Annual Report 2005–06
Corporate and operational plans
Corporate Plan and work plans
The department continued to implement the Corporate Plan throughout the year, substantially achieving our goals of providing high‑quality advice and support to the Senate and its committees and senators and promoting public knowledge and awareness. This was achieved, in part, by ensuring that staff remained highly skilled, knowledgeable and motivated towards achieving excellence through offering them competitive salaries and conditions of service, by providing relevant training and by using technology and resources more effectively.
A revision of the format and content of the department’s work plans was finalised during the year. The work plans describe the detailed work and priorities of the sections, subsections and secretariats within the department’s output groups. Senior departmental managers reported high levels of achievement against the work plans through management reports to the Clerk and feedback at regular staff meetings.
Fraud control plan and business risk assessment
The department reviewed its fraud control plan during 2005–06, ensuring that the major risk areas were well covered.
A project to complete a business continuity management plan and framework commenced later in the year, following a detailed tender process. This project will be completed by the end of 2006.
Records management
During 2005–06 the department finalised and distributed to staff a manual setting out comprehensive procedures for managing departmental records. The manual, together with the department’s policy on record keeping, informs staff of their legislative and departmental responsibilities for record keeping, including the capture, retention, security and storage of records.
An upgrade of the department’s database of records (TRIM) was completed during the year. The new version, TRIM Context, is more user friendly and delivers a superior search function. Intensive training on TRIM Context was provided to records management staff to enable them to utilise all the features of the new system.
Following the upgrade, five information sessions were conducted to improve staff knowledge of records management principles and practices, and to inform staff of the advanced search features in TRIM Context.
