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Index » Part Three - Management and Accountability » Corporate Governance

Corporate Governance

Organisational structure

Senior positions occupied during 2014–15 were as follows:

Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (Statutory officer)

Dr Vivienne Thom

Assistant Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (SES Band 1)

Mr Jake Blight

Senior management committees

The OIGIS Audit Committee is the only senior management committee for the agency. The functions of this committee are detailed in the 'Internal Audit and Risk Management' section of this chapter.

Corporate and operational planning

OIGIS's corporate and operational planning processes are straightforward in nature, reflecting the small size and specialist function of the office.

The office addresses these matters through:

  • an annual forward planning process to set strategic priorities
  • weekly meetings between the IGIS and senior staff members, to review and document operational priorities
  • monthly meetings between the IGIS and all office staff, during which internal guidelines, procedures and governance issues are discussed
  • a forward plan for inspection activities in each intelligence agency, which is determined in consultation with the relevant agency head (in accordance with s. 9A of the IGIS Act).

Protective security

The Australian Government's Protective Security Policy Framework provides a structure for Australian government agencies to proportionately and effectively manage security risks and provide the necessary protection of the Government's people, information and assets. The governance arrangements and core policies in the framework describe the higher level protective security outcomes and identify mandatory requirements that the IGIS office is required to comply with.

As at 30 June 2015, we were fully compliant with 34 of the 36 mandatory requirements and partially compliant with two. A risk mitigation strategy is in place for the partially compliant requirements.

Ethical standards and fraud control

We maintained our commitment to ethical standards by ensuring staff were aware of the relevant requirements.

The OIGIS has established and maintains appropriate systems of risk oversight, management and internal controls in accordance with section 16 of the PGPA Act and the Commonwealth Risk Management Policy.

The Risk Management Plan includes controls designed to mitigate risks including personnel related risks, accidental or intentional loss of information, segregation of duties, failure or compromise of information technology systems, physical security of the office and facilities, fraud prevention, detection and management, and corporate compliance requirements.

Regular monitoring of risks is undertaken, considered and discussed by the management team, and reported to the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee is established and structured in accordance with section 45 of the PGPA Act and the PGPA Rules. It meets on a periodic basis to consider matters including risk management, internal control, financial reporting, compliance requirements, performance reporting and governance arrangements.

Employment of SES Officers

The office has one SES position filled by Mr Jake Blight. The terms and conditions of Mr Blight's employment, including salary, are set out in a Section 24(1) determination and are based broadly on SES remuneration within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Employment of persons for a particular inquiry

Section 35(2AA) of the IGIS Act requires me to report on the employment under s. 32(3) of any person to perform functions and exercise powers for the purposes of a particular inquiry, and any delegation under s. 32AA to such a person. No person was employed under s. 32(3) in the reporting period.

Reports by the Auditor-General, Parliamentary Committees, the Commonwealth Ombudsman or an agency capability review

There were no reports on the operation of the office (other than the report on financial statements) by any of the above bodies. It should be noted that the office is not within the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth Ombudsman.

The office has received an unqualified audit report from the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) in relation to its financial statements.

Further details of OIGIS interaction with parliamentary committees are available in the Overview section of this report.

Decisions by the judiciary, tribunals or the Information Commissioner

No judicial decisions or decisions of administrative tribunals or of the Information Commissioner made in 2014–15 had, or may have, a significant impact on the operations of the office.

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