The Board’s business and meetings were conducted during the reporting period in accordance with the requirements of applicable legislation and in line with best practice. Its members regularly review the Board’s operation as part of their responsibility to continually improve the efficiency and effectiveness of governance processes.

There were no key governance events or other activities affecting ARENA during the reporting period.

Board and management committee reporting lines

• The ARENA Board reports to the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction.
• The ARENA Board oversees the Risk and Audit Committee, the People and Culture Committee and the Review Implementation Oversight Committee.
• The ARENA CEO Reports to the Board.
• ARENA's Executive Leadership Team, Executive Committee and the Business Improvement Steering Committee report to the ARENA CEO.
• The ICT Governance Committee reports to the Executive Leadership Team and Risk and Audit Committee.
• ARENA's Advisory Panel advises the CEO.

Board committees

Risk and Audit Committee

The Board’s Risk and Audit Committee (RAC) was established as a sub-committee of the Board in compliance with section 45 of the PGPA Act. The RAC formally met four times during 2018–19.

The RAC is responsible and accountable to the ARENA Board for the performance of its functions, which are to review and provide written advice as assurance to the Board about the appropriateness of ARENA’s financial reporting, performance reporting, system of risk oversight and management, and system of internal control. It also provides a forum for communication between the Board and the internal auditor (Callida Consulting) as well as the external auditor (Australian National Audit Office).

The Board has authorised the RAC, within the scope of its responsibilities, to:

• seek any information that it requires from an ARENA official, consultant or external party (subject to any legal obligation to protect information)
• discuss any matters with the external auditor or other external parties (subject to confidentiality considerations)
• obtain legal or other independent professional advice, as considered necessary to meet its responsibilities, at ARENA’s expense and in accordance with its Charter.

RAC members are expected to understand and observe the requirements of the PGPA Act and PGPA Rules.

People and Culture Committee

The People and Culture Committee (PCC) was created as a Board committee under section 48 of the ARENA Act to assist the Board by reviewing, reporting on and, if required, making recommendations to the Board or management on matters relating to human resources, culture and diversity, including the representation of women, compensation policy, and continuity and development of senior management for the Agency.

During the reporting period, the PCC formally met four times.

Review Implementation Oversight Committee

The Review Implementation Oversight Committee (RIOC) was created as a Board committee under section 48 of the ARENA Act to assist the Board by providing oversight of the implementation of operational improvements following a review.

The RIOC formally met once during the reporting period. The Board dissolved the Committee on 1 November 2018 as it considered the RIOC had achieved its objective.