supports two Councils andone Committee which make recommendations tothe Governor-General on honours matters. It alsoundertakes reception, records management andanniversary correspondence roles.The Corporate Services Branch provides corporateservices, governance advice and financial, humanresources, and information technology support forthe Office. The Branch also manages the officialresidences, grounds and assets and coordinatesphysical security.This report is structured according to the Office’soutcome and program, in line with the accrualbudgeting and reporting requirements for AustralianGovernment agencies, and provides informationrequired under Government guidelines for thepreparation of annual reports. The Office’s outcomeand outputs are as follows:OutcomeProgram 1Component 1Component 2The performance of the Governor-General’s role is facilitated through theorganisation and management of official duties, management and maintenance of theofficial household and property and administration of the Australian Honours andAwards systemSupport for the Governor-General and Official FunctionsSupport of the Governor-GeneralAdministration of the Australian Honours and Awards SystemThis Outcome, Program and Program Components are consistent with those reported in the Office’s2011–12 Portfolio Budget Statements. The cost of the Corporate Services Branch is allocated acrossboth program components in line with the proportional costs of supporting those functions.Annual Report 2011–20123