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Appendix B: Governance

Accountable authority

Table 12: Details of accountable authority during current report period (2020-21)

Name

Position title/position held

Date of commencement

Date of cessation

Mr Tom Rogers

Electoral Commissioner

Australian Electoral Commission

15/12/2014

N/A

Audit committee details

Table 13: Audit committee

Member Name

Qualifications, knowledge, skills or experience (include formal and informal as relevant)

Number of meetings attended / total number of meetings

Total annual remuneration (GST inc.)

Additional Information

Jenny Morison

Jennifer Morison FCA, BEc (Sydney University) has 39 years of broad professional experience across commerce and government. She was a national board member of the Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand for four years, chief financial officer of a public company, and held senior positions in major international accounting firms. She founded Morison Consulting in 1996, specialising in government financial reforms, governance and consulting. She was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2000 for services to women and accounting. Mrs Morison has been an independent member and chair of Commonwealth audit and risk committees, and financial statement sub-committees for large and small government entities for the past 18 years.

5/5

$30,800

Independent member and Chair

Jeff Pope

Jeff Pope is the Deputy Electoral Commissioner at the Australian Electoral Commission, a position he has held since December 2016. He has a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Laws and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He has also completed a residential executive management course at Insead International Business School in Singapore. Mr Pope was previously an Assistant Commissioner with Victoria Police, where he was a member of a range of senior executive governance committees and project boards. He was awarded an Australian Police Medal in 2013 for his contribution to law enforcement for 23 years.

5/5

$0*

Deputy Chair

Mark Ridley

Mark Ridley is a Fellow of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (FCA) and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He has bachelor’s degrees in commerce and accounting. He has served as an independent member and chair of audit and risk committees for several large and medium-sized Commonwealth agencies since 2011, and helps entities oversee ICT projects. Mr Ridley was formerly a senior partner of PwC Australia and has held leadership roles in risk advisory, internal audit and ICT project assurance. This includes for large companies in manufacturing and financial services, as well as state and federal governments.

5/5

$19,800

Independent member

Donna Moody

Donna Moody Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) is a recently retired senior Commonwealth public servant and was a CPA for more than 25 years. She has a background in finance, governance and change management. Ms Moody was Chief Financial Officer of the Australian Taxation Office and held program and grant management positions in the Department of Social Services (DSS) and the Department of Health. She was also the Chief Information Officer of DSS. She has been involved in, or responsible for, major organisational changes.

4/5

$19,800

Independent member. Joined the committee in September 2020

*Not applicable as not separately remunerated as an audit committee member

Business planning documents

Table 14: Business planning documents

Document

Purpose

Reviewed

AEC Corporate Plan 2021-22

The AEC’s central planning document. Sets the strategic direction for the next four years through the agency’s key activities. Includes analysis of our operating context (addressing environment, capabilities, risk oversight and management and cooperation) and planned performance of the agency.

Annually

Assurance Plan

Outlines assurance framework and the operational application in the AEC context

Annually

Business Continuity Plans

Improves resilience to enable continuation of identified time critical business processes during and following a significant disruption to business operations

Annually and as required

Business Planning and Performance Reporting Framework

Supports staff to deliver outcomes in the AEC corporate plan, manage resources and finances and supports requirements of the PGPA Act.

Annually

Business Plans (branch/state and territory)

Aligns branch and state and territory activities with business planning and reporting.

Annually

Disability Inclusion Strategy

Identifies relevant target outcomes from the National Disability Strategy 2010-2020

Annually

Election Readiness Framework

Sets out and monitors the program of activity required to maintain election readiness

Every election cycle

Fraud Control Plan

Prevents, detects and responds to fraud in accordance with Commonwealth law, fraud control policies and memorandums of understanding

Every two years (or if significant organisational change occurs)

Information Technology Strategic Plan 2018–2022

Sets the AEC’s desired information technology vision to 2022 and is supported by the IT Architecture Plan

Every four years

Internal Audit Plan

Sets the internal audit program for the financial year

Annually

Property Plan

Direction on long-term management of leased property

Annually

Reconciliation Action Plan

Sets activities to recognise and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in internal and external arrangements and activities

Annually

Security Plan

Strategies to protect staff, visitors, information, equipment and premises against harm, loss, interference and compromise

Twice a year

Workforce Plans (division, branch/state and territory)

Details the continuous process of identifying and mitigating potential workforce risks and planning future workforce strategies

Twice a year

AEC management committees

Table 15: AEC management committees

Committee

Function

Members*

Meeting frequency

Executive Leadership Team

Senior management team helping to deliver strategic leadership and operational management

  • EC
  • DEC
  • FAC Enabling and Regulation
  • FAC Service Delivery/National Election Manager
  • FAC Organisational Transformation

Weekly

Organisational Health, Performance and Risk Committee

Monitors performance, risk management, compliance and controls. Provides advice and recommendations to the Executive Leadership Team

  • DEC
  • FAC Enabling and Regulation
  • FAC Service Delivery
  • FAC Organisational Transformation
  • AC People and Property
  • AC Disclosure, Assurance and Engagement
  • AC Digital Technology and Communication
  • CFO
  • Director, Governance and Performance Advisory section as an advisor

Bimonthly

Investment, Change and People Strategy Committee

To drive and govern the agency’s performance against the Corporate Plan 2020–21 key activity four, ‘Maintain a capable and agile organisation and continue to professionalise our workforce’.

  • FAC Organisational Transformation
  • AC Enterprise Strategy and Modernisation
  • AC Modernisation Delivery and Assurance
  • AC Design and Improvement
  • AC Digital Technology and Communications
  • CFO
  • State Manager, South Australia
  • Chief Financial Officer
  • Director, National Training and Education Unit

Observer

  • Director, Operations Queensland
  • Director, Enabling and Support

Adviser

  • Chief People Officer

Every four weeks

Audit Committee

Provides independent advice to the Electoral Commissioner on the appropriateness of the AEC’s financial reporting, performance reporting, risk oversight and management, and systems of internal control

  • Three or more members appointed by EC (the majority external). See Table 13 for membership details
  • Additional AEC advisers are permitted to attend

Five times a year

Electoral Integrity Committee

Responsible for AEC cyber, physical and personnel security, implementation and effectiveness. This committee also oversees fraud control and related risks, privacy, and maturing of our information and knowledge management.

  • FAC Enabling and Regulation
  • FAC Service Delivery
  • AC Disclosure Assurance and Engagement
  • AC Digital Communications and Technology
  • AC Enterprise Strategy and Modernisation
  • CFO
  • Chief Legal Officer
  • Director, Service Operations
  • State Manager, Queensland
  • Director, Service Strategy and Design
  • Director Operations, NSW
  • Advisers from Cyber Security, Governance and Assurance Section

Every second month, with more meetings as required (i.e. in run-up to and during an electoral event)

National Operations and Readiness Committee (NOR) and National Election Delivery Committee (NEDC)

Supports the National Election Manager (NEM) to oversee and monitor preparations for—and successful conduct of—federal electoral events (including by-elections, plebiscites and referendums). NEM reports regularly on behalf of the NOR to the Executive Leadership Team and the Electoral Commissioner. The committee becomes the NEDC during an election event.

  • FAC Service Delivery Division/National Election Manager
  • All state managers
  • ACs

Monthly, weekly or daily as required (i.e. in run-up to and during an electoral event)

Education and Engagement Committee

Provides oversight to ensure sustained improvement in voter awareness, education, engagement and experience.

  • DEC
  • AC Design and Improvement
  • State manager SA
  • Director, National Training and Education Unit
  • Director, Community and International Engagement
  • Director, Communications
  • Director, Operations QLD and WA

Every six weeks

Work health and safety committees

A consultative forum to address health and safety at a national and strategic level, with reference to the requirements of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011

  • FAC Enabling and Regulation
  • Management representatives
  • Employee representatives
  • Advisers from People and Property Branch

Quarterly and out-of-session as required

*Key: Electoral Commissioner (EC); Deputy Electoral Commissioner (DEC); First Assistant Commissioner (FAC); Assistant Commissioner (AC); Chief Finance Officer (CFO)