Defence Governance Framework
The Defence governance framework ensures that Defence achieves its overall outcomes in such a way as to enhance confidence in Defence, its decisions and its actions. Good governance enables the Government, the Parliament and the general public, as well as Defence's own leaders and people, to rely on the organisation to do its work well and with full probity and accountability. The framework is based on the Australian National Audit Office's better practice model and demonstrates the key organisational, risk and process elements of good public sector governance.
Defence governance generally focuses on two main requirements:
- Performance: using its governance arrangements to contribute to its overall performance and the delivery of outcomes; and
- Conformance: using governance arrangements to ensure it meets the requirements of the law, regulations, published standards and community expectations of probity, accountability and openness.
There are several key activities, contributors and strategic documents that assist Defence to meet its performance and conformance obligations. The more significant include:
- senior Defence committees,
- the Ministerial Directive and general accountability to the Minister and the Government,
- Group Head and Service Chief charters,
- organisational performance agreements,
- providing evidence to parliamentary committees,
- Auditor-General Reports,
- internal audit services,
- the Portfolio Evaluation Strategy, and
- the Defence Force Ombudsman.
Information on internal audit arrangements, including the Portfolio Evaluation Strategy and Enterprise Risk Management, can be found at Appendix Two.