To ensure that the portfolio Ministers and the Government receive timely and appropriate advice and support, including advice on the identification and development of policy options on new and emerging issues
To direct and coordinate the Department’s activities in pursuit of the Department’s corporate goals and program objectives.
The sub-program includes the Department’s Senior Executive, constituted by the Secretary and the Deputy Secretaries, and a support component, Executive Branch, which comprises the Executive Liaison Section, the Ministerial and Cabinet Liaison Unit and a Policy Planning Unit.
Achievement of the sub-program’s objectives was measured by the extent of ministerial satisfaction with the quality of departmental advice on portfolio issues, with the administration of the Department and with the services provided to Ministers by the Department. During the period under review the Senior Executive managed and coordinated a process of departmental change and objective-setting designed to strengthen the Department’s capacity to provide timely and high quality advice and support to Ministers, the Government and other clients.
The Senior Executive provided advice to Ministers on matters relating to the Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio and provided direction and coordination of the Department’s activities in support of government policy objectives and the Department’s aim, goals and priority tasks. The Senior Executive contributed to the provision of services to other clients of the Department, including Members of Parliament, business, non-government organisations, Australians abroad and the wider public. Key managerial activities included coordination of and guidance on the work of divisions, the evaluation of departmental activities and decisions on the allocation of resources.
The Senior Executive strengthened the Department’s effectiveness in the above terms through a range of activities:
Early in his tenure the Secretary initiated a review of the Department’s objectives. In the course of this process, which included consultation with Senior Executive Service and other officers, particularly through three major SES conferences, a draft statement of the Department’s aim, goals and priority tasks for the period 1994-96 was prepared. After seeking the views of Ministers, the Secretary issued this statement as the Department’s corporate plan. This document received wide distribution within the Department: it is heightening awareness of policy requirements and thus serving as a guide to activities, especially the setting of priorities. It also serves to publicise the Department’s commitment to meeting government objectives.
The Senior Executive promoted a process of change in the Department with the objective of implementing a ‘best practice’ program, including the adoption of new technology and the extension of flexibility in the workplace. The Secretary initiated consultations with representative groups of officers, with a view to maximising career satisfaction and officer productivity.
The Senior Executive conducted formal evaluations of the performance of all posts through the post evaluation report (PER) process. The PER was thorough and rigorous, examining all aspects of a post’s policy and management operations. The review enabled soundly based decisions to be made on the allocation of scarce resources to posts and also provided valuable guidance to the posts for their future activity.
Similarly the Senior Executive conducted formal evaluations of divisions through the divisional evaluation report (DER) process. Divisions were required to report on their own performance against established objectives and performance indicators and were formally examined and rated by the Senior Executive.
The Senior Executive guided the preparation of analytical studies to strengthen the Department’s provision of forward-looking policy advice and provided regular guidance to posts on key portfolio issues and major domestic policy, budgetary and economic developments.
In view of continuous policy development and progress in matters affecting departmental management, particular attention was paid to briefing and consultation with posts. Members of the Senior Executive chaired meetings of heads of mission, including meetings in Africa and the Middle East chaired by Deputy Secretary Forrester in December, in South-East Asia chaired by the Secretary in April, and in North Asia chaired by then Deputy Secretary-designate McCarthy in June.
Members of the Senior Executive led liaison visits to 13 posts. The post liaison visits (PLVs) provided for in-depth inspections of the posts’ operations, with a review of both policy and management issues, designed to maximise the posts’ efficiency in meeting government and departmental objectives.
Members of the Senior Executive were required to lead high-level delegations dealing with important policy issues and to accompany and advise the Prime Minister and other Ministers on visits abroad. The Secretary was appointed the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on APEC matters in April and undertook consultations with representatives of other governments in preparation for the second APEC Leaders’ Economic Summit to be held in Indonesia in November 1994.
The Deputy Secretaries also undertook various specialised high-level tasks. Mr David Hawes retained his special responsibility for the Uruguay Round, which was brought to a successful conclusion. Mr Geoff Forrester is responsible for the National Trade Strategy Consultative Process (NTSCP). He was heavily involved in the Australia Today Indonesia ’94 promotion and the National Trade and Investment Outlook Conference (NTIOC). Mr Kim Jones’s responsibilities include arms control and disarmament issues, notably the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty; he led delegations to capitals of key countries, such as Washington and Beijing, making high-level representations seeking support for the negotiation of this important nuclear arms control treaty. Mr Ric Smith, who had special responsibility for North and South and South-East Asia and the East Asia Analytical Unit, took part in high-level talks in Australia and overseas. He transferred to a senior position in the Department of Defence during the period. His successor is Mr John McCarthy.
Dr Peter Wilenski, the former Secretary, continued as Special Government Adviser.
Executive Branch
Executive Branch (EXB) provided support to Ministers and the Senior Executive in policy development and in directing, coordinating and evaluating the work of the Department and in the allocation of its resources. The branch provided policy guidance to posts and acted as secretariat to meetings of the Senior Executive and division heads, coordinated the PER and DER processes and provided regular liaison with Ministers’ offices and Cabinet Office.
The branch provided a forward planning capability and independent policy advice to Ministers and the Department’s Senior Executive and contributed to integrated policy development in the portfolio.
EXB coordinated detailed briefing following the appointment of the new Minister for Trade, Senator McMullan, who commenced duty on 30 January 1994.
The branch organised the three SES conferences which led to the preparation of the corporate plan, which it drafted. It also arranged three ‘vertical slice’ consultations between the Secretary and representative groups of officers on career and management issues.
EXB coordinated the PER and DER processes. It prepared, participated in and followed up 13 post liaison visits. The branch head conducted a similar visit (a post review team) to one post.
In line with the Department’s role of anticipating and initiating policy change in the international environment, the branch prepared key papers such as ‘Strategies for Maintaining International Interest in the Pacific,’ ‘Economic and Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region,’ ‘Transparency in Armaments’ and ‘Perspectives on Interests in Asia: Australia and the US Compared.’ The branch supported the Department’s ongoing policy development work with contributions on defence, regional security and global security, international trade policy, national trade strategy and management issues and the preparation of periodic literature and seminar reviews. The branch continued its role in organising seminars on key issues affecting Australia’s foreign and trade policy as part of exchanges with groups in the community, including academics and business.
Organisation and participation in annual policy planning talks with the United States, Japan, Canada and the Republic of Korea (ROK) held in the ROK provided useful insights and opportunities to influence the policy-planning agenda of the participating countries.
The departmental Women’s Policy Officer, located in the branch, continued to provide policy advice on issues of relevance to women in the Department and to promote awareness of the Government’s policy on status of women issues. A meeting with a representative group of 21 female officers convened by the Secretary took further the process of identifying issues requiring attention to improve the career satisfaction and development of women in the Department and led to the preparation of a discussion paper on ‘Women in Management.’
These tasks were all in addition to EXB’s substantial base workload, which included processing 1909 ministerial submissions and 11 900 items of ministerial correspondence, lodgement of 27 Cabinet submissions or memoranda and the arranging of 34 overseas visits by portfolio Ministers.