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 2003–04 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 ongoing 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 of 30 June 2004). Front right: Dr Ashton Calvert AC, Secretary. From left: Deputy Secretaries Mr Doug Chester (standing), Ms Joanna Hewitt (sitting), Dr Geoff Raby (standing) and Mr Murray McLean OAM (standing). Photo: Michael Jensen. |
 Enlarge image ::  Photo gallery |
The Secretary, Dr Ashton Calvert AC, 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 2003–04, the department restructured divisions and also created task forces, on an as-required basis, to reflect the international priorities and challenges of our work.
The department manages an overseas network of 85 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
Source: Compiled from departmental data.
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 2004)
Structure of the foreign affairs and trade portfolio
The foreign affairs and trade portfolio supports the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Trade, the Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and the Parliamentary Secretary for Trade 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 AS AT 30 JUNE 2004
FIGURE 4. OUTCOMES AND OUTPUTS FRAMEWORK 2003–04
Resources summary
| 2002–2003 Actual ($'000) |
2003–2004 Budget and Additional Estimates ($'000) |
2003–2004 Actual ($'000) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Administered items | |||
| Administered expenses* | 309 186 | 202 430 | 758 856 |
| Departmental outputs | |||
| Revenue from government (appropriation)** | 686 602 | 705 473 | 712 711 |
| Revenue from other sources | 122 768 | 94 446 | 96 127 |
| Total price of departmental outputs | 809 370 | 799 919 | 808 838 |
| Total resourcing of outputs | |||
| Administered expenses and total price of departmental outputs | 1 118 556 | 1 002 349 | 1 567 694 |
| 2002–2003 Actual |
2003–2004 Budget and Additional Estimates |
2003–2004 Actual |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Average staffing level (number)*** | 3 229 | 3 157 | 3 149 |
* In 2003–04 the department received additional administered funding to support Australia's participation at the 2005 World Expo in Aichi, Japan. Provision was also made under this item for Iraq debt relief.
** In 2003–04 the department received additional budget funding for a number of new initiatives including:
- expansion of Australia's secure diplomatic communications network
- opening of the Australian representative office (subsequently the Australian embassy) in Baghdad
- maintenance of the Australian administrative centre in Nauru
- facilitation of the negotiation of the Australia–United States Free Trade Agreement through the hosting of congressional delegations and the retention of legal counsel in the US to provide legal advice
- measures to enhance security across the network of overseas posts and for the relocation of a number of posts in high risk locations and regions
- establishment of the Office of the Special Coordinator of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) and additional resources for the high commission in Honiara to support the work of RAMSI
- expansion of the department's Open Source Collection Unit
- provision of enhanced travel advice dissemination through the smartraveller campaign
- research into passport biometrics
- holding of the ceremony commemorating the first anniversary of the Bali tragedy
*** Includes overseas locally engaged staff
| Description | 2002–2003 Actual ($'000) |
2003–2004 Actual ($'000) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Outcome 1 | Australia's national interests protected and advanced through contributions to international security, national economic and trade performance and global cooperation | 528 495 | 546 700 |
| Outcome 2 | Australians informed about and provided access to consular and passport services in Australia and overseas | 137 034 | 150 534 |
| Outcome 3 | Public understanding in Australia and overseas of Australia's foreign and trade policy and a positive image of Australia internationally | 64 667 | 58 522 |
| Outcome 4 | Efficient management of the Commonwealth overseas owned estate | 79 174 | 53 082 |
| Total price of departmental outputs | 809 370 | 808 838 | |
| Outcome 1 ($'000) | Outcome 2 ($'000) | Outcome 3 ($'000) | Outcome 4 ($'000) | Total ($'000) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total administered appropriation as per Portfolio Budget Statements 2003–04 including any adjustments from Additional Estimates | 179 004 | 200 | 23 226 | 0 | 202 430 |
| Administered expenses by outcome | 710 450 | 237 | 23 520 | 0 | 734 207 |
| Foreign exchange (unrealised) | 21 978 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 978 |
| EFIC administration costs funded by revenue offset | 3 846 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 846 |
| Movement on liability for the North American Pension Scheme | (1 175) | 0 | 0 | 0 | (1 175) |
| Total administered expenses as per the Financial Statements | 735 099 | 237 | 23 520 | 0 | 758 856 |
| Total departmental appropriation as per Portfolio Budget Statements 2003–04 including any adjustments from Additional Estimates | 506 433 | 149 263 | 49 777 | 0 | 705 473 |
| Revenue from government | 509 802 | 146 410 | 56 499 | 0 | 712 711 |
| Revenue from other sources | 36 898 | 4 124 | 2 023 | 53 082 | 96 127 |
| Total price of departmental outputs as per the Financial Statements | 546 700 | 150 534 | 58 522 | 53 082 | 808 838 |
Next page: Section 2: Performance Reporting
Previous page: Secretary's Review
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Annual Report 2003–2004
Home | Table of Contents | Userguide | Download versions
Overviews | Performance | Corporate | Financials | Appendixes | Glossaries and Compliance Index
Australian Government
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Home | Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy
