Chapter 1
Introduction
1.1
The Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee (the
committee) is responsible for examining the annual reports of the departments
and agencies of the Attorney-General's Portfolio and the Home Affairs Portfolio.
1.2
This report on annual reports (No. 2 of 2020) provides an overview of the
committee's examination of annual reports presented to the Parliament between 1
November 2019 and 30 April 2020 (the reporting period).[1] Copies of this and other committee reports can be obtained from the Senate
Table Office, the committee secretariat, or online at the committee's web page.
Terms of reference
1.3
Under Senate Standing Order 25(20), the annual reports of certain
departments and agencies stand referred to committees for examination and
assessment. Each committee is required to:
- examine each annual report referred to it and report to the Senate whether
the report is 'apparently satisfactory';
- 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;
- investigate and report to the Senate on any lateness in the presentation
of annual reports;
- in considering an annual report, take into account any relevant remarks
about the report made in debate in the Senate;
- if the committee so determines, consider annual reports of departments
and budget-related agencies in conjunction with examination of estimates;
- 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;
- draw to the attention of the Senate any significant matters relating to
the operations and performance of the bodies furnishing the annual reports; and
- 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. [2]
Allocated portfolios
1.4
The Senate allocated departments and agencies to committees on
4 July 2019.[3] In accordance with that resolution, the committee has responsibility for the
oversight of the following, the:
- Attorney-General's Portfolio;[4] and
- Home Affairs Portfolio.
Requirements for annual reports
1.5
Annual reports place a great deal of information about government
departments and agencies on the public record. Accordingly, the tabling of
annual reports is an important element of accountability to the Parliament, as
the information provided in annual reports assists in the effective examination
of the performance of departments and agencies, and the administration of
government programs.
1.6
Different types of Commonwealth bodies have separate provisions for
annual reporting which affect content and preparation requirements. Legislative
provisions for Commonwealth bodies include:
- Non-corporate Commonwealth entity[5]—section 46 of
the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act)
and Subdivision A of Division 3A of Part 2–3 of the Public Governance,
Performance and Accountability Rule 2014 (PGPA Rule);
- Corporate Commonwealth entity[6]—section 46 of the PGPA Act
and Subdivision B of Division 3A of Part 2–3 of the PGPA Rule;
- Commonwealth company[7]—section 97 of the PGPA
Act, which refers to additional requirements under the Corporations Act 2001 and Part 3–3 of the PGPA Rule;
- Statutory office holders and statutory bodies—statutory office
holders are engaged or employed under an Act, which may prescribe annual
reporting requirements pursuant to the office. It should be noted that there
may be reporting requirements in the enabling legislation for statutory bodies
(which may also be a Commonwealth entity);[8] and
- Non-statutory bodies (NSBs)—NSBs are established by a minister
and are not pursuant to a statute. Guidelines for the preparation of annual
reports for NSBs are contained in the government response to the Senate Standing
Committee on Finance and Public Administration report on non-statutory bodies.[9]
Reports examined
1.7
In accordance with Standing Order 25(20)(f), this report examines annual
reports tabled during the reporting period.
1.8
All annual reports of Commonwealth entities, companies and statutory
office holders from the Home Affairs Portfolio were tabled prior to 1 November
2019 and were considered in the Report on Annual Reports (No. 1 of
2020).
1.9
Two annual reports of agencies from the Attorney-General’s Portfolio
were tabled and referred during the reporting period and are considered in this
report:
-
the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor; and
-
the High Court of Australia.
1.10
The committee is not obliged to examine reports on the operation of
Acts, policy papers, budget documents or corporate plans. A list of all reports
referred to the committee, including those not examined in this report, can be
found at Appendix 1.
Timeliness
1.11
Standing Order 25(20)(c) requires the committee to report to the Senate
on the late presentation of annual reports. The committee considers the timely
presentation of annual reports to be an important element in accountability to
the Parliament and reiterates its expectation of having annual reports
available to the Parliament before Supplementary Budget Estimates hearings.
1.12
Appendix 1 lists the annual reports tabled in the
reporting period and referred to the committee for examination. This table
includes the dates the reports were tabled in the Senate (or received by the
President out of session) and the House of Representatives. For the purposes of
the committee's examination of timeliness, the earlier date is taken as the
presentation date to the Parliament. The table also includes the dates the
reports were submitted to, and received by, the minister, if available.
1.13
The committee notes that all annual reports were submitted within the
relevant time period.
Bodies which have not presented annual reports to the Parliament
1.14
Standing order 25(20)(h) requires the committee to report to the Senate
on whether there were any bodies that were required but failed to present an
annual report to the Senate. The committee notes that all relevant bodies in
the portfolios over which the committee has oversight presented annual reports
to the Senate.
Annual reports referred to in the Senate
1.15
Under Standing Order 25(20)(d), the committee is required to take into consideration
any remarks made in the Senate about each annual report. The committee notes
that there were no relevant remarks about tabled annual reports in the Senate
for the periods covered in this report.
'Apparently satisfactory'
1.16
Standing Order 25(20)(a) requires the committee to report to the Senate
on whether the annual reports referred to it in the relevant period were 'apparently
satisfactory'.[10] In assessing these reports, the committee has taken into consideration the
position of the annual reports within the legislative requirements for the
reports. The committee considers all reports examined to be 'apparently
satisfactory', however, it continues to encourage Commonwealth bodies to aim
for standards of best practice in preparing annual reports.
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