The Minister and Parliament
ITSA’s Chief Executive reports to the Attorney-General and, in accordance with the
Public Service Act 1999 and the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (FMA Act), assists the Attorney-General to fulfil his accountability obligations to the Parliament. In this annual report the Chief Executive accounts for ITSA’s performance and use of resources.
The Inspector-General is also required under the Bankruptcy Act to provide an annual report to the Attorney-General for presentation to the Parliament, on the operation of the Bankruptcy Act.
ITSA’s accountability to the Parliament includes scrutiny through relevant parliamentary committees including Senate Estimates hearings.
Direction and control
Senior executives
(see organisation chart on page 14)
The Chief Executive is responsible for managing and leading ITSA in accordance with the
Public Service Act 1999, the
Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 and other legislation. As the Inspector-General in Bankruptcy, the Chief Executive is also responsible for the general administration of the Bankruptcy Act.
The National Managers are responsible for the delivery of ITSA’s regulatory and operational services.
The National Manager, Corporate Strategy and Support, located in Canberra, is responsible for providing legal, financial, personnel, ICT and administrative support to ITSA.
From July to December 2010, ITSA’s National Management Board comprised the Chief Executive and the five national managers. From January 2011, a realignment of functional business lines reduced the number of National Managers by one. For the period of January to June 2011, the National Management Board comprised the Chief Executive and the four National Managers. The National Management Board assists the Chief Executive in managing the agency and discharging the responsibilities of the Inspector-General, Official Receiver and the Official Trustee. The Board sets ITSA’s strategic direction, determines appropriate policies and monitors performance.
The Board meets monthly and notes of key matters are published on ITSA’s intranet as appropriate.
Aligned with the progress made in 2009–10 on internal governance arrangements, ITSA also established and maintained a Portfolio Board and Business Solutions Planning Group throughout 2010–11.
The ITSA Portfolio Board is chaired by ITSA’s Chief Executive and membership comprises ITSA’s National Managers. The Portfolio Board is advised by an independent expert, ITSA’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Information Officer. ITSA made significant steps forward in increasing the agency’s maturity against the Portfolio, Program and Project Management Maturity Model (P3M3), including the establishment of the Portfolio Board with an expert independent member with a specific focus on improving ITSA’s capability to effectively deliver strategic business change initiatives and oversee investment decisions.
The Business Solutions Planning Group includes key operational managers from across the agency and has a specific focus on the development, monitoring and management of ITSA’s Operational Plan (formerly known as the Business Plan) and ICT Steering Committee functions.
Audit Committee
ITSA’s Audit Committee advises the Chief Executive and the National Management Board on a range of audit and financial practice matters. In addition to considering the results of the various internal and external audits and, importantly, the action subsequently taken to respond to and implement auditors’ recommendations, the committee monitors the application of, and compliance with, systems and frameworks for ensuring high levels of internal control, financial reporting, risk management and fraud control.
The Audit Committee has three members: an independent (external) Chairman and two ITSA senior executives.
The Audit Committee membership for the relevant periods of the 2010–11 financial year were as follows:
- Mr Peter Kennedy PSM (Independent Chairman) – July to September 2010
- Mr Peter McQuoid (Independent Chairman) – September 2010 – June 2011
- Adam Toma (National Manager, Trustee Services and Audit Committee Member) –
July 2010 – June 2011
- Pat Tragauer (Business Manager, Information and Registries and Audit Committee Member) – July 2010 – June 2011
- Andrew Robinson (National Manager, Information and Registries and Audit Committee Member) – January to June 2011.
Following a competitive tender process, ITSA awarded a contract to a new internal audit provider, Moore Stephens, in September 2010. Committee meetings ordinarily are attended by ITSA’s internal auditors (KPMG until September 2010 and Moore Stephens from September 2010), ITSA’s Corporate Strategy and Support National Manager, the Chief Finance Officer, and the Finance Manager. Australian National Audit Office representatives attend as observers.
Internal Audits completed during 2010-11 tested both compliance and performance in a range of areas, including payroll, cash handling, and business continuity planning. Prior to the commencement of the new service provider, Internal Audit also conducted reviews in the areas of Bankruptcy Legislation Amendment Act preparedness, Workflow Management Solutions Options Analysis, and the Enforcement Management Assurance Framework.
As a performance improvement initiative during 2010-11, the Committee engaged the Institute of Internal Auditors to conduct a Quality Assessment of the Internal Audit function at ITSA. The results of this review have informed continuing improvements in the delivery of internal audit services at ITSA.
Employee consultative committees
Full details of initiatives conducted during 2010–11 are contained in the section
Management of ITSA’s people (page 68).
Corporate and operational plans
ITSA maintains an integrated planning process which is initiated at the annual planning workshop early in each calendar year. There are linkages between ITSA’s Strategic Plan, through operational plans to individual employee performance plans. National priorities and objectives and performance measures cascade down to business line plans and, ultimately, to individual employee performance and development plans. This assists employees’ understanding of the expectations for their role and how their role contributes to the achievement of ITSA’s overall national strategies.
Values, conduct and ethical standards
ITSA’s strategic and operational plans and Enterprise Agreement play a key role in reinforcing the requirement for ITSA employees to uphold the Australian Public Service Values and comply with the Code of Conduct. Full details of initiatives conducted during 2010–11 are contained in the section
Management of ITSA’s people (page 68).
Managing risk and fraud
Risk management is an integral part of ITSA’s planning and management processes at all levels. ITSA’s Risk Management Plan sets out a systematic process and tools to help identify, analyse, assess, manage and monitor risks to ITSA in achieving its objectives.
During 2010–11, each of ITSA’s operational business lines had detailed management assurance programs with monthly management reports to address or minimise risks within their areas of business. In addition, the National Management Board has embedded risk management into the organisation’s revised strategic planning process. The National Management Board and Business Solutions Planning Group reviewed, added to and updated organisational risks. Review of ITSA’s risk register is a standing item at National Management Board and Business Solutions Planning Group meetings each quarter.
For the financial year 2010–11 ITSA had a current fraud risk assessment and Fraud Control Plan both of which will be updated in accordance with the Commonwealth Fraud Control Guidelines In 2011–12. ITSA’s Fraud Control Plan is based on a comprehensive risk assessment which assesses inherent fraud risk, associated mitigation strategies and covers fraud prevention, detection, investigation, reporting and data collection for both internal and external fraud. ITSA has been active throughout 2010–11 in its endeavours to minimise internal and external fraud and undertake appropriate investigations where fraud has been suspected or detected.
Senior executive remuneration
ITSA employees work under an Enterprise Agreement that includes provisions for organisational improvement linked to pay outcomes. All ITSA SES employees have their remuneration and other conditions of employment established by Public Service Act Section 24 determinations signed by the Chief Executive. ITSA has a total of five SES employees covered by Section 24 determinations in operation at June 2011. Details on the salary range are provided at Table 28.
