Attachment 1: Review of Secretaries Board Arrangements - Terms of Reference

Background

The Secretaries Board (Board) is established under section 64 of the Public Service Act 1999 (Attachment A) to provide collaborative leadership to the Australian Public Service (APS).

Functions of the Board are outlined in the Public Service Act 1999, and operations of the Board are undertaken in accordance with the Board’s Terms of Reference (Attachment 4).

A number of subcommittees support the work of the Board including:

  • Chief Operating Officers (COO) Committee;
  • Future of Work (FoW) Committee;
  • Secretaries’ Digital and Data Committee; and
  • Partnerships Priorities Committee.

A Strategic Leadership Group (SLG) also supported the work of the Board in 2023, meeting quarterly. On 11 October 2023 the Board agreed to convene SLG as required.

Further details regarding the work of the subcommittees and the SLG are available on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) website: Secretaries Board subcommittees and Strategic Leadership Group Terms of Reference.

Review

An independent eminent person will be appointed to conduct a high-level review of the effectiveness of Secretaries Board arrangements to support the ongoing strategic work of the Board, and deliver a report to the Secretaries Board outlining findings and recommendations. The Review recommendations may inform updates to the Board’s Terms of Reference and revised functionality of Board arrangements.

The Review will cover:

  • the effectiveness of current Board operations including: meetings arrangements relating to strategic priorities and agendas, subcommittees, invited guests, work program, and mechanisms for monitoring progress of the Board’s priorities and outcomes; and
  • any other relevant matter relating to the Board’s functionality and effectiveness. 

In conducting the Review, the reviewer should engage with key stakeholders including:

  • Secretaries Board members, comprising the 16 secretaries of departments of state and the Australian Public Service Commissioner;
  • the CEO of the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA);
  • PM&C Executives who support the Board’s function;
  • Secretaries Board secretariat within PM&C; and
  • Any other stakeholder the reviewer considers necessary to support the outcomes of the review.

The reviewer will be engaged by PM&C, with secretariat support to be provided by PM&C.

The reviewer will:

  • keep the PM&C Secretary, as Chair of the Board, informed of the progress of the Review;
  • provide an update to the Secretaries Board at its 7 February 2024 meeting, including short paper;
  • provide a draft report to the Chair of the Board by 1 March 2024
  • deliver a final report to the Chair of the Board by 7 March 2024 – for circulation to the Board in advance of the meeting scheduled on 14 March 2024; and
  • present on the final report to the Board at the meeting scheduled on 14 March 2024.

Attachment A – Public Service Act 1999, relevant extracts

57 Roles and responsibilities of Secretaries

Roles of Secretaries

  1. The roles of the Secretary of a Department include, but are not limited to, the following:
    1. principal official policy adviser to the Agency Minister;
    2. manager, ensuring delivery of government programs and collaboration to achieve outcomes within the Agency Minister’s portfolio and, with other Secretaries, across the whole of Government;
    3. leader, providing stewardship within the Department and, in partnership with the Secretaries Board, across the APS;
    4. any other role prescribed by the regulations.

Part 8—Secretaries Board

64 Secretaries Board

  1. The Secretaries Board is established by this section.
  2. The Secretaries Board consists of the following members:
    1. the Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Department, as Chair;
    2. the Secretary of each other Department;
    3. the Commissioner;
    4. such other persons as are nominated in writing by the Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Department.
  3. The Secretaries Board has the following functions:
    1. to take responsibility for the stewardship of the APS and for developing and implementing strategies to improve the APS;
    2. to identify strategic priorities for the APS and consider issues that affect the APS;
    3. to set an annual work program, and direct subcommittees to develop strategies to address APS‑wide issues and make recommendations to the Secretaries Board;
    4. to draw together advice from senior leaders in government, business and the community;
    5. to work collaboratively and model leadership behaviours.
  4. The Secretaries Board may establish one or more senior leadership groups, consisting of members determined by the Secretaries Board, to assist the Secretaries Board in performing its functions.