Role and responsibilities of Secretaries of Departments
25 Role and responsibilities of Secretaries of Departments
The Secretary of a Department is responsible to the Minister or Ministers to whom the Department is responsible for the general conduct and management of the functions and activities of the Department in accordance with the government sector core values under Part 2.
Note.
Section 50C of the Constitution Act 1902 provides for the designation of the Minister or Ministers to whom a Department is responsible.
Any action taken in the exercise of a responsibility under this section is not to be inconsistent with the functions conferred by this Act on a Minister administering this Act or the Public Service Commissioner.
Note.
The Secretary of a Department is also responsible for workforce diversity under Part 5.
The role of a Secretary of a Department includes, but is not limited to, the following—
policy adviser—acting as principal official policy adviser to the Minister or Ministers to whom the Secretary is responsible,
manager—ensuring the delivery of the Government’s policies and programs and collaborating with other agencies across the government sector to achieve the Government’s stated outcomes,
leader—providing stewardship within the Department and, in partnership with other Secretaries and the Public Service Commissioner, across the government sector,
employer—exercising the employer functions of Government under this Act,
Note—
See section 26.
other roles conferred or imposed on the Secretary by or under this or another Act or another law.
Without limiting subsection (1), the responsibilities of a Secretary of a Department also include the following—
to manage the affairs of the Department efficiently, effectively and ethically,
to provide frank and fearless advice to the Minister or Ministers to whom the Secretary is responsible about matters relating to the Department and its related agencies,
to implement measures to ensure the Department complies with the law,
to provide leadership, strategic direction and a focus on results for the Department,
to maintain clear lines of communication with the heads of the Department’s related agencies,
to engage with stakeholders, particularly in relation to the core activities of the Department,
to ensure that the Department has a strong strategic policy capability that can consider complex, whole-of-government issues,
to assist Ministers in fulfilling Ministerial accountability obligations to Parliament in providing factual information in relation to the operation and administration of the Department,
to accept and take other responsibilities conferred or imposed on the Secretary by or under this or another Act or another law.
This Act’s bill:Explanatory memorandumSecond reading speech
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