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Annual Report 2002–03 You are currently viewing: Annual
report > Management and Accountability
Management and accountabilityOperational initiativesMembers' surveyFeedback from members is vital in helping to gauge how effectively the department meets its objectives, including those set out in the corporate plan and the PBS. This feedback is needed every year. As previously mentioned, in 2002–03 the department initiated a new approach to surveying members. We decided to survey a random sample of 30 members in 2003, then another 30 members each year on a continuing basis, so that members would be surveyed on average once every five years. This year 22 out of the 30 members randomly selected for the survey participated. All participants in the survey were asked whether they were satisfied overall with the services they received from the department. Members were overwhelming satisfied with the department's support in helping them fulfil their parliamentary duties and complimented the professionalism and courtesy of staff. The overall result of the survey was a 97 per cent satisfaction rate with the department's quality of service. The department identified some service provision issues for further investigation and will begin addressing them early in the new financial year. See Appendix 13 for detailed statistics on the survey findings. Review of performance informationA working group, chaired by the Serjeant-at-Arms and including representatives from all output groups in the department, reviewed the department's performance information for both external and internal reporting. The review resulted in a revised outcome, output and performance information structure for the PBS for 2003–04. It also resulted in a revised approach to the department's internal quarterly reporting. As noted earlier, quarterly reporting was suspended while the review was undertaken. A new quarterly reporting framework began in July 2003 (with the first reports covering the final quarter of 2002–03). Each quarterly report will have three elements:
We expect that this framework will give a more comprehensive and accountable basis to our quarterly reporting. Knowledge managementWe reported last year that Deakin Consulting Proprietary Limited had reviewed the department's record management processes and systems, presenting a report to the Executive in May 2002. The Executive considered the review, and established the departmental Knowledge Management Committee in November 2002 to determine how to give effect to the review's recommendations. In consequence, we will recruit a specialist records manager for a period of two years to review the department's record keeping systems, identify the department's record keeping requirements and commence implementing strategies to improve the relevant record keeping systems. This recruitment process commenced in June 2003.
PurchasingDuring 2002–03, all goods and services were purchased in accordance with statutory and departmental guidelines, in particular the Chief Executive Instructions (CEIs). Financial delegations under the FMA Act were updated and are now based upon staff levels rather than position descriptions. This will allow the department to meet its business needs without the need to substantially change financial delegations. The department changed to Westpac as its credit card service provider. This was to provide staff with greater access to credit card services in rural and regional areas. Additional services to be provided by Westpac, once fully implemented, will significantly reduce staff administrative requirements by enabling the acquitting of purchases online. Table 9 provides information about key performance indicators (KPIs) for purchasing.
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