Part 2: Management and accountability
Ministerial and parliamentary services
FaCS delivered services to both ministers and to the parliamentary secretary on behalf of the Family and Community Services portfolio, including the Child Support Agency, Centrelink, the Social Security Appeals Tribunal and the Australian Institute of Family Studies.
In 2002–03 a project was undertaken to obtain more objective data about the quality of policy advice to the minister's office, one of the major outputs of the department. It was necessary to reassess the quality standards in 2003–04 to take into consideration the preferences of the new ministers. It is intended to repeat the performance review in 2004–05.
Ministerial correspondence showed a significant increase of about 24 per cent from 17 571 in 2002–03 to 21 818 in 2003–04. Fifty-one per cent of draft replies were provided to Minister Vanstone and to her successor, Minister Patterson, within their agreed standard of 14 days, up from 28 per cent the previous year. Fifty-nine per cent were provided to other signatories within their standard of 21 days, compared with 45 per cent for the previous year—again a significant improvement over the 2002–03 results.
Figure 21 Volume of ministerial correspondence received by FaCS portfolio, 2002–03 and 2003–04 (Text description)
Note: Does not include replies to campaign mail.
The fluctuation during the quarter September to December 2003 is attributed to the change in minister from Senator the Hon Amanda Vanstone to Senator the Hon Kay Patterson. The increase in correspondence during the first quarter of 2004 is attributed to the release of the report of the inquiry into child custody arrangements. Correspondence increased again in June 2004 due to the announcement of the one-off $600 per child bonus payment.
The ministers and the parliamentary secretary sign replies to other Members of Parliament and Senators, representatives of peak organisations, and to constituents from their respective electorates. The department replies directly to other correspondents.
Figure 22 Signatories for ministerial correspondence, 2003–04 (Text description)
The portfolio prepared a total of 2409 ministerial submissions/minutes during the year with sixty per cent of those being for Minister Patterson.
Figure 23 Timeliness for responding to questions on notice, 2000–01 to 2003–04 (Text description)
Minister Patterson expects to receive answers to questions on notice within 23 days. This allows sufficient time for clearance within the Parliament's standard of 30 days (Senate) or 60 days (House of Representatives). The department is meeting the 23-day standard around 50 per cent of the time.
| Output group | Ministerial correspondence Processeda | Question-time briefsb | Briefingsc | Submissionsd | Questions on notice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 Family assistance | 2 418 | 454 | 104 | 231 | 2 |
| 1.2 Youth and student support | 903 | 208 | 37 | 248 | 1 |
| 1.3 Child support | 1 419 | 43 | 13 | 66 | 12 |
| 1.4 Child care support | 707 | 184 | 39 | 147 | 7 |
| 2.1 Housing support | 443 | 108 | 35 | 99 | 0 |
| 2.2 Community support | 414 | 91 | 90 | 203 | 6 |
| 3.1 Labour market assistance | 580 | 124 | 11 | 66 | 3 |
| 3.2 Support for people with disabilities | 1 142 | 86 | 94 | 138 | 6 |
| 3.3 Support for carers | 600 | 118 | 6 | 10 | 0 |
| 3.4 Support for the aged | 1 458 | 166 | 17 | 67 | 5 |
| Not directly attributablee | 2 610 | 232 | 52 | 342 | 22 |
| FaCS subtotal | 12 694 | 1 814 | 498 | 1 617 | 64 |
| Centrelink | 3 311 | 125 | 17 | 277 | 35 |
| Total | 16 005 | 1 939 | 515 | 1 894 | 99 |
- These figures do not include replies to campaign mail.
- These figures include both new question tme briefings and those that have been substantially revised.
- Written submissions requested by the ministers, the parliamentary secretary or their staff.
- Written submissions initiated by departmental officers, for the attention of the ministers or the parliamentary secretary.
- Material that cannot be attributed to any single output group. It includes policy that covers multiple programs and correspondence referred to other departments for a response.
Parliamentary committees
House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment and Workplace Relations: Inquiry into Employment: Increasing Participation in Paid Work
The committee was asked to report on employment issues in both rural/regional and urban/outer suburban areas and on measures that can be implemented to increase the level of participation in paid work in Australia, particularly by income support recipients. FaCS lodged a written submission in October 2003 and appeared at the public hearings on 26 November 2003 and on 26 May 2004. FaCS took a number of questions on notice from the November hearing that were supplied to the committee in February 2004. In May 2004 FaCS also responded to a series of questions on notice taken from a separate hearing with various employer representatives. The committee's final report is expected to be tabled in August or September 2004.
House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family and Community Affairs: Report of the Inquiry into Child Custody Arrangements in the Event of Family Separation
FaCS contributed detailed and extensive submissions to this inquiry, and appeared before the committee to give further evidence on a number of occasions. FaCS' submissions focused on providing the committee with an understanding of the complexity and dynamic nature of contemporary Australian families; information on the range of family relationships services available to families and children with relationship difficulties; and information on policy issues and administration of the Child Support Scheme.
House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs: Report of the Inquiry into Capacity Building and Service Delivery in Indigenous Communities
FaCS provided a comprehensive submission in September 2002 discussing conceptual frameworks and issues relating to capacity building, responding to specific inquiry questions, and outlining how FaCS and Centrelink are contributing to building capacities in Indigenous communities. FaCS officers subsequently appeared before the committee on 25 June 2003 to give further evidence, and participated in a roundtable discussion with the committee on ways forward on 13 February 2004. The committee's report, Many Ways Forward, was tabled on 21 June 2004.
Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee: Inquiry into Australian Expatriates
In February 2004, FaCS provided a submission to the committee's Inquiry into Australian Expatriates. The submission considered the reasons for Australians living overseas; the income support and services provided to Australian expatriates; Australia's international social security agreements; and the costs, benefits and opportunities presented. The submission emphasised the principle of 'shared responsibility'.
Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs: Inquiry into Poverty and Financial Hardship
Following the appearance of FaCS witnesses before the committee on 20 June 2003, FaCS provided written answers on 13 August 2003 to eight questions taken on notice or received in writing from committee members.
Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee: Inquiry into Legal Aid and Access to Justice
On 1 October 2003 FaCS provided a submission to the committee that outlined the comprehensive and accessible arrangements in place for the review of decisions made by Centrelink and the Child Support Agency. The submission also addressed other possible methods of redress, including payments under the Compensation for Detriment caused by Defective Administration Scheme, payments under regulation 9 of the Financial Management and Accountability Regulations and act of grace payments.
Senate Standing Committee on Economics: Inquiry into the Structure and Distributive Effects of the Australian Taxation System
The committee was asked to examine the structure and distributive effects of the Australian taxation system. The main areas of investigation were the tax burden on individuals, businesses and taxpayers' families, the use of tax and expenditure incentives to influence social and economic conduct and the role of the different levels of government in collecting and distributing tax revenue. FaCS lodged a written submission in July 2003, which focused on the interaction of the tax and social security systems in the context of the broader social support system. Officials also appeared before the committee on 28 July 2003.
Senate Standing Committee on Regulations and Ordinances: Social Security (Attribution of Income-Ineligible Deductions) Determination 2004
FaCS wrote to the committee addressing two concerns raised by the committee in relation to the above determination. The committee answered that it had considered the department's response and agreed that the advice provided addressed its concerns.
Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs: Inquiry into Family and Community Services and Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Income Streams) Bill 2004
The committee examined the Family and Community Services and Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Income Streams) Bill 2004. Certain non-commutable insurance-based income streams products receive a 100 per cent exemption from the social security assets test. The Bill:
- changes the assets test concession from 100 per cent to 50 per cent for products purchased from 20 September 2004
- extends the assets test concession to a new market-linked income stream product from 20 September 2004.
FaCS lodged a submission in June 2004 to further explain how the initiatives would increase the investment options available to retirees and ensure the Age Pension is paid to those in need.
FaCS witnesses appeared before the committee on 18 June 2004. The report was tabled on 21 June 2004 and legislation passed on 24 June 2004.
Joint Standing Committee on Treaties
FaCS witnesses appeared before the committee on 18 June 2004. The report was tabled on 21 June 2004 and legislation passed on 24 June 2004.
An agreement on social security between Australia and Croatia was tabled in Parliament on 17 June 2003. FaCS witnesses appeared before the committee at its public hearing on 18 August 2003. The committee recommended that binding treaty action be taken and the new treaty came into force on 1 July 2004.