Overview of the performance framework

Overview of the performance framework

This section outlines our framework for managing departmental and staff performance.

Departmental performance

Outcome

The department has one planned outcome, as published in the 2008–09 Portfolio Budget Statements:

Australian agricultural, fisheries, food and forestry industries that are based on the sustainable management of and access to natural resources, are more competitive, self‑reliant and innovative, have increased access to markets, are protected from diseases and are underpinned by scientific advice and economic research.

Outputs

To deliver the outcome in 2008–09 we produced five outputs:

• Sustainable management of resources
• Productive, innovative and portfolio industries
• Access to markets
• Managing pest and disease risk
• Portfolio research support.

The Portfolio Budget Statements list key performance indicators for each output. The following section (‘Summary of performance’) summarises our performance against these indicators for the five outputs and reports in detail on our delivery of policy advice.

The remaining sections of the ‘Report on performance’ assess our delivery of the outputs, plus the work of Biosecurity Australia. Each of these sections includes:

• a list of highlights of the work done in 2008–09
• figures showing the proportion of staff, administered funding and departmental funding contributing to the output
• a narrative report on the work done to achieve the output
• a summary of the outlook for 2009–10
• tables showing the key performance indicators for the output, as specified in the 2008–09 Portfolio Budget Statements, and actual performance against those indicators
• tables showing contributions of administered items to the output, including actual values (which may differ from the planned values in the 2008–09 Portfolio Budget Statements); performance indicators, measures and targets; whether the targets were met; and, where targets were not met, reasons why and any remedial actions to be taken.

The Corporate Policy, Corporate Services and Corporate Finance divisions contribute to departmental performance but do not directly address the outputs covered in the Portfolio Budget Statements, and so do not report in this section. Details of the work of those divisions in 2008–09 and their outlook for 2009–10 are in ‘Departmental overview’ (pages xvii–xxvii).

Staff performance

Under our collective agreement, all employees are required to participate in the department’s performance management process. This includes individual work plans and learning agreements that clarify expectations and provide a basis for feedback and development. Managers and their staff regularly discuss work planning, performance feedback, and skills and knowledge needs. This involves, as a minimum, two formal discussions: mid‑cycle (December) and annual cycle (May–June).

Our performance management scheme links people management directly to business planning and encourages constructive feedback by clarifying work goals and expected standards. In 2008–09 a number of improvements to the performance management process were implemented in response to an internal review arising from employee feedback.

See pages 165–73 for more information about the department’s management of human resources.

In response to the conclusion of a number of portfolio initiatives, the requirement in the May 2009 Budget that the department further reduce overall running costs, and a review in 2007–08 of corporate functions, 2008–09 saw significant restructuring to refocus resources on current priorities. This has involved changes to divisional and corporate structures, and in some cases redeploying staff. Structural changes will continue in 2009–10 with the consolidation of all biosecurity functions into a single entity.

As these changes proceed, we continue to monitor the effectiveness of our performance management process for individuals as a component of departmental  performance.

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