Overview - Secretary's Review

In this section:

Introduction

I am pleased to present the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA) Annual Report 2005–06.

This year has been a very important year for FaCSIA, as it heralded a major expansion of the department’s priorities and commitments. January 2006 saw the merger of the former Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS) and the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination (OIPC). It also saw the appointment of three new ministers to the portfolio: the Hon. Mal Brough, MP, as Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs; the Hon. Julie Bishop, MP, as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women’s Issues; and the Hon. John Cobb, MP, as Minister for Community Services.

There are significant challenges and responsibilities in delivering the services of the government’s largest spending agency. Our role in researching, developing and implementing policy initiatives affects the lives of many Australians, including some of the most disadvantaged. We have entered a new phase of the department’s life with a keener focus on achieving measurable results and a stronger emphasis on performance. It is a role we pursue with great commitment, care and diligence. Over the past year, the department has worked to implement increased benefits from Family Tax Benefit, Maternity Payment, Age Pension, Carer Payment and Carer Allowance. The department has also worked to introduce changes that have significantly reduced Family Tax Benefit debts. Payments managed by FaCSIA are a primary mechanism by which government seeks to support individuals, families and communities.

FaCSIA developed the fifth Supported Accommodation Assistance Program Agreement, which was signed by the states and territories and took effect from October 2005. Funding of $932 million has been budgeted over five years to provide housing assistance for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

FaCSIA contributed to the development of a national action plan on mental health announced by the Council of Australian Governments.

The department played a significant role in developing and implementing packages to assist parents of people with severe disabilities to establish private trusts that will not affect payment of their disability support pension.

The government announced a major overhaul of the Child Support Scheme and the department prepared to implement stage one in 2006–07. Changes to the Child Support Scheme complement earlier cross-portfolio work on family law reform.

The portfolio continues to support more Australians to move from welfare to work and to meet demand for child care places. New measures announced in the 2006–07 Budget include the uncapping of Outside School Hours Care and Family Day Care places and an emphasis on quality and compliance in the child care sector. Implementation of these initiatives will continue over the coming year. A number of significant government initiatives continue to be implemented to support women, particularly addressing domestic violence, building women’s capacity, funding communication and consultation activities with women’s groups, and commissioning research on issues relevant to women. Outcomes for women continue to improve in relation to workforce participation, lower unemployment and a growth in women’s full-time earnings. We will continue to focus and support other agencies to improve financial literacy, participation, education, safety, health and leadership outcomes for women.

Over the last few years, events in Australia and abroad have re-emphasised the substantial long-term impact disasters have on individuals, families and communities. Natural disasters like bushfires, floods and cyclones including the 2006 tropical cyclones Larry and Monica and events such as the 2005 Bali and London bombings have significantly affected Australians. Community recovery from such events is a complex, dynamic and long-term process. FaCSIA has a role in effective community recovery by implementing a coordinated whole-of-government response.

The move of OIPC to the portfolio brings with it a new responsibility for coordinating the whole-of-government response to Indigenous issues. The department played a lead role in the Intergovernmental Summit on Violence and Child Abuse in Indigenous Communities, which discussed strategies to address the law and order issues that impede existing government initiatives in many Indigenous communities.

The department has been supporting the ministers’ focus on improving our efforts and outcomes in remote Indigenous communities, and implementing key initiatives including the development of shared responsibility agreements and changes to the native title system.

More broadly in the Indigenous area, a major review of the Indigenous Community Housing and Infrastructure Program has commenced with an increased focus on improving access for Indigenous people to mainstream services.

Through a consultation process we have developed a new framework that aims to integrate the differing cultures of all areas of the department. This framework sets out our priorities, values and themes. It emphasises our focus on delivering results for our clients, our commitment to improving the efficiency and impact of our programs, and our emphasis on sound process. We have revisited all aspects of our operations and developed a new strategic framework that will form the basis of our planning in 2006–07.

On 14 November 2005 a new certified agreement came into effect for staff in the former Department of Family and Community Services. The agreement’s aims include making the department an employer of choice. I am pleased that this agreement and other initiatives have contributed to reductions in voluntary separation rates and unscheduled absences in our workforce. Our people have a high level of professionalism and commitment throughout the Indigenous coordination centres, the state and territory network and national office.

I would like to thank my team for their tremendous support and commitment over the past twelve months and I look forward to another year of high standards and achievement across the department.

Dr Jeff Harmer

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Contents

Overview - Secretary's Review

In this section:

Introduction