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Last updated: 25 August 2003
Embedding the APS Values: Case studies and other supporting material
Please note: These documents are for reference purposes only and are no longer considered by the APS Commission to be current. They may contain good practice advice and/or advice on the transitional arrangements between the 1922 and 1999 Public Service Acts.
Useful references
Case study 8:
Attorney-General's Department:
Chief Executive Instructions
Background
Chief executive instructions (CEIs) are provided for under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (FMA Act). As such the CEIs and associated procedural rules carry the force of law and must be complied with by employees.
In January 2002, the Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department, as its chief executive for the purposes of the FMA Act, authorised a fully revised set of CEIs.
The following month the department established a consultative committee comprising the business managers from its operational areas to review proposed changes to the new CEIs and to initiate proposals.
In revising the CEIs the aim was to move away from a technical specialist manual to a user-friendly, relevant, current, and practical one. The objective was to have instructions with a more human face so that employees could confidently access and understand all the information in the CEIs that they needed for their jobs. The hope was that all employees would be encouraged to use the manual, rather than the specialists in corporate services who would then interpret the instructions for common use.
Description
The CEIs contain a comprehensive introduction with definitions for terms such as delegation to help employees understand how CEIs fit within the FMA Act legislative framework. The introduction also tells staff where they can locate important related material, such as delegations. The CEIs are available on the intranet and there are electronic links within the CEIs to facilitate access to other reference material.
The structure of the CEIs is straightforward:
- chapter headings are clear and information is easy to find and logically structured
- there are page and paragraph number references so that the user can note where particular points are made
- headings within the CEIs are topic related
- it is clear where designated employees are responsible for the overall management of particular financial management matters.
Procedural rules have been used, where necessary, to set out relevant supporting material. The CEIs and procedural rules generally explain technical terms so that users can understand what needs to be done. For example, drawing rights and the difference between a write off and a waiver are defined.
The CEIs are kept up to date by the consultative committee which meets regularly. Since the overhaul in early 2002, the CEIs have been amended on a number of occasions to take account of recent developments in government requirements. All amendments are tested on the consultative committee and are made to the original document, thus providing a clear audit trail.
The CEIs cover all the key matters that are required under the FMA Act but offer clearly stated principles as guidance in many cases rather than seeking to impose controls. They also contain a number of additional matters that flow from the legislation that can support good financial administration. For example, there is guidance on procedures for reporting fraud. Additionally, templates make clear that suppliers are required to declare conflicts of interest. There is also guidance on the importance of establishing whether an engagement, particularly of an individual, is under a contract for service or contract of service, and using the correct form of contract.
For more information please contact:
DIRECTOR FINANCIAL POLICY AND CONTRACTS
PHONE 02 6250 5530
