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26/12/2024

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.

Circle representing the cycle of performance planning and reporting. Portfolio Budget Statements (May), Corporate Plans (August), Annual Reports (October the following year) and Annual Performance Statements (within the Annual Report).

For each reporting period, you must prepare and publish:

  • a corporate plan that sets out the purposes of your entity
  • if you receive appropriations from the Parliament, Portfolio Budget Statements, which provide budgetary information related to your corporate plan and annual performance statements
  • an annual report, which must be tabled in the Parliament and contain annual performance statements, that reports on the financial and non-financial performance of your entity. 
     

Corporate planning

The corporate plan is the principal planning document for your entity. Corporate plans must cover at least four reporting periods and address:

  • the purposes of your entity
  • the environment in which your entity will operate
  • how your entity’s performance will be measured and assessed
  • the capability of your entity, including the key strategies and plans that your entity will implement to achieve its purposes
  • the risk oversight and management systems of your entity.

Unless otherwise provided by legislation, the corporate plan must be:

  • given to your minister and the Finance Minister as soon as practicable after it is prepared and before it is published. To meet the requirement to give the corporate plan to the Finance Minister, a copy of your corporate plan should be sent to the Department of Finance at PGPA@finance.gov.au.
    • Entities do not need to send a copy of the corporate plan to the Office of the Finance Minister directly.
  • published on your entity’s website by the last day of the second month of the reporting period. For most entities, this will be by 31 August each year.
For guidance on preparing corporate plans, see RMG-132 Corporate Plans for Commonwealth entities or RMG-133 Corporate plans for Commonwealth companies. These are available under Resource Management Guides in the right-hand menu.
Keeping accounts and records

You must ensure accounts and records are kept that:

  • explain your entity’s performance in achieving its purposes and enable measurement and assessment of that performance
  • record and explain your entity’s transactions and financial position.

Annual reporting

After the end of each reporting year, you must prepare an annual report for your entity that includes:

  • annual performance statements
  • audited annual financial statements.

The annual report must meet the requirements for set out in the PGPA Rule.

Unless otherwise provided by legislation, you must provide your entity’s annual report to your Minister by the 15th day of the fourth month after the end of the reporting period for your entity (usually 15 October), for tabling in parliament by your Minister.

For guidance on preparing annual reports, see RMG-135 Annual reports for non-corporate Commonwealth entities, RMG-136 Annual reports for corporate Commonwealth entities or RMG-137 Annual reports for Commonwealth companies. These are available under Resource Management Guides in the right-hand menu.

Annual performance statements

The annual performance statements provide an assessment of the extent to which your entity has succeeded in achieving its purposes. The statements must provide a direct acquittal of the performance criteria in your entity’s corporate plan and Portfolio Budget Statements for the reporting period.

For guidance on preparing annual performance statement, see RMG-134 Annual performance statements for Commonwealth entities, available under Resource Management Guides in the right-hand menu.

Audited annual performance statements

The PGPA Financial Reporting Rule sets out minimum requirements for all reporting entities in preparing financial statements.

This rule promotes consistency between entities’ financial statements and enables the preparation of the Australian Government’s consolidated financial statements.

For guidance on preparing annual financial statements, see RMG-125 Commonwealth Entities Financial Statements Guide and the Financial Statements Better Practice Guide. These are available under Resource Management Guides in the right-hand menu.
 

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

Duties in relation to you and others

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

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

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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