Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia)
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) is an Australian Government public service central department of state with broad ranging responsibilities, primary of which is for intergovernmental and whole of government policy coordination and assisting the Prime Minister of Australia in managing the Cabinet of Australia. The PM&C was established in 1971 and traces its origins back to the Prime Minister's Department established in 1911.
The role of PM&C is to support the policy agendas of the Prime Minister and Cabinet through high quality policy advice and the coordination of the implementation of key government programs, to manage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy and programs and to promote reconciliation, to provide leadership for the Australian Public Service alongside the Australian Public Service Commission, to oversee the honours and symbols of the Commonwealth, to provide support to ceremonies and official visits, to set whole of government service delivery policy, and to coordinate national security, cyber, counterterrorism, regulatory reform, cities, population, data, and women's policy.
The department is similar but not analogous to the United States Executive Office of the President, the United Kingdom Cabinet Office, the Canadian Privy Council Office, and the New Zealand Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
History
Before 1911, the Prime Minister had no department of his own as such. The Prime Minister was concurrently the Minister for External Affairs, and used the services of the Department of External Affairs.
On 1 July 1911, the Prime Minister's Department was created.[3]
On 11 March 1968, a separate Department of the Cabinet Office was created.[4]
On 12 March 1971, these two departments were merged to create the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Portfolio Ministers
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio includes the following Ministers:
- Prime Minister
- Minister for Indigenous Affairs
- Minister for Women
- Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service
- Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Counterterrorism
- Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Cyber Security
- Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC
- Assistant Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation
- Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister
- Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Cabinet
Secretary of the Department
The Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is the head of the department, also known as the Secretary, of the level of Senior Executive Service Band 4 in the Australian Public Service as per the Public Service Act 1999.
The secretary of the department is the equivalent of the Cabinet Secretary in the United Kingdom or the Clerk of the Privy Council in Canada.
The position of Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet should not be confused with the ministerial position of Cabinet Secretary, which is a Cabinet Minister within the portfolio.
The secretary is supported by a senior executive of the department, composed of the Senior Executive Service Band 3 officials, of the Associate Secretary (Indigenous Affairs), the Deputy Secretary (Economic), Deputy Secretary (Social Policy), Deputy Secretary (Innovation and Transformation), Deputy Secretary (Governance), Deputy Secretary (National Security), the Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Cyber Security, the Commonwealth Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, and the Deputy Secretary (Indigenous Affairs).
| Name | Postnominal(s) | Term began | Term ended | Time in Appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secretary, Prime Minister's Department | ||||
| Malcolm Shepherd | CMG, ISO | 1 January 1912 | 27 January 1921 | 9 years, 26 days |
| Percy Deane | CMG | 11 February 1921 | 31 December 1928 | 7 years, 324 days |
| Sir John McLaren | CMG | 1 January 1929 | 2 March 1933 | 4 years, 60 days |
| John Starling | CMG, OBE | 2 March 1933 | 11 November 1935 | 2 years, 254 days |
| Frank Strahan | CBE, CVO | 11 November 1935 | 24 August 1949 | 13 years, 286 days |
| Sir Allen Brown | CBE | 25 August 1949 | 31 December 1958 | 9 years, 128 days |
| Sir John Bunting | CBE | 1 January 1959 | 10 March 1968 | 9 years, 69 days |
| Sir Lenox Hewitt | OBE | 11 March 1968 | 12 March 1971 | 3 years, 1 day |
| Secretary, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | ||||
| Sir John Bunting | KBE | 17 March 1971 | 31 January 1975 | 3 years, 320 days |
| John Menadue | 1 February 1975 | 30 September 1976 | 1 year, 242 days | |
| Sir Alan Carmody | CBE | 1 October 1976 | 12 April 1978 | 1 year, 193 days |
| Sir Geoffrey Yeend | AC, CBE | 18 April 1978 | 10 February 1986 | 7 years, 298 days |
| Mike Codd | AC | 10 February 1986 | 27 December 1991 | 5 years, 320 days |
| Michael Keating | AC | 27 December 1991 | 13 May 1996 | 4 years, 138 days |
| Max Moore-Wilton | AC | 13 May 1996 | 20 December 2002 | 6 years, 221 days |
| Peter Shergold | AC | 10 February 2003 | 28 February 2008 | 5 years, 18 days |
| Terry Moran | AO | 3 March 2008 | 4 September 2011 | 3 years, 185 days |
| Ian Watt | AO | 5 September 2011 | 30 November 2014 | 3 years, 86 days |
| Michael Thawley | AO | 1 December 2014 | 23 January 2016 | 1 year, 53 days |
| Martin Parkinson | AC, PSM | 23 January 2016 | Incumbent | 2 years, 262 days |
Functions
In an Administrative Arrangements Order made on 1 September 2016 with an amendment on 27 October 2016, the functions of the department were broadly classified into the following matters:[5]
- Advice to the Prime Minister across Government on policy and implementation
- Assistance to the Prime Minister in managing the Cabinet programme
- National security policy co-ordination
- Counter terrorism policy co-ordination
- Cyber policy co-ordination
- Intergovernmental relations and communications with State and Territory Governments
- Co-ordination of Government administration
- Australian Government employment workplace relations policy, including equal employment opportunity and administration of the framework for agreement making and remuneration and conditions
- Australian honours and symbols policy
- Government ceremonial and hospitality
- Commonwealth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy, programmes and service delivery
- Promotion of reconciliation
- Community development employment projects
- Reducing the burden of government regulation
- Women’s policies and programmes
- Whole of government service delivery policy
- Public data policy and related matters
- National policy on cities
- Population policy
- Whole of government information and communications technology ·
- Information and communications technology procurement policy and services
Organisational structure
The structure of PM&C is organised along four policy and program groups: the Domestic Policy Group (responsible for cities, women's policy, science and innovation, economic policy, infrastructure, social policy, and environmental policy), the National Security and International Policy Group (responsible for counterterrorism, intelligence, national security, cybersecurity, international policy, and defence strategy), the Governance Group, and the Indigenous Affairs Group.
In addition to the National Office in Canberra, the department has 33 offices and an in-community presence in another 60 locations across Australia for the Indigenous Affairs regional network.
Staff are employed as Australian Public Service officials under the Public Service Act 1999.[6] In February 2014, The Canberra Times examined pay conditions and staffing records and found that PM&C is one of the public service's best-paid departments and among its least culturally diverse.[7] The following month, then Secretary Ian Watt told his staff that the department was battling to balance its budget and deliver its programs, and that staff would be cut and service delivery reviewed.[8]
Domestic Policy Group
The Domestic Policy Group has responsibilities for supporting the development of policy and coordinating implementation across economic policy, social policy, and environmental policy. The Group also coordinates the implementation of whole of government regulatory reform, supports government priorities for gender equality and the empowerment of women, coordinates the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) arrangements, provides advice and support for Australian federal budget process, coordinates whole of government service delivery policy (through Digital Transformation Agency), and formulates national policy on public data, population, and cities. The Group is led by Deputy Secretary (Economic), Deputy Secretary (Social Policy), Deputy Secretary (Innovation and Transformation).
Economic
The Deputy Secretary (Economic) leads the department's economic policy advice to the Prime Minister and provides strategic coordination for other departments and agencies focused on the economy of Australia. The Deputy Secretary (Economic) oversees the following divisions and branches:
The Industry, Infrastructure and Environment Division is responsible for coordination and policy advice to the Prime Minister on Australia's primary industries including agriculture and manufacturing, transport and infrastructure, science and technology, information and communications technology, energy and climate change, rural commodities, regional development, microeconomic reform, public data, and Council of Australian Governments agreements. The Industry, Infrastructure and Environment Division is composed of the following branches:
- The Industry, Science and Communications Branch provides policy advice to the Prime Minister and intergovernmental coordination for matters relating to the portfolios of the Department of Communications and the Arts and the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science.
- The Environment, Energy and Climate Change Branch provides policy advice to the Prime Minister and intergovernmental coordination for matters relating to the portfolio of the Department of the Environment and Energy.
- The Infrastructure, Agriculture and Regional Development Branch provides policy advice to the Prime Minister and intergovernmental coordination for matters relating to the portfolios of the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development and the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
- The Data Policy Branch formulates national policy on public data and whole of government data management.
The Behavioural Economics Team (BETA) is responsible for the application of behavioural sciences in public policy. It is similar to the Behavioural Insights Team of the Cabinet Office.
The Economic Division handles matters relating to domestic economic conditions, economic forecasts, fiscal policy and the Australian federal budget process, taxation policy, superannuation, Commonwealth-State financial relations, monetary conditions, financial markets, workplace relations, and engagement with the G20. The Economic Division is composed of the following branches:
- The Taxation, Financial Sector and Employment Branch provides policy advice to the Prime Minister and intergovernmental coordination for matters relating to the portfolios of the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Employment.
- The Fiscal Policy Branch provides policy advice to the Prime Minister and intergovernmental coordination for matters relating to the portfolios of the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Finance.
- The Commonwealth-State Relations Branch provides policy advice to the Prime Minister and intergovernmental coordination for matters relating to the Council of Australian Governments.
- The Economic and G20 Policy Branch provides policy advice to the Prime Minister and intergovernmental coordination for matters relating to the Department of the Treasury.
Social Policy
The Deputy Secretary (Social Policy) leads the department's social policy advice to the prime minister and provides strategic coordination for other departments and agencies focused on education, health, immigration, women, and social welfare. The Deputy Secretary (Social Policy) oversees the following entities:
The Social Policy Division works on cross-cutting social policy issues across health, education, human services and social services, immigration, and veterans' affairs. The division is composed of the following branches:
- The Health and Education Branch provides policy advice to the Prime Minister and intergovernmental coordination for matters relating to the portfolios of the Department of Health and the Department of Education and Training.
- The Social Services and Immigration Branch provides policy advice to the Prime Minister and intergovernmental coordination for matters relating to the portfolios of the Department of Social Services including multicultural affairs and settlement services, Department of Human Services, the Department of Veterans' Affairs, and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.
- The Redress Task Force coordinating the Commonwealth Redress Scheme for survivors of institutional childhood sexual abuse stemming from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
The Office for Women is responsible for policy advice and coordination on women's policy and gender equality in Australia. The Office for Women supports the Minister for Women.
Innovation and Transformation
The Deputy Secretary (Innovation and Transformation) leads the department's policy advice to the Prime Minister and provides strategic coordination for matters relating to cities, regulatory reform, and innovation.
The Cities Division
The Regulatory Reform Division
- Regulatory Policy and Review Branch
- Regulatory Performance and Engagement Branch
- Office of Best Practice Regulation
The Strategic Coordination Unit
National Security and International Policy Group
The National Security and International Policy Group provides the Prime Minister with high quality advice on foreign policy, international trade, overseas aid, international treaties, engagement with foreign governments and international organisations, defence strategy, non-proliferation, information sharing, law enforcement, border security, and crisis coordination and emergency management. The Group also plays a coordinating role in the development of whole of government national security policy, provides secretariat functions to the National Security Committee of Cabinet, and policy settings for the Australian Intelligence Community. The Group also coordinates the foreign affairs, trade and national security aspects of the Australian federal budget.
The Group is led by the Deputy Secretary (National Security), the Commonwealth Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, and the Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Cyber Security. The Group was formerly led by the post of National Security Adviser (NSA) which was established in December 2008 by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and disbanded in 2013 by Prime Minister Tony Abbott with responsibilities transferred back to the Deputy Secretary of the National Security and International Policy Group. The inaugural NSA was Major General Duncan Lewis serving until 2011. The second and final NSA was Dr Margot McCarthy serving from 2011 to 2013.
Cybersecurity
The Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Cyber Security and their office is responsible for national leadership on cyber security policy, coordination of priorities for Australian operational cyber security agencies, and the implementation of the Australian Government Cyber Security Strategy. The Special Adviser also ensures effective partnerships between Commonwealth, state and territory governments, the private sector, non-governmental organisations, the research community and the international partners. The Special Advisor also works closely with the Australian Cyber Security Centre colocated within the Australian Signals Directorate and the Australian Ambassador for Cyber Issues of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Counterterrorism
The Commonwealth Counter-Terrorism Coordinator and the Centre for Counter-Terrorism Coordination provides strategic advice and support to the Prime Minister and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Counter-Terrorism on all aspects of counterterrorism and countering violent extremism policy and coordination across government, particularly in support of the Attorney-General's Department. The office was created after recommendations from the Review of Australia's Counter-Terrorism Machinery in 2015 in response to the 2014 Sydney hostage crisis. The Commonwealth Counter-Terrorism Coordinator also serves as the Co-Chair and or Chair of the Australian and New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee and the Joint Counter-Terrorism Board, with the Centre for Counter-Terrorism Coordination providing secretariat support to the Australian Counter-Terrorism Centre and the Australian and New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee.
National Security
The Deputy Secretary (National Security) leads the department's policy and coordination functions on matters of national security international policy across the following entities:
The National Security Division provides advice, coordination and leadership on integrated, whole-of-government policy matters, priorities and strategy in the areas of military operations, defence strategy, domestic security, and critical infrastructure protection. The division is composed of:
- The Defence Branch provides policy advice to the Prime Minister relating to the Australian Defence Force operations, strategy, and capabilities acquisition.
- Domestic Security Unit provides policy advice to the Prime Minister relating border security, law enforcement, critical infrastructure protection, and emergency management.
The Information Sharing and Intelligence Division provides advice, coordination and leadership on integrated, whole-of-government policy, priorities and strategy relating to information sharing and the Australian Intelligence Community. The division provides secretariat functions to the National Intelligence Coordination Committee and liaison to the Office of National Assessments. The division is composed of:
- The Information Sharing and Intelligence Branch provides advice and coordination for information sharing and policy settings for the Australian Intelligence Community and liaison with the Office of the Inspector-General for Intelligence and Security and the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor.
- The Intelligence Strategy Branch provides advice, coordination and leadership on integrated, whole-of-government strategy for the Australian Intelligence Community.
The International Division provides advice, coordination and leadership on Australia’s foreign, trade, aid and treaty matters, including bilateral relations, relationships with regional and international organisations, free trade negotiations and whole-of-government priorities for the overseas aid program. It is composed of the following branches:
- The North Asia, Europe, Pacific, Africa and Trade Branch provides policy advice to the Prime Minister and supports international engagement and official visits by the Prime Minister relating to East Asia, Europe, the South Pacific, Africa, and international trade.
- South, South-East Asia, Americas and the Middle East Branch provides policy advice to the Prime Minister and supports international engagement and official visits by the Prime Minister relating to South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East.
- The Chief Adviser and Principal Adviser (International) provide high-level advice to the Prime Minister across issues of foreign policy and international affairs.
The ASEAN-Australia Taskforce provide policy advice to the Prime Minister, in support of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, relating to Australian engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations particularly relating to the ASEAN Free Trade Area, ASEAN Regional Forum, the ASEAN Summit, and the East Asian Summit.
Governance Group
The Governance Group, led by the Deputy Secretary (Governance) provides advice on legal policy, parliamentary and government matters and honours and symbols policy. In addition it provides support services to the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, Cabinet committees, and the department’s Portfolio Ministers and Assistant Ministers. The group delivers the department’s enabling and support functions and also oversees the implementation and ongoing delivery of key Government programmes, policies and initiatives.
The Cabinet Division
- Cabinet Secretariat and Implementation
The Corporate Services Division
- People Branch
- Information Services Branch
- Business Services Branch
- Corporate Programme Office
The Financial Services Division
- Budgets and Reporting Branch
- Financial Accounting Branch
The Government Division
- Honours, Symbols and Legal Policy Branch
- Parliamentary and Government Branch
- Parliamentary Liaison Office - House of Representatives
- Parliamentary Liaison Office - Senate
The Ministerial Support Division
- Communications Branch
- Ministerial and Parliamentary Support Branch
- Ceremonial and Hospitality Branch
- Governance, Audit and Reporting Branch
Indigenous Affairs Group
The Indigenous Affairs Group, led by the Associate Secretary (Indigenous Affairs) and Deputy Secretary (Indigenous Affairs), is responsible for most Commonwealth Indigenous-specific policy and programmes. The group works with other Commonwealth departments, state and territory governments, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations, and peak bodies to achieve the Government’s priorities across issues of education, employment, health, and community safety. The Group includes the department’s Regional Network that works in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities and other stakeholders to develop and implement programmes. The PM&C Regional Network has more than 500 staff in over 90 locations across the country, and engage with more than an additional 200 communities.
The Indigenous Affairs Group is responsible to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs. The Indigenous Affairs portfolio was formerly part of the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs until integration into the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet by Prime Minister Tony Abbott in 2013.
The Group is composed of the following Divisions and Branches:
The Community and Economic Development Division
- Policy and Engagement Branch
- Economic Development Policy Branch
- Operations and Performance Branch
The Programme, Integrity and Engagement Division
- Performance, Compliance and Capability Branch
- Business Transformation Branch
- Grants Policy Branch
- Grants Policy and Management Branch
- Indigenous Engagement Branch
The Education, Community Safety and Health Division
- Early Childhood and Youth Branch
- Tertiary Education and Policy Coordination
- Schooling Policy and Delivery Branch
- Health Branch
- Community Safety Branch
The Policy, Analysis and Evaluation Division
- Strategy Policy Branch
- Information and Evaluation Branch
- Cross Government Policy Branch
- Empowered Communities Implementation Taskforce
The Housing, Land and Culture Division
- Housing Branch
- Land Management Branch
- Indigenous Culture Branch
- Remote Strategies Branch
The Indigenous Employment and Recognition Division
- Employment Policy and Prison to Work Branch
- Legal Services Branch
- Constitutional Recognition Branch
- Employment Programmes Branch
- Environment Branch
The Special Adviser Institutional Capability
The Regional Network
- Network Capability Support Branch
- Delivery Support Branch
- Eastern New South Wales
- Western New South Wales
- South Queensland
- Far North Queensland
- Gulf and North Queensland
- South Australia
- Greater Western Australia
- Kimberley
- Central Australia Northern Territory
- Top End and Tiwi Islands Northern Territory
- Arnhem Land and Groote Eylandt
- Tasmania and Victoria
Portfolio Agencies
- Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations
- Office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security
- Independent National Security Legislation Monitor
- Office of National Assessments
- Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General
- Australian National Audit Office
- Australian Public Service Commission
- Indigenous Land Corporation
- National Australia Day Council
- Central Land Council
- Northern Land Council
- Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman
- Aboriginal Land Commissioner
- Digital Transformation Agency
- Executive Director of Township Leasing
- Aboriginal Hostels Limited
- Indigenous Business Australia
- Anindilyakwa Land Council
- Tiwi Land Council
- Outback Stores Pty Ltd
- Torres Strait Regional Authority
- Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council
See also
References
- ↑ CA 1401: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 27 December 2013
- ↑ Australian Government. "Budget Paper No. 1". 2013-14 Commonwealth Budget. Statement 6: Expenses and Net Capital Investment: Australian Government. Archived from the original on 24 September 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- ↑ CA 12: Prime Minister's Department, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 27 December 2013
- ↑ CA 1285: Department of the Cabinet Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 27 December 2013
- ↑ "Administrative Arrangements Order" (PDF). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Commonwealth of Australia. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
- ↑ FAQ: The APS, Australian Public Service Commission, archived from the original on 4 November 2013
- ↑ Towell, Noel (15 February 2014). "Glaring pay gap as Aboriginal bureaucrats brought into Prime Minister's department". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 14 February 2014.
- ↑ Towell, Noel (29 March 2014). "Axe to fall heavily on Prime Minister and Cabinet department". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 28 March 2014.
