Annual Report 2003-04

Guide to the Report

The format and content of this annual report reflects the requirements developed by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and approved by the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit in June 2004 under subsections 63(2) and 70(2) of the Public Service Act 1999.

The Defence Annual Report 2003-04 addresses the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force (ADF), which are collectively referred to as 'Defence'. The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Defence Housing Authority, which are parts of the Defence portfolio, have separate annual reports. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute, funded substantially by Defence, is a Government-owned company incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 and has a separate annual report.
Annual reports and portfolio budget and additional estimates statements are the principal formal accountability mechanisms between the Government, departments and the Parliament. Portfolio budget statements set out performance targets for departmental outputs. Portfolio additional estimates may contain revised targets and annual reports describe achievement against those targets.

In addition, Defence's annual reports are designed to link performance during the year under review with performance forecasts contained in the portfolio budget statements for the following year.