DFAT Annual Report 2002-2003 : Departmental Overview

ROLE AND FUNCTIONS

The department is responsible for advancing the interests of Australia and Australians internationally, through: enhancing Australia's security; contributing to growth in Australia's economy, employment and standard of living; assisting Australian travellers and Australians overseas; strengthening global cooperation in ways that advance Australia's interests; fostering public understanding of Australia's foreign and trade policy; projecting a positive image of Australia internationally; and managing efficiently the overseas property owned by the Australian Government.

The department's staff in Canberra, in our state and territory offices and around the world work towards the achievement of the department's four outcomes, described in the department's Portfolio Budget Statements 2002–03 and presented in Figure 4 on page 18:

Australia's national interests protected and advanced through contributions to international security, national economic and trade performance, and global cooperation
Australians informed about and provided access to consular and passport services in Australia and overseas
public understanding in Australia and overseas of Australia's foreign and trade policy and a positive image of Australia internationally
efficient management of the Commonwealth overseas owned estate.

To support the achievement of these outcomes, the department has developed a range of resource management practices and corporate services. In an operating environment of uncertainty and high demand, these services ensure the department is able to respond and adapt quickly and effectively to changed circumstances, while maintaining a high level of productivity. The department's resource management practices foster and support a highly motivated, adaptable and flexible workforce through appropriate recruitment processes and reward systems, skills recognition and training. We strive to create a working environment that enables staff successfully to balance their professional and personal interests and commitments.

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

	Senior Executive of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (as at 30 June 2003). Centre: Dr Ashton Calvert AC, Secretary. From left: Deputy Secretaries Mr Peter Grey (seated), Mr Doug Chester (standing), Mr Paul O’Sullivan (standing) and Dr Geoff Raby (seated). (Photo: Michael Jensen)
	Enlarge image :: Photo gallery

The Secretary, Dr Ashton Calvert, and four deputy secretaries together constitute the department's Senior Executive. Supported by the department's Senior Executive Service, they manage the department and provide leadership on foreign and trade policy and corporate issues. In fulfilling this role, the Senior Executive: shapes the values and culture of the department; maintains the highest professional standards of service to the Government and to Australia; and ensures an open, fair and professionally rewarding working environment for all staff.

The department's structure is detailed in Figure 2. In Canberra, the department is made up of eleven divisions, as well as the Executive, Planning and Evaluation Branch, the Protocol Branch, the Overseas Property Office, the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office and the Economic Analytical Unit. The department's staff are located in Canberra, state and territory offices, and overseas posts. Each overseas post is attached to a parent division in Canberra.

During 2002–03, the department restructured divisions and also created task forces, on an as-required basis, to reflect the international priorities and challenges of our work. We restructured the International Security Division—including creating an Anti-Terrorism and Intelligence Policy Branch and a Strategic Affairs Branch. We created task forces to coordinate the department's work on Iraq, the outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome virus and Solomon Islands. In addition, Corporate Management Division's Financial Management Branch was divided into two separate branches, one responsible for strategic financial and budgetary policy, the other delivering financial services.

The department manages an overseas network of 84 embassies, high commissions, consulates-general and multilateral missions—details are provided at Appendix 13 (Summary of the overseas network). The department also maintains offices in all Australian state and territory capital cities. These offices provide an invaluable link between the department and the public, particularly through the provision of consular and passports services to the Australian community and liaison services to state and territory governments and Australian business. We also maintain a Passports Office in Newcastle and a Liaison Office on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait. Contact details of our offices in Australia are provided inside the back cover of this report.

Figure 1. Location of staff (as at 30 June 2003)

The above chart shows the proportion of the department's staff who are serving in Australia, at our state and territory offices and in Canberra, as well as those Australia-based staff who are posted to our overseas network, and staff who are employed locally at our overseas posts.

The department also engages people overseas to act as honorary consuls. Honorary consuls provide consular assistance on behalf of the department to Australian travellers in locations where the Australian Government does not maintain other representation. Combined with our consular sharing agreements with Canada, our honorary consuls provide an invaluable service for Australian citizens travelling overseas (see Appendix 13).

Figure 2. Senior executive structure (as at 30 June 2003)

STRUCTURE OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE PORTFOLIO

The foreign affairs and trade portfolio supports the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Trade and the Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs in the conduct of Australia's foreign and trade policy. Seven agencies make up the portfolio:

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Australian Trade Commission (Austrade)
Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID)
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)
Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS)
Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC)
Australia-Japan Foundation (AJF). Unlike other bilateral foundations and councils, the AJF is a separate statutory authority that receives its own appropriations from consolidated revenue.

These agencies develop and promote domestic and international understanding of Australia's foreign and trade policy; support Australian business through market access and export advice and assistance; promote trade and investment; provide consular and passport services to Australians, in Australia and overseas; and provide sustainable development and relief assistance to the world's developing and least-developed countries. Figure 3 details the portfolio structure and each agency's outcomes.

Figure 3. Structure of portfolio outcomes—Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio

Figure 4. Outcomes and outputs framework 2002–03

Resources summary

There have been no amendments to the Outcomes and Outputs Framework since the publication of the Portfolio Budget Statements 2002–03.

Table 1. Financial and staffing resources summary
	2001–2002 Actual ($’000)	2002–2003 Budget and Additional Estimates ($’000)	2002–2003 Actual ($’000)
Administered items
Administered expenses	342 460	208 003	309 186
Departmental outputs
Revenue from government	685 918	686 585	686 602
Revenue from other sources	80 813	91 645	*122 768
Total price of departmental outputs	766 731	778 230	809 370
Total resourcing of outputs
Administered expenses and total price of departmental outputs	1 109 191	986 233	1 118 556
	2001–2002 Actual	2002–2003 Budget and Additional Estimates	2002–2003 Actual
Average staffing level (number) **	3 320	3 167	3 229
* Includes revenue from sale of assets. ** Includes overseas locally engaged staff.

Table 2. Price of departmental outputs by outcome
	Description	2001–2002 Actual ($’000)	2002–2003 Actual ($’000)
Outcome 1	Australia’s national interests protected and advanced through contributions to international security, national economic and trade performance and global cooperation	525 718	528 495
Outcome 2	Australians informed about and provided access to consular and passport services in Australia and overseas	137 381	137 034
Outcome 3	Public understanding in Australia and overseas of Australia’s foreign and trade policy and a positive image of Australia internationally	64 941	64 667
Outcome 4	Efficient management of the Commonwealth overseas owned estate	38 691	79 174
Total price of departmental outputs		766 731	809 370

Table 3. Reconciliation of outcomes and appropriation and revenue elements
	Outcome 1 ($’000)	Outcome 2 ($’000)	Outcome 3 ($’000)	Outcome 4 ($’000)	Total ($’000)
Total administered appropriation as per Portfolio Budget Statements 2002–03 including any adjustments from Additional Estimates	183 619	3 337	21 047	–	208 003
Administered expenses by outcome	166 610	1 140	21 136	–	188 886
Foreign exchange (unrealised)	112 284	8	–	–	112 292
EFIC administration costs funded by revenue offset	4 287	–	–	–	4 287
Movement on liability for the North American Pension Scheme	3 721	–	–	–	3 721
Total administered expenses as per the Financial Statements	286 902	1 148	21 136	–	309 186
Total departmental appropriation as per Portfolio Budget Statements 2002–03 including any adjustments from Additional Estimates	491 114	132 854	62 617	–	686 585
Revenues from government	491 126	132 857	62 618	–	686 602
Revenue from other sources	37 369	4 177	2 049	79 174	122 768
Total price of departmental outputs as per the Financial Statements	528 495	137 034	64 667	79 174	809 370

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