Governance disclosures

The public sector deals with a range of complex challenges in delivering programs and services to achieve the intended outcomes. Contemporary challenges include the need to innovate and effectively manage risks in a period of fiscal constraint, engage constructively with stakeholders in the design and delivery of programs and services, and collaborate successfully across government and jurisdictions to address complex issues.

Effective governance arrangements and practices contribute to strong, sustainable and accountable performance.

Governance practice encompasses the elements outlined in the Public Sector Commission’s Good Governance Guide. The ‘score card’ on the following pages demonstrate governance in practice across the department and indicates the pages containing this information.

1. Government and public sector relationship

The department’s relationship with the government is clear

Measure for accountability and performance	How do we do this?
1.1 A document defines responsibilities and accountabilities between the chief executive officer and the minister	Enabling legislation CEO Performance Agreement
1.2 Processes exist to manage communication and other interaction between ministers and other parliamentary representatives and the organisation	Ministerial Communications Media Communications
1.3 Communication and other interaction are recorded and monitored	Record Keeping Plan

2. Management and oversight

The department management and oversight is accountable and has clearly defined responsibilities

Measure for accountability and performance	How do we do this?
2.1 A charter defines roles, responsibilities and accountability for all relevant levels of management (e.g. those involved in setting the organisation’s key strategic goals and outcomes and monitoring organisational performance)	Statutory Committees Corporate Executive
2.2 Where boards and committees exist, the relationship between the parties must be clearly defined	Powers, Authorisations and Delegations Register Board and Committee remuneration
2.3 A strategic plan outlines the organisation’s key strategic goals and outcomes and outputs	Strategic Plan: Our Plan for Success
2.4 Operational plans and programs of work exist that define critical success factors and outline how key strategic goals and outcomes will be accomplished at all levels of the organisation	Integrated Planning Framework
2.5 A delegations framework defines authority levels	Powers, Authorisations and Delegations Register
2.6 Performance measures are defined and monitored for the organisation’s strategic goals	Outcomes Based Management (OBM) Key performance indicators

3. Organisational structure

The department’s structure serves its operations

Measure for accountability and performance	How do we do this?
3.1 Policies ensure that the organisation’s structure serves its key strategic goals and outcomes	Organisational structures Integrated Planning Framework
3.2 Processes exist to manage structural change and the relationships between business units	Good Governance Guide summary table
3.3 Performance measures identify how well the structure delivers against strategic plans	Year in numbers

4. Operations

The department plans its operations to achieve its goals

Measure for accountability and performance	How do we do this?
4.1 Policies enable operations to deliver against the organisation’s key strategic goals and outcomes	Pricing policies of services provided
4.2 The organisation’s operational plans and programs of work support the organisation’s key strategic goals and outcomes and are regularly adjusted to changes in strategic and environmental imperatives	Operational Planning
4.3 Infrastructure is in place to enable the organisation to implement its operational plans	Information Technology Strategy
4.4 A proper and adequate record is maintained of the performance of the organisations operations as aligned with its key strategic goals and outcomes	Record Keeping Plan
4.5 Business process and outcome specific key performance indicators track the organisations performance against its strategic and operational plans	KPI Performance Reporting
4.6 Performance evaluation and audits are conducted	Internal Audit Committee

5. Ethics and integrity

Ethics and integrity are embedded in the department’s values and operations

Measure for accountability and performance	How do we do this?
5.1 The organisation’s values and code of conduct reflect the WA Code of Ethics and define the standards of official conduct and professional behaviour expected of all employees	Strategic Plan: Our Plan for Success Code of Ethics (CoE) Code of Conduct (CoC)
5.2 The organisation’s ethics and integrity risks are identified and policies and operational processes address them (e.g. procurement, conflict of interest)	Accountable and Ethical Decision Making Conflict of Interests
5.3 The people management frameworks define the response to non-ethical behaviours	Corruption Prevention
5.4 Processes are in place to provide supervision and assistance and enable follow up of non-compliance (e.g. through public interest disclosure)	Public Interest Disclosure Staff training/Learning and Development
5.5 A structured process is in place to monitor official conduct and professional behaviour (e.g. compliance audit, performance management)	Customer feedback Work Development Planning

6. People

The department’s leadership in people management contributes to individual and organisational achievements

Measure for accountability and performance	How do we do this?
6.1 Policies enable the attraction, retention and management of people	Compliance with Public Sector Standards and code of ethics Substantive Equality Aboriginal Employment Strategy Disability Access and Inclusion Plan
6.2 Plans ensure that processes, decisions and actions are based on the principles of fairness, equity and diversity, and are consistent, transparent, impartial and open for review	Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Diversity Plan Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Aboriginal Employment Strategy Disability Employment
6.3 People management frameworks cover the whole employment continuum	Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Staff Development Workforce Management
6.4 Structured procedures are in place to monitor adherence to human resource policies and processes	Work Development Planning Compliance with Public Sector Standards
6.5 Feedback processes identify issues in people management practices	Employee perceptions survey

7. Finance

The department safeguards financial integrity and accountability

Measure for accountability and performance	How do we do this?
7.1 Finance policies define the key strategic goals and outcomes for which the organisation’s finances must be employed	Financial Statements – section 7
7.2 A formal internal audit charter specifies roles and responsibilities, composition and structure of all internal audit functions	Internal Audit (audit charter)
7.3 Processes ensure the proper recording of financial transactions consistent with applicable accounting standards	Financial Statements – section 7
7.4 Financial operations contribute towards the organisation’s key strategic goals and outcomes and uphold the highest level of integrity	Financial Statements – section 7
7.5 Structured procedures are in place to monitor and audit financial performance against budget and key strategic goals, both at executive level as well as by an independent audit committee	Certification of Key Performance Indicators Audit Committee

8. Communication

The department communicates with all parties in a way that is accessible, open and responsive

Measure for accountability and performance	How do we do this?
8.1 Communication policies ensure the organisation’s communication is open, accessible and responsive	Freedom of information
8.2 Policies ensure information is disseminated through correct channels, in a timely manner and to the right target group	Advertising, Market research, Polling and direct mail Accessibility Statement
8.3 Processes ensure proactive, transparent and responsive internal and external communication	Communication protocol
8.4 Processes assist in complying with legislation on record keeping, public interest disclosure and freedom of information, in safeguarding the confidentiality and integrity of information, and in preventing unauthorised, false or premature disclosure	Media communications Transparency Policy
8.5 An audit strategy exists to monitor compliance with communication policies and strategies	Internal Audit (audit plan)