Our governance

How we make decisions

The department operates within a corporate governance framework. Our framework provides a balance between performance and accountability to ensure we achieve better results, use resources effectively and efficiently, act with integrity and ethically in the best interests of our customers, and our decisions are supported by transparent and clear roles, responsibilities, policies and procedures.

Our corporate governance structures are designed, along with our organisational structure, to enable and support the department’s vision, purpose and objectives. These are set out in our Strategic Plan ( 343.1 KB).

Corporate governance is achieved through:

• governance committees which support the leadership direction of the department’s Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and ensure effective and timely decision making in the delivery of the department’s objectives, operations and performance
• delegations, which operationalise the legislation relevant to our department and authorise employees to act, taking into account our legislative obligations including under the Human Rights Act 2019
• policies that establish key principles, responsibilities and accountabilities which guide the department’s work and how it is performed
• procedures and other supporting documents, which operationalise and support our policies by setting out the processes by which they are enabled.

Governance Committees

Our governance committees ensure that management has formal mechanisms to be informed of and make decisions about issues that influence the efficient and effective operation of our department’s functions.

• Audit and Risk Management Committee (ARMC) provides independent assurance and assistance to the Director-General on the department’s risks, control effectiveness and compliance management and external accountability responsibilities as prescribed in legislation and standards.
• Executive Leadership Team (ELT) assists the Director-General in managing the strategic direction and operations of the department, delivering on our objectives and modelling our values and culture.
• Information Steering Committee (ISC) provides advice to ELT on the strategic management of information and technology resources to ensure all new and existing investments support the department’s strategic plan and security oversight.
• People and Culture Committee (PCC) oversees the strategic management of human resources and focuses on ensuring the department has a high performing, valued, agile and skilled workforce with a culture that supports mobility. PCC is supported by two sub-committees:
  • Consultative committee promotes meaningful consultation between the department’s management and the union.
  • Workplace Health and Safety Committee works to improve the safety of our workplaces and build a healthy and resilient workforce in line with workplace health and safety legislation and practices.

More information on our governance committees can be found in the department’s annual report.