Glossary | Annual Report 2017-18 | Department of Finance

Term	Meaning
accountable authority instructions	Instructions issued to manage the affairs of an entity to promote the efficient, effective, economical and ethical use of Commonwealth resources.
annual performance statements	Commonwealth entities report, through their annual performance statements, on the extent to which they have fulfilled the purposes they articulate at the beginning of a reporting year in their corporate plan. They must also report on performance criteria in the Portfolio Budget Statements, Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements or other portfolio estimates statements.
appropriation	Public monies the parliament authorises the Australian Government to withdraw from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for a specified purpose.
AusTender	The central web-based facility for the publication of Australian Government procurement information, including business opportunities, annual procurement plans and procurement contracts awarded.
Australian Government Property Data Collection	Australian Government Property Data Collection (PRODAC) is a central database on the office space leased and owned by the Australian Government. This information is used to help entities to identify better practices, progressively improve the management and use of office space and inform whole-of-government property policy. PRODAC collects building, lease and cost information relating to office space leased and owned by the Australian Government. All Non-corporate Commonwealth entities are in scope of the PRODAC data collection.
Budget	Sets out the fiscal and economic outlook for Australia, and includes expenditure and revenue estimates for the current financial year, the budget year, and three forward financial years. It identifies the government’s social and political priorities and how they will be achieved. The Budget is usually announced in May each year.
Budget Process Operational Rules	Standing rules endorsed annually by Cabinet which set out the major administrative and operational arrangements that underlie the management of the Australian Government budget process. The BPORs also identify the requirements that apply to all new policy proposals and other Budget proposals, including those brought forward for consideration outside of the budget process.
carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e)	One tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent would fill the average-sized three-bedroom house.
career starter	A person who is completing a Year 12 certificate, or equivalent, by the end of the relevant year, or has completed a Year 12 certificate within the last 24 months.
Central Advertising System	Coordinated procurement arrangement that consolidates government advertising expenditure and buying power to secure optimal media discounts on Commonwealth–wide media rates.
central agencies	The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Treasury and the Department of Finance.
Central Budget Management System	The ICT system used to manage the flow of financial information between Finance and Commonwealth entities to facilitate cash and appropriations management, the preparation of budget documentation and financial reporting.
Charter of Budget Honesty Act 1998	Provides a legislative framework for the conduct and reporting of fiscal policy, government decisions and Commonwealth financial statements. It aims to improve discipline, transparency and accountability in the conduct of fiscal policy.
COMCAR	An Australian Government agency that provides car-with-driver and other ground transport services to the Prime Minister, the Governor‑General, members of parliament, judges and international guests of government.
Comcover	The Australian Government’s self-managed general insurance fund.
co-mingled recycling	A process that allows for mixed recyclables to be disposed of in a single container. Recyclable materials include glass, plastic, metal and aluminium cans and containers.
Commonwealth government entity	A department of state of the Commonwealth; a department of the Parliament; an executive agency, or statutory agency, within the meaning of the Public Service Act 1999.
Commonwealth Grants Rules and Guidelines (CGRGs)	Establish the Commonwealth grants policy framework. The CGRGs contain the key legislative and policy requirements and explain the better practice principles of grants administration. They apply to grants administration performed by ministers’ accountable authorities, officials as well as third parties who undertake grants administration on behalf of the Commonwealth.
Commonwealth Procurement Rules	Rules representing the government policy framework under which Commonwealth entities undertake their own procurement in line with both Australia’s international obligations and good practice. They enable agencies to design processes that are robust and transparent and instill confidence in the Australian Government’s procurement.
Commonwealth Property Management Framework	Establishes the principles for the efficient, effective, economical and ethical use of property resources and applies to property leased and owned by non-corporate Commonwealth entities.
consolidated financial statements	Statements that present the whole-of-government financial results inclusive of all Australian Government–controlled bodies, including bodies outside the general government sector, such as Australia Post and the Reserve Bank of Australia.
Consolidated Revenue Fund	Consists of all revenues and moneys raised or received by the executive government of the Commonwealth. The fund is self-executing in nature, which means that all money received by the Commonwealth automatically forms part of the fund.
consultant	A person or organisation providing professional, independent and expert advice or services. Typically the term is used to describe the application of expert skills to investigate or diagnose a defined issue or problem; carry out defined research, reviews or evaluations; or provide independent advice, information or creative solutions to assist an entity in management decision-making.
contestability	Competition in public sector functions to improve both efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of government objectives.
corporate plan	The primary planning document of a Commonwealth entity that sets out the objectives and strategies the entity intends to pursue in achieving its purposes over at least four reporting periods. A corporate plan explains: what an entity’s purposes are what it will do to achieve its purposes how it will know that it has achieved its purposes.
costings or cost estimates	An assessment of the financial impact of a proposed policy change. Commonwealth entities are required to provide costings for any new policy proposals and seek Cabinet endorsement. Finance must agree to these costings before they can be incorporated in a submission for Cabinet.
enhanced Commonwealth performance framework	Meets the obligation under paragraph 5(b) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) to establish a performance framework across Commonwealth entities. The framework aims to improve the line of sight between what was intended and what was delivered. Corporate plans (and Portfolio Budget Statements) and annual reports (including annual performance statements) are the bookends of the performance framework.
enterprise agreement	An employment agreement made directly between an employer and employees.
Expenditure Review Committee of Cabinet	The ministerial committee responsible for examining all proposals against the government’s overall fiscal strategy, advising Cabinet on budget spending priorities and initiating reviews of individual ongoing programs.
Final Budget Outcome	Encompasses Australian Government general government sector fiscal outcomes for the financial year and is based on external reporting standards. The Charter of Budget Honesty Act 1998 requires that a Final Budget Outcome be released no later than three months after the end of the relevant financial year. The financial statements in the Final Budget Outcome are similar to those in the budget but provide actual outcomes rather than estimates
fiscal policy	The government’s approach to taxation and spending, both of which can affect the economy.
fraud	Dishonestly obtaining a benefit, or causing a loss, by deception or other means. Accountable authorities of Commonwealth entities must take all reasonable measures to prevent, detect and deal with fraud in accordance with section 10 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014.
full-time equivalent (FTE)	The average number of effective FTE employees in an entity. Part-time employees are converted to full-time equivalents.
Future Fund	A government fund established for accumulating assets to offset future Australian Government superannuation liabilities.
govCMS	An open source web content management and hosting service developed to help agencies create modern, affordable and responsive websites, making it easier to collaborate and innovate. govCMS helps reduce the technology and compliance burden on government agencies.
government business enterprise	A Commonwealth entity or Commonwealth company that is prescribed as a government business enterprise by the rules of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.
GrantConnect	The new single point of discovery for information about all Government grants. Individuals and organisations are able to register to receive notifications on grant opportunities relevant to them. Information on grant opportunities is presented to the public in a standard and consistent format.
green brief	A summary of a proposal and the associated financial implications, and Finance and central agency views on a proposal to be considered by the Expenditure Review Committee of Cabinet.
Independent Communications Committee	Provides independent advice to accountable authorities of non-corporate Commonwealth entities proposing to conduct information and advertising campaigns where expenditure is expected to be $250,000 or greater.
Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority	Audits and reports on parliamentarian’s work expenses. Provides advice to parliamentarians and their staff on travel and work related expenses to support them in undertaking their duties, requiring that taxpayer funds be spent appropriately and in compliance with the relevant principles and regulations.
Indigenous Procurement Policy	A mandatory procurement-connected policy to leverage the Commonwealth’s annual multi-billion procurement spend to drive demand for Indigenous goods and services, stimulate Indigenous economic development and grow the indigenous business sector. The policy has three main parts: a target number of contacts that need to be awarded o Indigenous businesses a mandatory set-aside for remote contracts and contracts valued between $80,000 and $200,000 minimum Indigenous participation requirements in contracts valued at or above $7.5 million in certain industries.
measure	A policy or decision of the government that affects revenues, expenses or capital.
Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook	Provides an update of the government’s budget estimates by examining expenses and revenues in the year to date, as well as provisions for new decisions taken since the Budget to allow assessment of the government’s fiscal performance against the fiscal strategy statement. The Treasurer is required to publicly release and table in parliament a mid-year economic and fiscal outlook report by the end of January each year, or within six months after the Budget, whichever is later.
National Property Efficiency Program	The program is capitalises on the Commonwealth’s position as a major purchaser of leases and facilities management services in the Australian property market. It is delivered through two key activities: absorbing entities’ lease requirements, where feasible, into existing vacant office accommodation (Operation Tetris) undertaken in the ACT in 2015-16 and to be rolled out nationally from 2016-17; ensuring that leases and other property services are delivered through coordinated procurements that will maximize the Commonwealth’s substantial purchasing power.
non-ongoing staff member	A person engaged as an employee under subsection 22(2)(b) or (c) of the Public Service Act 1999.
ongoing staff member	A person engaged as an ongoing employee under subsection 22(2)(a) of the Public Service Act 1999.
Operation Tetris	Requires government entities to fill vacant leased office space in the Australian Capital Territory rather than to enter into new leases or to renew expiring leases.
outcome	A government objective in a portfolio area. Outcomes are desired results, impacts or consequences for the Australian community influenced by the actions of the Australian Government. Actual outcomes are the results or impacts actually achieved.
performance information	Evidence about performance that is collected and used systematically. It relates to appropriateness, effectiveness and efficiency and the extent to which an outcome can be attributed to an intervention.
Portfolio Budget Statements	Statements that inform parliamentarians and the public of the proposed allocation of resources to government outcomes. They also assist the Senate standing committees with their examination of the government’s budget. Portfolio Budget Statements are tabled in parliament on Budget night and published as Budget-related papers.
procurement	Encompasses the whole process of acquiring goods and services It begins when a need is identified and a decision made on the procurement requirements. It continues through the process of risk assessment, awarding of a contract and delivery of and payment for the goods and services and, where relevant, the ongoing management of the contract and consideration of disposal.
program	Actions taken by the government to deliver stated outcomes.
Public Service Modernisation Fund	Identifies and recommends transformation initiatives across government for investment through the Modernisation Fund announced in the 2017–18 Budget that provided $500 million of projected savings to be reinvested in reforms ‘such as automation of public services and business re-engineering’.
purpose	In the context of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013, purposes include the objectives, functions or role of a Commonwealth entity. Finance’s purposes are described in the Corporate Plan 2017–18.
red tape	A colloquial term for unnecessary regulation.
resource management framework	Governs how the Commonwealth public sector uses and manages public resources. The PGPA Act is the cornerstone of the framework.
risk management	The systematic application of management through policies, procedures and practices to clearly identify, analyse, evaluate, treat and monitor risks associated with those opportunities. Risk is broadly defined as the effect of uncertainty on objectives or the impacts of unforeseen events or undesirable outcomes.
rule	In the context of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act), a legislative instrument made by the Finance Minister under sections 101 to 105 of the PGPA Act prescribing matters: required or permitted by the PGPA Act, or necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to the PGPA Act. The Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014 supports the operation of the PGPA Act.
Service Delivery Office	Provides corporate transaction services to other Australian Government agencies. The office is one of six hubs under the Shared Services Program (see below).
Shared Services Program	A whole-of-government initiative that is transforming the way the public service operates by consolidating and standardising the delivery of corporate services through designated shared services hubs.
transformation	Embedding a culture of continuous improvement in Finance to anticipate and respond to change, identify opportunities to do things better, build our capabilities and invest in our relationships.
Transformation Program	Aims to help public sector entities deliver their services more efficiently, through policies and frameworks and more connected ways of working. Finance has a lead role in the program and works collaboratively with entities on: the size, efficiency and connectedness of government, including through common approaches, processes and systems assisting entities to implement projects/programs, including work to streamline our processes and impact on entities.