A key role of Finance is the preparation of briefing on proposals with financial implications for consideration by the Expenditure Review Committee of Cabinet (ERC)—Green Briefs.

The Green Brief summarises key elements of a proposal, the associated financial implications and Finance and central agency views on the proposal. Green Briefs are highly regarded by the ERC for providing a succinct and accurate summary, and independent assessment of, proposals brought forward for their consideration.

Finance’s new electronic work environment has streamlined the clearance process for Green Briefs including enabling senior executives to clear Green Briefs remotely allowing them greater flexibility in meeting timeframes.

Secondary benefits include strengthening our positive working relationships with our central agency counterparts; making us more agile and able to produce high quality work within tight deadlines; and providing us with greater capacity to prepare and progress Green Briefs.

Transforming and modernising the public service is a key priority of the government which has allocated $500 million from the Efficiency Dividend to establish the Public Service Modernisation Fund.

Finance worked with Commonwealth entities to identify and recommend to the Government transformative initiatives for investment, through the fund with funding allocations finalised in the 2017–18 Budget. These initiatives will deliver quality government services more efficiently and use leading technology and collaborative approaches to address complex problems facing society.

Finance led a collaborative process involving the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Digital Transformation Agency and other entities, to refine, assess and recommend proposals that would enhance productivity and innovation in the Commonwealth public sector.

A committee of secretaries, chaired by the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, endorsed a strong package of initiatives that were agreed by the government as part of the 2017–18 Budget process.

Finance provides policy advice, guidance and support on managing Commonwealth property and land across government. It also manages whole-of-government purchasing arrangements for property services, the national property divestment program and the government’s non-Defence property portfolio within Australia.

To assist with this work, Finance has designed, built and implemented a new information management system that has transformed the way the Commonwealth collects, manages and analyses property data information.

The innovative system provides a single, integrated, flexible and dynamic collection and reporting tool that will play a key role in supporting property management across the Australian Public Service. Entities will retain control of their data within the system, to ensure its reliability and accuracy.