JASRLIAL
PRIME MINISTER
ROYAL COMMISSION ON AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION 9TH DECEMBER, 1976.
The Royal Commission on Australian Government Administration,
under the chairmanship of Dr. H. C. Coombs, presented its report
in July of this year.
In announcing the submission of the report at that time, I said
that the Government would study carefully and give thorough
consideration to the recommendations made by the Commiss~ ion on
the principles for more efficient administration. The necessary
machinery has since been established for this purpose arid
decisions on recommendations will be announced progressively.
For purposes of our examination of the Commission's report, the
Government decided that its recommendations could be grouped in
five main categories on the following basis:
matters requiring Cabinet consideration, by reason of their
implications or the likelihood of legislation being; required
if they were to be implemented
matters which relate to the subject matter of other inquiries,
and which will need to be taken into account in the Government's
consideration of the reports of those inquiries
matters relating to the allocation of functions among
ministries and to possible changes in administrative
arrangements matters having implications for particular Ministers and
Departments matters having implications for most or all Ministers and
Departments, or requiring follow-up by the Public Service
Board.
Action has been put in train in relation to each of the five
categories. In particular, I have asked that Ministers let me
have their views on the Commission's recommendations which have
both specific and general relevance to departments and authorities
under their control. I have also suggested that their consideration
of the Commission's report could be regarded as a useful starting
point for a wide-ranging examination of the efficiency and
effectiveness of administrative procedures. 2/
In response to my request, the Public Service Board has completed
its initial examination of the matters specifically referred to
it and I will shortly be announcing the nature of the further
actior~ which it has in mind.
The Government has now taken initial decisions on a number of the
Royal Commission's recommendations.
The Government has approved in principle the Commission's
recommendations for implementation of a system of efficiency
audits. officials have been asked to report on the details of
how such a system might be implemented. The Government has also
agreed that the Public Service Board should continue its management
improvement functions, including efficiency and staff utilisation
reviews, in general accordance with its present responsibilities
under the Public Service Act.
The Government has also noted the particular significance which
the Royal Commission attached to integrated forward estimates of
both financial and manpower requirements. In this regard, I mention
that the Government has previously agreed with proposals by the
Treasurer that forward financial estimates should be collected
for the three years 1977-78 to 1979-80. The development of the
Department of Finance will enable these to be pursued with great
vigour. The Public Service Board has also been progressively
developing a comprehensive system of forward manpower stimates.
Whilst noting the complexity surrounding many of the i-, sues
involved, and the Commission's view that development of a
satisfactory process might take several years, the Government
has decided that action should proceed immediately for detailed
examination and report on the Commission' s proposals.
A number of other decisions taken by the Government will, I
am sure, be of interest to public service staff organisations.
In particular: We have authorised the Public Service Board to commence
discussions with staff organisation, departments and
statutory authorities, and in Joint Council ( the joint
consultative body presently operating under the Public
Service Act) and to report to me on the manner in which
the Royal Commission's recommendations both for expanding
the jurisdiction of the Joint Council, and for creating
consultative councils within departments and authorities,
might be implemented.
Approval has been given for drafting to continue on
legislation to give effect to changes in the disciplinary
provisions of the Public Service Act, in accordance with
recommendations which resulted from a review of those
provisions by the Public Service Board, in conjunction with
the Joint Council.
-3-
The Public Service Board has been asked to report t~ o me
as soon as possible on a number of Royal Commission.
recommendations relating to promotion processes in the
Australian Public Service, after consideration of those
matters has been finalised in the Joint Council and after
the Board has completed all necessary consultations; with
staff organisation. The Government strongly supports
the Commission's recommendations on promotion by metrit.
The Government has agreed that the Public Service Act should
be amended at an appropriate time to abolish the present
restriction on the annual intake of non-specialist graduate
recruits into the Australian Public Service.
The Government has endorsed the view of the Public Service Board
that the present distinctions between the Third and Fourth
Divisions of the Public Service were becoming increasingly
irrelevant and the Board has been asked to consult with staff
organisations on possible changes in the divisional structure
and to report to the Government.
The Board has also been asked to consult with staff
organisations on the possible elimination of inappropriate
distinctions between permanent officers and temporary
employees in thepresent employment arrangements under the
Public Service Act and to report to the Government.
The Board has also been asked to continue its detailed
examination of the desirability of developing arrangements
under which the whole or much of Commonwealth Government
civilian employment would be treated as one entity for a
number of purposes.
The Government has also accepted the Royal Commission's recommendation
that a practice should be established permitting the Leader of the
Opposition, before a general election, to confer with the Public
Service Board and the Secretary to the Department of the Prime
Minister and Cabinet, and permitting shadow Ministers to confer with
the heads of relevant departments. Guidelines have been developed
covering the conduct of these discussions and I have informed the
Honourable the Leader of the Opposition of them. I seek leave to
have the guidelines incorporated in Hansard.
The Government has also accepted the Royal Commissio~ s
recommendations that there should be guidelines governing the
briefing of Members and Party Committees by Public Servants and the
handling of requests for inf ' ormation by Members of Par' -iament to
departments and authorities. The Government has endorsed draft
guidelines for these matters and I have referred them to Members
of the Government Parties. I am writing to the Honourable the
Leader of the opposition informing him of the guidelines endorsed so
that he may do likewise with Members of his Party. I Seek leave to
have these guidelines also incorporated in Hansard. 4/
-4-
In response to the Royal Commission's suggestion that
greater attention is required to theprovision of more
realistic objectives for staff training and development
activities, the Government has decided that all departments
should be asked to review their overall arrangements in these
areas. In the light of those reviews, the Public Service
Board has been asked to review the nature of its own role
in relationt o training and personnel development matters and
to report its findings to the Governemnt by mid 1977.
The Government did not take up the Commission's recommendation
that the special statutory provisions for the appointment of
ex-servicemen in Section 47A of the Public Service Act be not
re-enacted when the Act is amended. We do not believe that there
should be any suggestion of a lessening of the Government's
special concern for veterans who served their country.
I
The Government has noted that the Commission highlighted the
proliferation of Commonwealth statutory authorities, particularly
in recent years. For its part, my Government endorses the
Commission' s conclusion in favour of adopting the departmental
form of organisation for government agencies unless a clear necessity
can be demonstrated for the functions concerned to be carried out
by a body which is wholly, or in some desired way, separate from
ministerial and departmental administration. In conformity with
this approach, we have decided that formulation of broad guidelines
for the creation of statutory authorities would be
desirable. Accordingly, a working party of officials is to be
established to prepare a guideline document as soon as possible
for the Government's consideration. We would expect that the
guidelines ultimately approved by the Government would boe
applied not only in circumstances where creation of a new
statutory authority was being proposed, but also for purposes
of assessing whether existing statutory bodies continued to
satisfy the guideline criteria. This would not pre-clude Ministers
from proposing particular structural arrangements where they
felt there were worthwhile advantages to be gained.
As reflected in the terms of the decisions which I have now
announced, my Government is conscious of the need for consultation
with staff organisation on matters arising from the Royal Commission'
s recommendations which have major industrial rElations
implications. Such consultation will take place with the
peak councils of the staff organisations and with other bodies
as appropriate.
Legislation introduced recently on appointment of Permanent
Heads of Public Service departments and on early retirement,
followed the Government's acceptance of the main thrust of the
Commission's recommendations on these matters.
Because of the wide-ranging terms of reference of the Royal
Commission it was obviously not in a position to prepare
detailed implementation plans for its recommendations. I
believe that we have made substantial progress in our initial
examination of the report and have set in train work to prepare
such detailed plans. I have no doubt that, when implemented,
these reforms will lead to a more efficient administration
a matter which should be of concern to all Australians.
Guidelines for Pre-election! Co;' sltatio-n viitA', th'Le Oiposition
Tho pr-cloXcti-i noriod' to ffrrooz
thrc! ort" h) iz ts h o f the
.4 jVZ or hC. I C of
It niot inAvt raospect of Scmate
oleci~ u3cnly. ;; Ly & rcvau. to 1. V
m~ ay lhavo othe-r 2 T r of Parlian~ ant
or t~-i r: n. A
Pertmamant R-ead naiy I-zvo other off icials
nrcoont.
( ii -tCri_ r wjL _ intatzd by t-
Leads-ra of nzn-* Govarn= r._% t tpaxtie3 making
the Z" nrtmemt~ hacrea
th ' i inigtor. wilJ. thzn pt til 3
a rrar. L, t-, 3 in h-and.
noto'Jdl~ s ~ or
thnj3. r '. iisters wi-ien thra Cdiscu3ions are
tw" Ung placo. -ii~~ wilrln ot b~ authori.-: cd to
d~ icCu, v en~-. ct olicics or to ' iive
on i n c n f; c n m. t .7r: -3 -af n ~ z: tv o 1i t 1
nature. T Zub-i-ct :,: tter c" th. e
nrproy~ o t-am~-n. 21 dent rt Ie. to.
If the Op-: osition re-mreasentatives raised
0matte*% rs w. hich, in, the ~ u~~ tof tb' 3
raise-i w-,. iht~ W t
Ij( v; i) cLtailc su'-ztanco of t'hp di~ c oiona
Lb:: ccatitlez to fromi ofFUcial general.
inforrto on ; tcto icdn
k. ept within the a:-ed puz-po~ es.
GU10EL*. DN2S TO APPLY TO _ A0~ ARCES DY PUBLIC
SERV301TS BE.-ORB PARTY COM1MIT TE2S
1. Minis-Iters May authorise Of ficers oE -the-ir
deoartment3 to appear before Government and Opposition
Party. CC xattee3 tpz-ovide briaeFing3 or background
material on Govarnment or ministerial decisions and proposals.
includi%: ng details and/ or explanations of -proposed
legislati. on.-
2. Brieffing of this nature will be authorised on
the princiol e of promoting the freeat p(: s. sible flOW 0off
factual and background mraterial to permit informed
considerataion by the comittees and parties Concerned of
the issuea involved, con3istent-with preserving the
necessary confidence of Government and miintainiLng the
tr1:. aditional political iir-, artiality of official3.
3. Committee requests fEor br-iefing in the3. abova
terrms will " be directed -to the Nlinister concerned. If
he agrees, the Minisater aill authorise his denartment
to-put the necessary arrangements in hand. It will also
bq open for a Minister hLrnself to initiat9 proposala for
brief ing cormibtee3, where he consi-ders this to be
desirablea. 4. officials Will not be expected or authorisead to
e> 9res.-op~ inions on Government policies, policy optiona
or rxatters of a party political nature. The discussion3
may however include administrative ar-rangements and
procedures involved in Loo~ lementatioa of the proposed
policie3 or leji~ ilation.
if matters ar raiised ghich in tne judgefrnt of
oficia-see3( eyxressions of opinion on Government
policies or on alternative policiss, the officials ould
su~ ggest tha the n~ atter be raised with the Minister.
6. 1hera con3idered necessary or deairable,
plinistaro may ; 3Ieot to by p) resent at di3CU3310flS WAA
Government party comittees, to deal laith questions fn
a p~. licy or-party political nature.
7. Th-' ere th Minister does not attend the committee
picceeaings, -he will. hava the right to be . i'eo orried
by officials of the nature of ths discti~ sicns and of
any matters not able to be resolved by the officials
to the corwittee~ s satis~ faction.
S. w. here an of'cial considers that questioning by
a corrmittae goes beyond the authorized 3cope of ths
briefing arrangements, he should so indicate to tV,
commi ttee, and before answering will be at liberty to
raise the matter with his departmental head and the
Miniater, and if he zo & esires, with the Public Service
Board.
Guidlins 1e~ aingto Access by 2enhera
of ?-ari n ob Se.-vants
ka) Muhch wi-ll de-nd on the nature of the recuest.
There will, 0 for e Occa; 3ions when ' a
requeat a œ tiera] r of Parliament amounmts to no
more tha-n a request16 for available -factual
i -oration squival; en-t to any requetfo
mioer r the Oubli C. T -41 t ese circi-istancaes,
thne inrormation should obvioualy be
-orovided;
3b). there wilbe othar occa3io715 % Whan the rcuest
is sen3_, tj-ivs, or wihere answering it woul-1d
necessitxa -the uze of subatantal. oartimental
re~ orce .7In ouch Ca: 3e3, i4 -ould be
appropra to 3uggest that t-hi4: . ibe
top t: ae r-qc!-nu ie sting the information;
the of'ficer s9hould, as appropriata, intora
his -ermarint Head or IMinister a requeslz
-for an-ormation and of the uutcci-_ a;
( ci care 5ñ aould b e takan to avoi-' d unauthorised
& disclosura of cla33ified or otIherwiaa
-confideantial inforuation, for examrple,
where a breach of peraona]. or corr~ ercial
pr: ivacy could be involved.