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26/11/2024

Duties in relation to you and others

Duties outlined in section 17 and 18 of the PGPA Act place positive duties on accountable authorities to cooperate with others and to ensure that the compliance, reporting and other obligations imposed on others take into account the use and management of public resources.

As an accountable authority, you are required under the PGPA Act to:

Encourage officials to cooperate with others to achieve common objectives, and take a proportional, risk-based approach to imposing administrative burdens on other parties that work with government.

Cooperation can involve anyone who has a stake in the outcomes of the government policy, or can help develop and/or implement the policy in the most effective, economical and efficient manner.

Requirements as an accountable authority under the PGPA Act

As an accountable authority you must, in accordance with the Commonwealth Risk Management Policy:

Make resource management decisions in the context of government acting as a coherent whole, cooperate with others to achieve common objectives, and have regard to the burden you impose on others.

These requirements are broader than simply making decisions in the best interests of your entity. You are required to engage with others in a manner that does not impose excessive burden or stifle the innovative capabilities of those you are cooperating with.

How you can meet these requirements

To meet these duties you could:

Take positive steps to build a culture that encourages officials to explore how your entity can collaborate with others in achieving common purposes. Articulate your entity's risk appetite in terms that recognise the risks that arise from collaborative activities. Consider opportunities to streamline acquittal and reporting processes. Decide whether the compliance, red tape, cost and reporting burdens imposed by your entity are directed at promoting proper use and management of public resources.
 

Explore your other duties

 

Duty to govern your entity

You are responsible for leading, governing and setting the strategic direction for your entity

Duty to establish and maintain systems relating to risk and control

The PGPA Act provides you with the flexibility to establish systems of risk oversight and management and internal control that are appropriate for your entity

Duty to keep your responsible Minister and the Finance Minister informed

Assist your minister in discharging their duties of accountability to the Parliament and the public

Improving performance reporting and accountability

The PGPA Act sets out requirements for performance planning and reporting to promote accountability to ministers, the Parliament and the public for the use of public resources

Other legal requirements

In addition to your duties and responsibilities under the PGPA Act and related legislative instruments, you also have duties and legal obligations under other Commonwealth legislation
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