Annual Report 2004–05

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Output Group 1.3 —Committee Services

• Description
• Performance
  • Non-inquiry support services
  • Inquiry facilitation
• Improving performance
  • Election period training and knowledge management initiatives
  • Information technology
• Outlook

Description

Output Group 1.3 supports House of Representatives committees and some joint committees in fulfilling their roles in the parliamentary consideration of policy and legislation and the scrutiny of government.

In the department’s 2004–05 Portfolio Budget Statements and Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements, Output Group 1.3 appeared as outputs 2.1 (Non-inquiry support services) and 2.2 (Inquiry facilitation) of Output Group 2.

The functions and services of the output group are performed by the Committee Office.

In 2004–05, the actual expenses for the provision of services by Output Group 1.3 were $9.35 million, while the budget allocation was $10.73 million. A summary of the financial resources for the output group is set out in Table 1; staff levels, by location, are shown in Appendix 10.

Performance

The House of Representatives was dissolved on 31 August 2004, and an election was held on 9 October 2004. Committees are dissolved when the House is dissolved, so uncertainty about the election timetable placed pressure on committees to complete their inquiries and table their reports before the dissolution. Output Group 1.3 met the challenge by meeting committees’ objectives quickly, while maintaining high-quality services.

Committee Office staff provided administrative, policy and procedural support to committees. Our activities included supporting the conduct of inquiries, drafting reports, facilitating public participation in committee activities, and promoting the work of committees.

During the year, we supported 21 House and joint committees, with staff distributed across nine secretariats. The investigatory committees supported by the office at 30 June 2005 are listed in Table 3. Committees supported by Output Group 1.1 are discussed on pages 20–21.

In the 2005 survey of members, 28 per cent of members surveyed reported that they were extremely satisfied, 28 per cent highly satisfied and 33 per cent were satisfied with committee services (a total of 89 per cent who were extremely or highly satisfied or satisfied). This was a slight decrease over the 2004 survey, in which 94 per cent reported that they were extremely satisfied, highly satisfied or satisfied with our services.

Note: The committees supported in the Fortieth Parliament were the same as those shown in the department’s 2003–04 annual report.

Non-inquiry support services

The key service provided by committee secretariats is support for inquiries, but a significant amount of effort is also devoted to supporting the non-inquiry activities of individual committees, and initiatives common to all areas of the Committee Office.

The satisfaction of committee members with our advice and services is measured through a qualitative survey of members. Informal discussions initiated by the Clerk Assistant (Committees) and the Clerk of the House with committee chairs and deputy chairs and others also allow us to monitor satisfaction. The survey results and feedback indicated a continued high level of satisfaction during 2004–05.

Register of committee reports

The Register of Committee Reports is a complete list of all House of Representatives and Joint Committee reports since 1901. The register has been converted to a searchable database, which is regularly updated and is accessible from the House of Representatives website. The list of reports can be browsed by Parliament, committee name or subject. Where an electronic version of a report is available, a link to the report is provided. The register also provides the date of the government response, if available, to a committee report.

The register is an effective tool for reviewing historical committee reports and, in particular, for examining issues currently under investigation by a committee that have previously been subject to committee scrutiny.

The register helps our staff provide research advice to committees, and makes access to this information by external researchers much easier.

Improved staffing flexibility

Before the dissolution of the Fortieth Parliament, inquiry activity varied from committee to committee according to the stage of its inquiries. When it became evident that an election might be called in the second half of 2004, some committees determined that they would try to complete their outstanding inquiries, while others wound down their activities.

This resulted in considerable differences in the workloads of committee secretariats, but the Committee Office met the challenge by deploying staff flexibly and by using various temporary employment arrangements. Our approach helped to balance competing work demands and allowed us to make salary savings during the election period.

Our staff responded confidently to the pressure, proving highly effective and adaptable. Their performance benefited from the department’s approach to training and knowledge management, which included producing effective training manuals and standardising work practices.

Re-establishment of committees

Following the opening of the Forty-first Parliament on 16 November 2004, the Committee Office provided a range of services and advice for the re-establishment of committees. Our staff liaised effectively with government, with all party whips, and with the chamber support areas of the department. This helped to ensure that most committees supported by the office were able to conduct their first meetings and begin developing their work programs before sittings ceased for 2004.

Recruitment and reallocation of staff were a feature of the post-election period as the new committees became operational.

Inquiry facilitation

Committee activity

During the reporting period, the 21 investigatory committees supported by the Committee Office tabled 28 reports—a decrease of 43 on the previous year’s total. The number of full-year equivalent committee inquiries was 40. This was 15 per cent lower than the previous year’s total of 47 committee inquiries. Reduced committee activity is expected in election years, which include a period during which there is no committee activity.

Committee members continued to express a high degree of satisfaction with inquiry facilitation, as demonstrated through the annual qualitative survey of members.

Speeches made in the House when committee reports are tabled also provide feedback for Committee Office staff. The following are examples of comments made by members when reports were tabled during the year.

I also thank our secretariat staff for their continuing tremendous effort.

My thanks also extend to the committee secretariat, who have been, as always, excellent.

I also put on record the committee’s thanks to the secretariat ... for their continuing very professional and very helpful support to the committee.

My particular thanks goes to parliamentary staff assigned to the committee in the last parliament ... and to parliamentary staff assigned to the committee in this parliament ... for their professional guidance.

Committee Office staff are increasingly assisting committees in their use of videoconferencing facilities. The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family and Human Services participated in a videoconference with the Scottish Parliament’s Justice 1 Committee, by providing information about one of the inquiries it conducted during the Fortieth Parliament. The secretariat provided procedural advice on this matter and organised the necessary videoconferencing services in Australia. While videoconferences are occasionally used by our committees to conduct meetings or hear evidence from witnesses in Australia, this was the first time a House committee provided evidence to a committee of another parliament in this way.

Appendix 3 summarises Committee Office performance in relation to inquiry facilitation and non-inquiry support services.

Details of committee reports and inquiries during 2004–05 are listed in Appendix 4.

Improving performance

Election period training and knowledge management initiatives

With the dissolution of the House of Representatives on 31 August 2004, the focus of the Committee Office shifted to tasks and activities aimed at improving our overall capacity to support parliamentary committees and to achieve departmental objectives.

The election period gave staff an opportunity to broaden their knowledge of the operation of government and non-government agencies by undertaking secondments for up to three months. For example, staff worked with the Australian National Audit Office, the Australian National University and AusAID. Such placements help to improve the knowledge and performance of our staff in their provision of advice to committees. Through their informal ambassadorships, staff are also able to improve understanding of parliamentary processes in the organisations they visit.

In addition to the secondment training program, Committee Office staff also supported the department’s objective of enhancing its knowledge management through a series of projects to develop specialised proposals, update documentation, review staffing structures and develop new guides to assist chairs and members of parliamentary committees. Chairs and committee members have responded favourably to these guides.

Information technology

CommDocs is a web-based document distribution service that will provide committee members with a secure and easily accessible intranet portal for accessing and downloading documents. This system is expected to produce better service and efficiency improvements. Trials of CommDocs are expected to begin in August, and the service will become fully operational towards the end of 2005.

The design development phase of the information technology project was a model of successful consultation and user-driven processes involving many Committee Office staff.

Outlook

The 2005–06 period will see a rise in activity as a result of the commencement of the Forty-first Parliament.

Committee Office activity will focus on assisting committees to establish new inquiries, advertising terms of reference, and collecting evidence through submissions and from witnesses at public hearings. For inquiries with shorter reporting timeframes, our staff will assist by drafting reports and helping with tabling requirements.

The office will also ensure that new staff are able to attend a range of internal and external training courses and Inside Committees briefings, which will help them to quickly develop understanding and skills in committee processes and procedures.

The introduction of the CommDocs web-based document distribution service in the second half of 2005 is expected to raise service standards. It will demand considerable liaison and discussion with members during the introductory phase, to meet members’ varying requirements and to achieve the best productivity gains and service improvements.

The Committee Office will continue to apply flexible staffing approaches to meet the changing expectations of members and committees, and to respond to staff needs. A review of administrative support structures has begun and will continue during 2005–06.

As part of the 2005 survey of members, some members commented on the inconvenience caused by frequent staff changes within secretariats. While staff movement is unavoidable because of promotions and training opportunities, its effect on committees and members needs to be monitored closely. Other issues raised in the survey will also be addressed.

The Standing Committee on Procedure receiving evidence from members of the Press.
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