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Report on the review of annual reports No. 2 of 2000

1998-99 annual reports tabled in the Senate to 30 April 2000

August 2000

Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2000

ISSN 1441-9904

Download this report as a single file (PDF 143KB)

Table of contents

Membership
Members
Substitute Members
Participating Members
Secretariat

Review of Annual Reports
Introduction
Senate Standing Orders
Annual Report Requirements
Evaluation of Annual Reports
Communication, Information Technology & the Arts portfolio
Environment & Heritage portfolio

Appendix 1

Membership

Members
Senator A Eggleston, Chair (LP, WA)
Senator M Bishop, Deputy Chair (ALP, WA)
Senator A Bartlett, (AD, QLD)
Senator the Hon N Bolkus (ALP, SA)
Senator P Calvert (LP, TAS)
Senator T Tchen (LP, VIC)

Substitute Members
Senator N Stott Despoja (AD, SA) to substitute for Senator Bartlett for matters relating to Information Technology

Participating Members
Senator the Hon E Abetz (LP, TAS)
Senator L Allison (AD, VIC) appointed for communications issues as at 30/09/99.
Senator the Hon R Boswell (NP, QLD)
Senator V Bourne (AD, NSW)
Senator B Brown (AG, TAS)
Senator George Campbell (ALP, NSW)
Senator K Carr (ALP, VIC)
Senator G Chapman (LP, SA)
Senator H Coonan (LP, NSW)
Senator W Crane (LP, WA)
Senator the Hon J Faulkner (ALP, NSW)
Senator A Ferguson (LP, SA)
Senator J Ferris (LP, SA)
Senator the Hon B Gibson, AM (LP, TAS)
Senator B Harradine (IND, TAS)
Senator S Hutchins (ALP, NSW)
Senator S Knowles (LP, WA)
Senator M Lees (AD, SA)
Senator R Lightfoot (LP, WA)
Senator K Lundy (ALP, ACT)
Senator S Mackay (ALP, TAS)
Senator B Mason (LP, QLD)
Senator J McGauran (NPA, VIC)
Senator J McLucus (ALP, QLD)
Senator S Murphy (ALP, TAS)
Senator A Ridgeway (AD, NSW) appointed for arts issues as at 30/09/99
Senator the Hon C Schacht (ALP, SA)
Senator J Watson (LP, TAS)

Secretariat
Ms Roxane Le Guen, Secretary (Until 28.8.00)
Ms Andrea Griffiths, Secretary (From 29.8.00)
Mr Michael Gallagher, Estimates Officer

Department of the Senate
Suite S1.57
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Ph: 02 6277 3626
Fax: 02 6277 5818
Email: erca.sen@aph.gov.au

Review of annual reports

1. INTRODUCTION

Senate Standing Orders

In accordance with Senate Standing Order 25(21) the Senate referred annual reports from departments and agencies to the Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Legislation Committee for examination and report. This report deals with those reports tabled between 1 November 1999 and 30 April 2000 for the portfolios:

Communications, Information Technology and the Arts; and

Environment and Heritage.

Senate Standing Order 25(21) requires that the Committee shall:

(a) examine each annual report referred to it and report to the Senate whether the report is apparently satisfactory;

(b) consider in more detail, and report to the Senate on, each annual report which is not apparently satisfactory, and on the other annual reports which it selects for more detailed consideration;

(c) investigate and report to the Senate on any lateness in the presentation of annual reports;

(d) in considering an annual report, take into account any relevant remarks about the report made in debate in the Senate;

(e) if the committee so determines, consider annual reports of departments and budget-related agencies in conjunction with examination of estimates;

(f) report on annual reports tabled by 31 October each year by the tenth sitting day of the following year, and on annual reports tabled by 30 April each year by the tenth sitting day after 30 June of that year;

(g) draw to the attention of the Senate any significant matters relating to the operations and performance of the bodies furnishing the annual reports;

(h) report to the Senate each year whether there are any bodies which do not present annual reports to the Senate and which should present such reports.

Annual Report Requirements

Revised Requirements for Departmental Annual Reports were put forward by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and were agreed to by the Joint Committee of Public Accounts (JCPA) on 17 March 1994. The Requirements were revised by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet on 12 May 1999.

In order to lead to a more concise, economical and informative presentation of annual reports, the JCPA agreed to a significant reduction in the number of detailed requirements on which departments must report in annual reports. The information which is not contained in an annual report must be kept separately and be available to members of parliament within five working days from the date of the request after the report has been tabled.

Under these arrangements, the annual reports of departments must be tabled by 31 October. If a department is unable to meet this deadline, the secretary is to advise the responsible minister of the reasons for the slippage, the expected tabling date and what action is proposed so that the deadline will be met for the following year’s annual report. The responsible minister is to table this explanation in the Parliament on the next available sitting day.[1]

Guidelines for the Content, Preparation and Presentation of Annual Reports by Statutory Authorities (1982) provides that all authorities are to provide annual reports as soon as possible after the end of their financial year, if possible in time for the estimates debate in the Budget Sittings. At the very latest, reports should be submitted within six months in accordance with the Acts Interpretation Act 1901, (unless a shorter period is provided in the legislation of an individual authority). An explanation is to be submitted to Parliament if the deadline has to be extended in exceptional cases (the new deadline is to be mentioned in the explanation). Ministers are to ensure that reports are tabled within fifteen sitting days of receipt.[2]

Some statutory authorities are required to follow the departmental guidelines if their head has the powers of a secretary as defined under the Public Service Act 1922.

Requirements for the annual reports of non-statutory bodies are set out in the Government Response to recommendations of the then Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Government Operations in its report on Non-statutory Bodies. The response was incorporated into the Senate Hansard of 8 December 1987.[3]

2. EVALUATION OF ANNUAL REPORTS

This report reviews annual reports of the Communications, Information Technology and the Arts portfolio, and the Environment and Heritage portfolio, which were tabled in the Senate between 1 November 1999 and 30 April 2000. Thirteen reports were referred to the Committee during that period.

Appendix 1 provides a record of:

• the departments or agencies whose annual reports have been referred to the Legislation Committee for consideration;

• the body under which the organisation operates, ie department, statutory authority;

• dates outlining the progressive stages in presentation of the annual report; and

• the date the report was tabled in the Senate.

The annual reports referred to the Committee for examination were, generally speaking, of a high standard of design and presentation. In providing a comprehensive description of the activities of reporting bodies, the reports complied with their appropriate guidelines.

The Committee considers that the Annual Reports 1998-99 listed at Appendix 1, presented to the Senate between 1 November 1999 and 30 April 2000, generally meet the requirements of the various guidelines that apply to them, and were timely in their presentation before the Parliament. Comments on individual annual reports follow.

Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Portfolio

Department

• Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Annual Report 1998-99

The annual report for 1998-99 of the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts is clearly presented and meets the reporting requirements. The report was presented to the Temporary Chair of Committees (Senator Hogg) out of session on 29 October 1999 and is “apparently satisfactory.”

Statutory Authorities

• Australian Communications Authority - Telecommunications performance report 1998-99

The Telecommunications performance report 1998-99 is the second report tabled by the Australian Communications Authority under section 105 of the Telecommunications Act 1997. The report is clear and well presented.

• The Protection of the Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 & the Administration of the National Cultural Heritage Fund Annual Report 1998-99

This report was tabled in accordance with section 47 of the Protection and Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986. The report notes that the National Cultural Heritage Fund will be replaced by the National Cultural Heritage Account from 1999-2000. This Account will be established under section 5 of the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Amendment Act 1999. The report is “apparently satisfactory.”

Reports on the Operation of Acts and Trusts

• Australian Broadcasting Corporation - Equity and Diversity 1998-99 Annual Report

Section 9(2) of the Equal Opportunity (Commonwealth Authorities) Act 1987 requires the report to be lodged with the Minister within three months from the end of the reporting period. This report covers the period between 1 September 1998 to 31 August 1999. The report includes details of the new ABC Equity and Diversity Management Plan 1998 - 2002 that resulted from a major review of the management of Equal Opportunity in the ABC in 1998. The report is well presented and easy to follow.

• Bundanon Trust Annual Report 1998-99

This is the second report of the Bundanon Trust established by Arthur and Yvonne Boyd. The report was tabled in the Senate in accordance with Section 36 of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 and is “apparently satisfactory.”

• Telecommunications Carrier Industry Development Plans Progress Report 1998-99

The report covers the carrier Industry Development Plan arrangements contained in the Telecommunications Act 1997 and is clear, well presented and easy to follow.

The Committee also received the following reports:

• the Australia Foundation for Culture & the Humanities - Financial Statements for the ended 30 June 1999 - including the Auditor-General’s report - Section 36 of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997,
• Australia Post - Statement of Corporate Intent 1998/1999 - 2000/2001 which is incorporated and operated under the Australian Postal Corporation Act 1989, and
• Funding of Consumer Representation, and of Research, in Relation to Telecommunications Annual Report 1998-99 by the Department of Communications and the Arts under section 593 of the Telecommunications Act 1997.
• Telstra Corporation Limited - The 1998/99 Annual Equal Opportunity Report

The Committee has no comment to make upon these reports.

Environment & Heritage Portfolio

Statutory Authorities

• Director of National Parks and Wildlife Annual Report 1998-99

The Director of National Parks and Wildlife Annual Report 1998-99 was tabled on 23 November 1999 after being granted an extension in time to report by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, due to a delay in the availability of audited financial statements. The report has been prepared by the Director under section 9 of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997. The report notes that three of the Acts that the Director is responsible for: the Wildlife Conservation Act, the Whale Protection Act and the Endangered Species Protection Act will be replaced by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 from 16 July 1999. The report is “apparently satisfactory.”

• National Heritage Trust Annual Report 1998-99

This is the second annual report produced by the National Heritage Trust as required under section 43 of the National Heritage Trust of Australia Act 1997, it was tabled on 8 December 1999. The report notes one of the highlights of the 1998-99 period was the Government announcement on 11 May 1999 that the Trust will be extended by one year with an additional $250 million funding.[4] The report consists of two parts, the first outlining the Management of the National Heritage Trust and the second reporting on its program performance. Appendix 1 provides a comprehensive list of National Heritage Trust and related projects approved during 1998-99. This report is “apparently satisfactory.”

• National Environment Protection Council Annual Report 1998-99

This report was produced within the statutory guidelines of the National Environmental Protection Act 1994 and is “apparently satisfactory.”

Senator Alan Eggleston

Chairman

Appendix 1

Commonwealth Annual Reports referred to the Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Legislation Committee between 1 November 1999 and 30 April 2000.

COMMUNICATIONS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE ARTS PORTFOLIO

ENVIRONMENT & HERITAGE PORTFOLIO

Notes

1 - 'Statutory Authority' includes statutory office-holders

2 - Dates shown are:

A - The date shown on a letter of transmittal printed with the annual report (if any)

B - Date submitted to the Minister, as recorded in the Senate's Order of Business (if any)

C - Date received by the Minister, as recorded in the Senate's Order of Business (if any)

* The date in parenthesis shows the date that the report was presented out of session to the Temporary Chairman of Committees.

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