Quality indicators
- Client satisfaction with the secure communications network and secure telecommunications infrastructure
- Availability to clients, and reliability, of communications through the secure network (including cable delivery)
- Client satisfaction with the level of physical security at overseas chanceries and residences, including responsiveness to unexpected events
Quantity indicators
- Number of posts and Commonwealth entities with access to the secure communications network and secure telecommunications infrastructure
- Number of clients serviced, types of services provided and volume of traffic handled
- Number of overseas missions for which security services are provided, including security review services
- Number of security clearances and reviews processed
Client satisfaction with the secure communications network and telecommunications infrastructure
The department replaced its 20-year old message system with a new automated system, the Official Diplomatic Information Network (ODIN), which provides significantly faster delivery times. We supported the introduction of ODIN by providing training and user awareness programs, including online user help, mandatory training for Canberra-based staff and regional IT training programs to improve user understanding at posts. We consulted other Australian Government agency users of our information and communications systems as part of the implementation process.
External feedback
- Meetings with clients from other agencies provided positive feedback on the department's level of service.
- Ministers and ministerial office staff expressed their appreciation for our responsiveness in dealing with ICT problems and the development of innovative solutions for remote access communications.
Internal feedback
- Departmental committees, such as the Information Technology Strategy Committee, the Technical Advisors' Group and the Consultative Committee on Information Management, were effective mechanisms for internal feedback. This feedback showed that staff satisfaction with our information technology and communication systems was high, user-friendliness had improved and the systems had facilitated more efficient work practices.
- Regional management and heads of mission meetings, post liaison visits, and divisional and post evaluation processes all provided opportunities for staff at post to provide feedback on information technology (IT) systems and training.
- The department's IT Global Support Centre help desk provides a 24-hour first-level telephone user support on issues related to our secure and non-secure information and communications systems, in Australia and overseas. During the year it provided services to 7730 departmental and other Australian government agency users in Australia and overseas and in ministers' parliamentary and electoral offices. It received 69 815 inquiries, mostly relating to minor faults in hardware or software, although call spikes occurred in January due to the Indian Ocean tsunami crisis response. Sixty-eight per cent of inquiries were resolved to the client's satisfaction without the need for escalation to higher-level support teams. The balance of inquiries was referred to second or third-level support teams for resolution. The majority of problems reported to the help desk were resolved within 72 hours.
Availability and reliability of communications
The department continued to improve its electronic communication services to clients. We finalised a new bandwidth contract with Optus that will improve our flexibility in providing bandwidth to posts and make substantial savings over the life of the contract.
The provision of upgraded secure mobile communications systems (the 'FlyAway' unit) ensured ministers and officials had access to secure communications to Canberra from remote or temporary office locations. We provided FlyAway units to staff in Accra, Nauru, Kuwait, Baghdad and Cancún (for World Trade Organization meetings). Mobile communications systems accompanied prime ministerial visits to locations remote from Australian missions, and another two units were permanently on standby for use by the department, as needed.
The department expanded its email communications with other agencies by linking to Fedlink, a gateway between agencies that provides security up to the 'In-Confidence' classification for email communications through a private government link. Our email communications with 56 departments and agencies now pass through this link.
Client satisfaction security of overseas missions
Our posts' operational environments continued to face direct and indirect terrorist threats. Our service to posts included the provision of rapid advice on evolving security situations, special security assessments and inspection advisory visits at short notice, and enhancements to physical security. We kept partner agencies informed of key developing security situations and our response to them. Agencies expressed support for our consultative approach and implementation of measures to mitigate security threats, including enhanced training.
Quantity information for output 1.2
| Indicators | 2004–05 | 2003–04 |
|---|---|---|
| Number of posts and Commonwealth entities with access to the secure communications network and secure telecommunications infrastructure |
119 | 117 |
| Number of clients1 | 119 | 117 |
| Types of services: | ||
| Number of cables2 | 157 035 | 142 568 |
| cables to posts3 | 70 567 | 60 870 |
| cables from posts3 | 86 468 | 81 698 |
| Cable pages printed | 658 294 | 651 913 |
| Number of overseas missions for which security services are provided, including security review services4 |
88 | 88 |
| Number of security clearances and reviews processed | 859 | 622 |
- This figure reflects the number of agencies and other external work units, including ministerial and parliamentary offices that receive paper or electronic copies of cables.
- This figure reflects the total number of cables sent via the new messaging system, ODIN, which automatically analyses and distributes cables electronically to clients.
- Cable breakdown to and from posts is provided for the first time this year.
- This figure includes our overseas posts and other permanent overseas locations—see Appendix 13: Summar y of the overseas network. It also includes an Australian Administrative Centre in Nauru set up to coordinate the activity of Australian officials working with the Nauru Government.
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Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Annual Report 2004–2005
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