Govern the organisation for quality and assurance

The AEC is focused on ensuring effective and efficient governance and assurance arrangements are in place and maintained so it is strategically and organisationally aligned to deliver its purpose and the agency directions.

What we did

In 2018–19 the AEC’s focus on maturing key agency-wide governance arrangements continued. This included allocating resources in line with strategic and operational priorities. Activities included:

• undertaking an annual survey of governance committee members to confirm committees were working effectively, continually improving, and future focused
• releasing the AEC’s Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Strategic Plan 2018–2022. This aligns technology capability with the AEC’s long-term business strategy across three main themes—security, data, and modernisation. The ICT Strategic Plan is reviewed and maintained alongside the corporate plan, and ensures the AEC can respond to changing priorities
• continuing the agency’s commitment to effective governance by recognising opportunities and threats, and managing strategic and enterprise risks in line with the AEC’s risk appetite. This includes:
  • developing the AEC’s first risk appetite statement
  • continuing to enhance the AEC’s risk maturity and elements of our risk management framework in the annual Comcover Risk Management Benchmarking Program
  • assessing our maturity against the Australian Government Protective Security Policy Framework each year and increasing our capabilities across policy and procedures, physical security, communication and education
  • rolling out risk management training across the AEC state office network, and using governance forums to facilitate structured discussions on risk
• establishing, endorsing and publishing an agency Privacy Management Plan (PMP). This monitors continual improvement in the AEC’s privacy management practices and was widely communicated to staff. The plan accords with the Privacy Act 1988, the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, the AEC Privacy Policy and other rules and legislation, such as the Australian Government Agencies Privacy Code which took effect on 1 July 2018
• continuing work to mature information management within the agency, including:
  • implementing an Electronic Document Records Management System, with roll out commencing in June 2019
  • undertaking the National Archives of Australia annual survey, Checkup PLUS
• meeting the Average Staffing Level targets outlined in the agency’s 2018–19 Portfolio Budget Statements. The AEC is expected to report an operating loss in 2018–19

In 2019–20 we are:

• continuing our focus on enhancing the maturity of agency approaches to governance and assurance
• supporting an AEC funding review and implementing the outcomes
• continuing investment in our business intelligence capability to support agency operations and evidence-based decision making