- Digital Annual Reporting Tool Survey 2024 - out now
- Significant instances of non-compliance with finance law (s19) - reporting reminder
- NEW: RMG-406 Senate Order for Consulting Services
- Modernising Grants Administration Project Launched!
- UPDATED: RMG-124 Capital budgeting by Commonwealth entities in the general government sector
- UPDATE: Specialist Investment Vehicles
- 2023-24 Geographic Diversity Report
- 2024 Commonwealth Awards for Excellence in Risk Management
- 2025 Comcover Risk Management Benchmarking Program… Coming Soon
- UPDATED: Machinery of Government Changes Guide
- Happy Holidays
Digital Annual Reporting Tool Survey 2024 - out now
The survey will take approximately 10 minutes and involves providing your ratings and opinions on various statements. Your feedback will be kept confidential.
Please complete by: Friday 20 December 2024
Click to access the survey: Digital Annual Reporting Tool Annual Report 2023-24 Survey
Thank you for your time and willingness to contribute to the improvement of the DART.
Please contact dar@finance.gov.au if you are unable to access the survey.
Significant instances of non-compliance with finance law (s19) - reporting reminder
Section 19 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) requires, among other things, that accountable authorities of Commonwealth entities notify their responsible Minister, as soon as practicable, of any significant issue that has affected the entity (see section 19(1)(e)).
In instances where a significant issue reported to the responsible Minister constitutes non-compliance with the finance law, accountable authorities must also notify the Finance Minister. The Finance Minister requires this under section 19(1)(b) of the PGPA Act. This section requires the accountable authority to give the responsible Minister or the Finance Minister any reports, documents and information in relation to the activities of the entity as that Minister requires.
Finance guidance, RMG-214 Notification of significant non-compliance with the finance law, states that what constitutes significant non-compliance is for the accountable authority to determine based on entity circumstances and in consultation with the responsible minister, as appropriate.
Instances of significant non-compliance reported to the Finance Minister must also be disclosed in entities’ annual reports (PGPA Rule sections 17AG (for non-corporate Commonwealth entities) and 17BE (for corporate Commonwealth entities)).
For further information, see the article included in PGPA Newsletter 105 in October 2024.
If you have any questions regarding non-compliance with the finance law, please email us at PGPA@finance.gov.au.
NEW: RMG-406 Senate Order for Consulting Services
The Department of Finance has released a new RMG, RMG-406 Meeting the Senate Order for Consulting Services.
The RMG supports Senate Order 23F Consulting Services, which requires the Minister for Finance to table a statement twice yearly that reports information on AusTender consultancy contracts valued at or above $2 million (including GST). The first reporting period will be for 1 July 2024 to 31 December 2024.
The RMG provides information on the process that Finance and entities will undertake to meet obligations under the Senate Order. It applies to entities that are subject to the Commonwealth Procurement Rules, which include non-corporate Commonwealth entities and prescribed corporate Commonwealth entities.
Should you have questions, please contact ProcurementAgencyAdvice@finance.gov.au.
Modernising Grants Administration Project Launched!
Finance has launched the Modernising Grants Administration project. The project will examine options to implement a modern approach to grants administration to support effective business processes enabled by a common technology platform or data framework and supported by a Grants Delivery Office (or Offices). The Business Case will focus on the needs of the 14 entities that are currently required to deliver grants through one of our two Grants Hubs.
The project will examine 5 key areas:
- Business Processes: identifying current processes and practices that work well, analysing pain points, and looking at options to streamline and enhance user experience of grants administration processes.
- ICT Infrastructure, Data and Reporting: understanding the ICT and data needs of entities, developing ICT and data technical requirements, and testing these against the commercial solutions and potential reuse of existing Commonwealth grants ICT systems.
- Capability and Professionalisation: exploring options for strengthening grants capability across the APS, a grants professionalisation pathway, and training opportunities.
- Grant Delivery Office(s): considering the role of a centralised grants delivery office(s) incorporating grant delivery, training and support functionalities.
- Stakeholder Engagement and User Experience: putting users (grant applicants and recipients, as well as grants administrators) at the centre of the solution and supporting the change management needs of agencies and users.
The project team is progressing a discovery and information collection phase and has been engaging with in-scope entities through a mix of workshops, information surveys and requests for documentation to better understand their view around current state processes and future-state needs.
If you have any questions about the project, please email grantsadmin@finance.gov.au.
UPDATED: RMG-124 Capital budgeting by Commonwealth entities in the general government sector
RMG-124 Capital budgeting by Commonwealth entities in the general government sector has been refreshed. The revisions align the guide with the current Budget Process Operational Rules, RMG‑500 Commonwealth Property Management Framework and other guidance.
Updates also include enhanced illustrative journals for all types of capital expenditure, aiming to better educate entities on the necessity of completing Capital Management Plans (CMP template); and generally improve the readability of the guide.
Please email Budget_Framework@finance.gov.au, if you have any questions regarding these updates.
UPDATE: Specialist Investment Vehicles
SIVs, and the portfolio departments that oversee them, are supported by Resource Management Guide 127 Specialist Investment Vehicles (RMG-127) which was released on the Finance website on 4 July 2024.
RMG-127 was developed in collaboration with SIVs and portfolio departments, providing best practice guidance on commercial and governance matters. The RMG supports Finance’s centralised oversight role of the Government’s SIV portfolio.
This marked the first step in implementing the Government’s decision to drive enhanced governance and transparency across the SIV portfolio, which also sees an enhanced role for the Minister for Finance across the SIV portfolio.
RMG-127 covers the following topics:
- Board and corporate governance: Guidance on roles and responsibilities, conduct and accountability, performance and evaluation requirements and appointments and onboarding processes.
- Cooperation and collaboration: Principles to facilitate collaboration between SIVs and other public sector bodies to maximise outcomes on government priorities.
- Planning and reporting: Expectations for reporting requirements to support centralised oversight.
- Risk governance and management: Minimum expectations for risk governance and management including establishing a risk management framework, setting risk appetite and key processes such as valuation and stress testing.
If you have any questions regarding the RMG, please contact SIVsStrategy@finance.gov.au.
2023-24 Geographic Diversity Report
The 2023-24 Geographic Diversity of Australian Government Boards Report is now available on directory.gov.au.
Directory.gov.au is an online register of Commonwealth bodies, appointments and key contacts and includes information on Australian Government boards, bodies and committees which cover a wide range of responsibilities, including policy advisory boards, statutory office holders, and review and enquiry boards.
The Geographic Diversity Report is published annually and provides a state and territory comparison of the geographic diversity of Australian Government board appointments, based on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Organisations and Appointments Register.
If you have any questions related to the Geographic Diversity Report, or directory.gov.au, please contact us at OAR@finance.gov.au.
2024 Commonwealth Awards for Excellence in Risk Management
Richard Windeyer, Deputy Secretary Commercial Group, hosted the event and the Hon. Patrick Gorman MP, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Assistant Minister for the Public Service, and Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General delivered an inspiring keynote address.
Click here to see the full list of 2024 award recipients and their case studies.
Caption: The Hon. Patrick Gorman MP and Richard Windeyer, Deputy Secretary Commercial Group, with the 2024 award recipients.
2025 Comcover Risk Management Benchmarking Program… Coming Soon
The Benchmarking program involves the completion of an online self-assessment Benchmarking Survey.
The Survey will open on Tuesday, 28 January and close on Monday, 3 March 2025.
The Benchmarking Program is designed to support the promotion of better risk management in the Commonwealth public sector.
For any questions about the survey, please contact comcover@comcover.com.au.
UPDATED: Machinery of Government Changes Guide
The Machinery of Government (MoG) Changes Guide has recently been updated. The MoG Changes Guide is published jointly by the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) and the Department of Finance (Finance) and provides practical guidance to entities to support the implementation of MoG changes.
Consistent with entities’ ongoing obligations under legislation such as the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and the Public Service Act 1999, the following principles continue to apply to implementing MoG changes:
- Continuity of service – A MoG change must be implemented in a timely and effective manner, ensuring continuity of Government business.
- Effective change management - Entities are to work co-operatively, collegially and professionally to implement the change.
- A responsive APS - Entities are to ensure, where practicable, their systems, processes and practices are able to adapt and are responsive to change. Entities should ensure continued accountability and risk management for the transferring functions throughout the transition.
Entities are expected to complete MoG changes within 13 weeks from the MoG change date of effect (commencement date) unless otherwise specified in a decision by the Government. Agency heads/accountable authorities involved in the MoG change are responsible for meeting this deadline and for implementing MoG changes in accordance with the principles and other relevant guidance.
By 4 weeks after the MoG change date of effect (and again at weeks 8 and 12), entities must advise the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Finance and the APSC of their progress towards meeting the completion date. If at any stage it becomes clear that there is a risk that the completion date will not be achieved, an independent adviser is to be appointed.
The 2024 updates to the MoG Changes Guide have been limited to clarifications and minor amendments, with the key changes described in the table below.
| Topic | Change |
|---|---|
| When the receiving entity is responsible for functions transferring | Clarified that the receiving entity is responsible for functions transferring from the MoG change date of effect (commencement date). For policy and/or administrative functions not supported by specific legislation, while in practice these may continue to be delivered by staff of the transferring entity (for example, under delegations or authorisations from the receiving entity), the responsibility for performing and delivering those functions transfers to the receiving entity on the MoG change date of effect. |
| MoG change date of effect and the timing for the movement of employees | Clarified that the MoG change date of effect may be different to the agreed date for the movement of employees under section 72 of the Public Service Act 1999. |
| Establishing contact with central entities | For large and/or complex MoG changes affecting many entities, Finance will organise a meeting with affected entities’ Chief Financial Officers to discuss timelines and resource management implications. For other MoG changes, affected entities should establish contact with Finance, the APSC and other entities as appropriate for timelines to be set. For example, Finance can assist with setting timelines for the transfer of appropriations, and the APSC for the movement of employees. |
| Dispute resolution process | The Prime Minister and relevant Ministers may be briefed when disputes cannot be resolved by accountable authorities or there is a delay to implementing a MoG change beyond the recommended 13 week timeframe. |
| Post-implementation evaluation | The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet may direct entities to conduct a post-implementation evaluation. |
| Employment arrangements | Updated relevant information due to employment policy changes. |
For more information, see the MoG Changes Guide.
Please email MoGAdvice@finance.gov.au, if you have any questions regarding these updates.
Happy Holidays
