Secretaries
Fall in the Public administration classification, acknowledging their statutory responsibility to provide advice to Ministers and accountability for the functioning of their Department.
Office of the Secretary
Typically will be Public administration reflecting functions that the are primarily focused on supporting the Secretary in managing the relationship between the Department, the Secretary and Ministers. However, it is possible that an office may include a unit where the primary focus is on co-ordination and management across the Department. Such units should be Corporate support services.
Communications Units
Will be Corporate services support, unless the unit, or team within the unit, is primarily and substantially engaged in preparing publications / pamphlets / advice sheets / web pages to inform members of the public about services, regulatory obligations, or other general community interest advice. Such units will be Operational service delivery.
Shared Service providers
Will be classified according to the nature of the service delivered. Shared services that are established to deliver corporate service functions (e.g. IT, HR, Finance, Libraries) will be classified as Corporate support services.
Performance reporting
Will be classified according to the nature of the reporting being undertaken:
- Where the unit is primarily engaged in gathering data and information from service providers for collation into consolidated reports for monitoring and advice, the unit will be classified as Operational service delivery.
- Where the unit is primarily engaged in preparing reports that assess and / or evaluate the service delivery for quality or quantity, the unit will be Service delivery management.
- In a small number of cases there may be units that are primarily engaged in preparing reports to external agencies (e.g. Commonwealth government agencies funding programs to be delivered by the State, or a State government regulator / oversight body) to demonstrate delivery or performance of a service to a required standard. Such units will be Public accountability.
Regulatory compliance functions
Involving the promotion and enforcement of standards for the protection of the community or compliance with obligations are a component of government service delivery and will be classified as Operational service delivery.
Major Capital acquisition functions
May include construction, purchase or lease of capital assets such as land, buildings or equipment (e.g. major medical diagnostic equipment), or it may involve sourcing capital through establishing public private partnership contracts or similar capital raising vehicles.
- Where major capital acquisition involves the construction, purchase or lease of assets, the function is Operational service delivery
- Where major capital acquisition involves capital raising and the establishment contract arrangements, the function is involved in program design and is classified as Service delivery management
Capital planning
Involves the development of a plan for the future prioritising and scheduling expenditure of capital funds for decision be the Minister or Cabinet. Accordingly this function will be Public administration.
Special interest group support and advocacy
Will be Operational service delivery where activities involve support where the client is a section of the community but where there may not be individual clients, or where a service is directed to general community benefit, e.g. Aboriginal Affairs, Multi-cultural Affairs.
Research institutions / functions
Are direct service delivery, engaged in activity that deliver benefit to the community generally, if not to specific clients. Research units undertaking work that informs the preparation of advice or policy for Ministers are Public administration.
Procurement
Will be classified as Public accountability given that procurement is conducted in accordance with regulations and guidelines issued by the Government Purchasing Board.
Financial reporting
will be Corporate support services since the reporting function is an integral component of the broader internal financial and accounts management function. Similarly financial audit functions should be Corporate support services given they are also an integral part of are part of internal financial and accounts management.
Internal Audit
Will be Corporate support services given that this is an internal management function which is not subject to specific Auditor-General requirements.
Occupational health and safety
Will be Corporate support services given that the reporting required of public service agencies is no different to any other employer.
Legislation
Support for Ministers in drafting, review and preparation of documentation is classified as Public administration. Advice on interpretation of legislation internal to an agency is Corporate support services.
Ministerial Drivers
Will be Public administration given their role is to support the Minister in undertaking their official duties.