How we measure our performance

The Corporate Plan 2023–24 outlines 5 key activities that reflect the way we work and how we will deliver on our purpose. The activities also consolidate our performance measures, which provide a basis for monitoring, assessing and reporting on our performance over time.

We have designed our measures to include a mix of quantitative and qualitative measures, and we continue to refine the methodologies that support the measurement of our performance. Our measures rely on a variety of data sources, including information that is gathered through internal reporting mechanisms. PM&C also seeks to gain insights on our performance through independent stakeholder surveys, including interviews with PM&C’s portfolio ministers or their delegates.

Moving forward, PM&C will continue to look for opportunities to develop and mature our performance reporting framework. We will report annually on our performance and will review the measures each year to ensure they remain relevant and appropriate. As part of this process, we will continue to enhance our measures and supporting targets (where appropriate) to provide a clear reporting line between our portfolio budget statements, corporate plan and annual report.

Key elements of the performance reporting framework

Our purpose

To provide support to the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, portfolio ministers and assistant ministers to improve the lives of all Australians, including through coordination of government activities, effective policy advice and development, and program delivery.

Our mission

To improve the lives of all Australians through high-quality advice and support to the Government.

Our outcome

Provide high-quality policy advice and support to the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, portfolio ministers and assistant ministers, including through coordination of government activities, policy development and program delivery.

Source: Outcome 1, Program 1.1, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Portfolio Budget Statements 2023–24 (Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio), pp. 28–31.

Other key elements

Our 5 key activities reflect the department’s core work and enable us to serve the Prime Minister and deliver the Government’s key priorities. The activities cut across the department’s purpose and are used to demonstrate our achievement within the reporting period.

Intended results describe the impact, difference, result or outcome we want to achieve over the reporting period.

Performance measures are the tools we use to measure our progress or achievement against the intended results.

Targets describe the results we are aiming for against each performance measure – both within the 2023–24 reporting period and over the life of the corporate plan.

Methodologies and data sources describe the data, information, evidence or performance information collected, analysed and reported, to demonstrate achievement against the targets, performance measures, key activities, purpose and portfolio budget statements. In identifying appropriate methodologies to measure performance, we aim for a mix of qualitative, quantitative, output, effectiveness and efficiency measures. Where effectiveness or efficiency measures are unavailable, we aim to set appropriate proxy measures – that is, an indirect performance measure that is strongly correlated with effectiveness or efficiency. We have designed our measures in line with the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and the Department of Finance’s Resource Management Guide No. 131 (‘Developing performance measures’) and No. 132 (‘Corporate plans for Commonwealth entities’).

Developing our performance reporting framework

PM&C is committed to producing accurate, accountable and transparent performance reporting. In the lead-up to each reporting cycle, we review the framework, consult widely and introduce changes aimed at improving the way we measure and report on our performance.

In 2023–24, the major changes are:

• the removal and insertion of performance measures to demonstrate the changed environment of PM&C priorities and the maturity of our performance reporting process
• the inclusion of targets for all but one of the 17 performance measures to provide a stronger basis for an assessment of our performance over time
• the removal of case studies from performance measure methodologies to reduce the risk of optimism and selection bias within the reporting of results
• the updating of several performance measures to more clearly capture the link between the measure, the rationale (why do we measure this?), the data source used to support the result, and the methodology used to calculate the result
• the renumbering of performance measures to simplify our performance framework.

Assessing our performance

Over the reporting period, business areas will be responsible for tracking, monitoring and reporting their performance against their relevant key activities and measures. All measures will be reported on using a predetermined performance methodology (as outlined within each measure).

Intended results

All performance measures are weighted equally. Where an intended result has more than one performance measure, we will determine whether we have achieved the intended result by assessing the number of performance measures achieved. This is captured within the results criteria (Table 2).

Performance measure targets

Where a performance measure is supported by a target, business areas will be required to report against the target to demonstrate performance against the key activity and measure. For all performance measures, business areas will assign a result rating for each measure, supported by clear evidence and data analysis. This is captured within the results criteria (Table 2).

Data integrity

PM&C recognises that accurate reporting of our performance measures requires an ongoing focus on data integrity. To support data integrity, we have systems and controls in place to ensure the data, evidence and information we collect to support our performance results are reliable, verifiable and unbiased.

Uplifting, supporting and maintaining data integrity will remain a critical focus area for our performance reporting framework and the ongoing maturity of our performance measures.