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People and relationships

This section describes a range of employment and post-employment benefits provided to our people and our relationships with other key people.

Note 7: Employee provisions

Note 7: Employee provisions

2020

2019

$’000

$’000

Leave

6,934

6,163

Total employee provisions

6,934

6,163

Employee provisions expected to be settled

No more than 12 months

1,843

1,627

More than 12 months

5,091

4,536

Total employee provisions

6,934

6,163

Accounting policy

Liabilities for short-term employee benefits and termination benefits expected within 12 months of the end of the reporting period are measured at their nominal amounts.

Other long-term employee benefits are measured as net total of the present value of the defined benefit obligation at the end of the reporting period minus the fair value at the end of the reporting period of plan assets (if any) out of which the obligations are to be settled directly.

Leave

The liability for employee benefits includes provision for annual leave and long-service leave.

The leave liabilities are calculated on the basis of employees’ remuneration at the estimated salary rates that will be applied at the time the leave is taken, including the entity’s employer superannuation contribution rates and additional oncosts (annual leave and long-service leave) to the extent that the leave is likely to be taken during service rather than paid out on termination. The liability for long-service leave has been determined by the short-hand method as at 30 June 2020. The estimate of the present value of the liability takes into account attrition rates, increments within level and pay increases through promotion and inflation.

Superannuation

The department’s staff are members of the Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme (CSS), the Public Sector Superannuation Scheme (PSS), the PSS accumulation plan (PSSap) or other superannuation funds held outside the Australian Government.

The CSS and PSS are defined benefit schemes for the Australian Government. The PSSap is a defined contribution scheme. The liability for defined benefits is recognised in the financial statements of the Australian Government and is settled by the Australian Government in due course. This liability is reported in the Department of Finance’s administered schedules and notes.

The department makes employer contributions to the employee’s defined benefit superannuation scheme at rates determined by an actuary to be sufficient to meet the current cost to the government. The entity accounts for the contributions as if they were contributions to defined contribution plans. The liability for superannuation recognised as at 30 June represents outstanding contributions.

Note 8: Key management personnel remuneration

Note 8: Key Management Personnel Remuneration

2020

2019

$’000

$’000

Short-term employee benefits

Base salary

1,400

1,359

Other benefits and allowances

147

143

Total short-term employee benefits

1,547

1,502

Post-employment benefits

Superannuation contribution

216

237

Total post-employment benefits

216

237

Other long-term employee benefits

Long-service leave

225

62

Total other long-term employee benefits

225

62

Total key management personnel remuneration expenses

1,988

1,801

The total number of key management personnel that are included in the above table is 7. (2019: 7)

Accounting policy

Key management personnel are those persons having authority and responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the activities of the department, directly or indirectly, including any director (whether executive or otherwise) of the department. The department has determined the key management personnel to be the Clerk of the House, Deputy Clerk of the House, the three Clerk’s Assistants and the Serjeant-at-Arms.

Note 9: Related party disclosures

Note 9: Related party disclosures

Transactions with related parties

Given the breadth of government activities, related parties may transact with the government sector in the same capacity as ordinary citizens. Such transactions include the payment or refund of taxes, receipt of a Medicare rebate or higher education loans. These transactions are not considered to be related party transactions.

The department transacts with other Australian Government controlled entities consistent with normal day-to-day business operations provided under normal terms and conditions, including the payment of workers' compensation and insurance premiums, transactions between the other parliamentary departments and the Department of Finance. These are not considered individually significant to warrant separate disclosure as related party transactions. Refer to Note 1A Employee benefits for details on superannuation arrangements with the Commonwealth.

Giving consideration to relationships with related entities, and transactions entered into during the reporting period by the department, it has been determined that there are no related party transactions to be separately disclosed.