Annual Report 2005-06 Part 6 Glossaries and Indexes
Glossary
| Term | Description |
| all-hazards | Threats to the national critical infrastructure can come from a range of sources including natural disasters, criminal activity, terrorism, espionage/foreign interference etc. |
| AusCERT | An organisation, located in the University of Queensland, which provides computer incident prevention, response and mitigation strategies for members, a national alerting service and an incident reporting scheme. |
| back-capture | The process by which legislative instruments that were made before the commencement of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 are required to be registered during the following three years. |
| carbon geosequestration | The combined processes of capture, transport and geological storage of carbon dioxide emissions. It is one of several possible technologies that the Australian Government is considering to enable Australia to meet future greenhouse objectives. The Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources is the lead agency on this issue. |
| CobiT standard | CobiT (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology) is an international standard for information technology governance, better practice and audit. |
| ComLaw | The new web site that provides access to the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments as well as to Acts and other legislative material in a single integrated system. |
| common law | Law derived from custom and judicial precedent (case law) rather than from legislation. |
| competitive tendering and contracting (CTC) | The process of contracting out the delivery of government activities previously performed by an Australian Government agency to another organisation (outsourcing). The activity is submitted to competitive tender, and the preferred provider of the activity is selected from the range of bidders by evaluating offers against predetermined selection criteria. |
| consent determination | A decision by an Australian court (or a recognised State or Territory body) that native title does or does not exist in a particular area of land or waters after the parties have reached an agreement as to the terms of the determination. |
| consultancy services | A particular type of service delivered under a contract for services, distinguished from other contracts by the nature of the work performed. A consultant is an entity (whether an individual, a partnership or a corporation) engaged to provide professional independent and expert advice or services. Consultancy services involve the application of expert professional skills to: investigate or diagnose a defined issue or problem, carry out defined research, reviews or evaluations; or provide independent advice, information or creative solutions to assist the agency in management decision making. A consultancy contract typically defines the nature, purpose and duration of the task to be performed but not (in any detail) the manner in which the task is to be performed. The consultant is usually paid on completion of milestones or in a lump sum. Consultants are not employees of the department and are not paid wages or other employee entitlements. |
| corporate governance | The process by which agencies are directed and controlled. It is generally understood to encompass authority, accountability, stewardship, leadership, direction and control. |
| countervailing measures | An extra duty of Customs imposed on subsidised imports to offset the injury to domestic producers that may be caused by that subsidy. |
| emergency management sector | Organisations and individuals involved in the prevention, preparedness, response, recovery and management of risk to communities—ie federal, State and local government authorities, community organisations, volunteers. |
| Emergo-train | A major incident simulator for multi-agency planning and exercising using real data or recreated actual incidences. It provides agencies with the opportunity to plan for and manage a major incident, and to develop their management and decision making skills in a desktop environment, while experiencing the pressures and emotions of a real incident. |
| extradition | Surrender by one country to another of a person for trial on criminal charges or to serve a sentence already imposed for a criminal offence. |
| in personam | An action or right of action against a specific person. In the context of admiralty actions, it means actions enforceable against the defendant personally. |
| Federal Register of Legislative Instruments | A mechanism for managing Commonwealth legislative instruments, which provides the public with quick and easy access to legislative instruments and related material through the Internet. All Commonwealth rule-making agencies are required to lodge new legislative instruments for registration as soon as practicable after making, and to register ('back-capture') all existing instruments by the end of 2007. |
| legislative instrument | A legislative instrument, for the Legislative Instruments Act 2003, covers the following instruments made under a provision of an Act: all regulations, statutory rules, disallowable instruments and proclamations, and any other instrument that is of a 'legislative character' – ie it determines a law or lays down a rule, rather than applying to a particular case, and affects privileges, rights, interests or obligations. The legislative character depends on the content of the individual instrument rather than on the provision under which it is made. |
| mandamus | An order issued by a court to compel a public official to perform a public duty or to exercise a statutory discretionary power. |
| mitigation | Measures taken in advance of a disaster aimed at decreasing or eliminating its impact on society and the environment. |
| mutual assistance in business regulation | Use of evidence-gathering powers of a body such as the Australian business regulation Securities and Investments Commission, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission or Australian Prudential Regulation Authority to obtain evidence for use by a similar foreign agency. |
| National Clandestine Laboratory Database | A database that will store information and intelligence on seized clandestine drug laboratories and precursor chemicals used in illicit drug manufacture for use by all Australian law enforcement and forensic agencies. The National Clandestine Laboratory Database is being developed and implemented by the Department under the National Strategy to prevent the Diversion of Precursor Chemicals into Illicit Drug Manufacture. |
| National Identity Security Strategy | In September 2005, the Council of Australian Governments agreed to the development and implementation of a National Identity Security Strategy better to protect the identities of Australians. The strategy will enhance identification and verification processes and develop other measures including a national document verification service and robust security standards for proof of identity documents to combat identity crime. The strategy will be underpinned by an inter-governmental agreement. |
| native title | A pre-existing property interest, held communally or individually by Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders, which is capable of being recognised by Australia's common law. Native title can exist over land and waters where Aboriginal people or Torres Strait Islanders maintain traditional laws and customs that give them a connection to the specified area. Native title rights are not 'granted' by governments or courts. Native title is not an underlying title, but rather a bundle of rights that can be extinguished by inconsistent acts of government. |
| ongoing APS employee operations | A person engaged as an ongoing APS employee as mentioned in paragraph 22(2)(a) of the Public Service Act 1999. |
| operations | Functions, services and processes performed in pursuing the objectives or discharging the functions of an agency. |
| Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) | International body, of which Australia is a member, responsible for encouraging economic cooperation and development and, in that context, working to control bribery of government officials in developing countries. |
| outcomes | The results, impacts or consequence of actions by the Australian Government on the Australian community. |
| outputs | The goods or services produced by agencies on behalf of government for external organisations or individuals. Outputs include goods and services produced for other areas of government external to an agency. |
| people trafficking | The recruitment, transportation, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of threats, force, coercion, deception or abuse of power, for the purposes of exploitation. |
| performance information | Evidence about performance that is collected and used systematically which may relate to appropriateness, effectiveness and efficiency and the extent to which an outcome can be attributed to an intervention. Performance information may be quantitative (numerical) or qualitative (descriptive), but it should be verifiable. Evaluations may also be periodically utilised to assess the performance of programs and activities. |
| performance pay | Also known as performance-linked bonuses and usually taking the form of a one-off payment in recognition of performance. Retention and sign-on payments are not considered to be performance pay, and nor is performance-linked advancement, which includes advancement to higher pay points which then become the employee's nominal salary. In cases where an employee receives both a performance-linked bonus and performance-linked advancement (such as a one-off payment plus an increase in regular salary), only the bonus element is reportable. |
| precursor chemicals | Those chemicals, compounds and reagents that are used in manufacturing illicit drugs |
| reasonable adjustment | Where a person can perform the inherent requirements of a job, an employer is required to make reasonable adjustments to the workplace or work practices to accommodate any additional needs that the person may have. |
| risk management | The culture, frameworks and structures that are directed towards the effective management of potential opportunities and adverse effects. Risk management involves the systematic application of management policies, procedures and practices to the steps of establishing the context, identifying, analysing, evaluating, treating, monitoring and communicating risk. |
| SCALEplus | A web site on which the Department publishes up-to-date Commonwealth legislation. It is being progressively replaced with ComLaw. |
| service charters | Public statements about the service that a department or agency will provide. |
| sunset period | Under the Legislative Instruments Act 2003, most legislative instruments will expire after a 'sunset period' of ten years. |
| workplace diversity | The central principle of workplace diversity is the creation of workplaces free from discrimination, harassment and bullying— workplaces where all employees act in accordance with the APS Code of Conduct and demonstrate their commitment to the APS Values. |
Abbreviations and acronyms
| ACC | Australian Crime Commission |
| AFDO | Australian Federation of Disability Organisations |
| AFP | Australian Federal Police |
| AGD | Attorney-General's Department |
| AGIS | Attorney-General's Department Information Service |
| AGS | Australian Government Solicitor |
| AJEM | Australian Journal of Emergency Management |
| AIJA | Australian Institute of Judicial Administration |
| ALRC | Australian Law Reform Commission |
| AMLAT | Anti–Money Laundering Assistance Team |
| ANAO | Australian National Audit Office |
| AO | Officer of the Order of Australia |
| APAIS | Australian Public Affairs Information Service |
| APEC | Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation |
| APS | Australian Public Service |
| ASEAN | Association of Southeast Asian Nations |
| ASIC | Aviation Security Identification Card |
| ASIO | Australian Security Intelligence Organisation |
| ASNET | Australian Secure Network |
| AIATSIS | Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services |
| AusAID | Australian Agency for International Development |
| AusCERT | Australian Computer Emergency Response Team |
| AusCheck | Australian Background Checking Service |
| AUSFTA | Australia – United States Free Trade Agreement |
| AUSTRAC | Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre |
| AWA | Australian Workplace Agreement |
| BGAG | Business–Government Advisory Group on National Security |
| CAR | Central African Republic |
| CBRN | chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear |
| CCA | Commonwealth Copyright Administration |
| CCTV | closed circuit television |
| CDS | Commonwealth Disability Strategy |
| CEDAW | Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women |
| CEO | Chief Executive Officer |
| CERD | Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination |
| CIP | Critical Infrastructure Protection |
| CIPMA | CIP Modelling and Analysis |
| CJD | Civil Justice Division |
| CLCs | community legal centres |
| CNVA | Computer Network Vulnerability Assessment |
| COAG | Council of Australian Governments |
| CrimTrac | Agency responsible for delivery and maintenance of national policing information services |
| CrJD | Criminal Justice Division |
| CSG | Corporate Services Group |
| CSIRO | Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation |
| DAWGS | Data and Workflow of Grants System |
| DCITA | Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts |
| DDA | Disability Discrimination Act 1992 |
| DEST | Department of Education, Science and Training |
| DFAT | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |
| DIMA | Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs |
| DoTRS | Department of Transport and Regional Services |
| DPP | Director of Public Prosecutions |
| DRC | Democratic Republic of Congo |
| DVS | Document Verification Service |
| EAP | Employee Assistance Program |
| EC | European Commission |
| ECCCF | Expensive Commonwealth Criminal Cases Fund |
| ECJ | European Court of Justice |
| ECP | Enhanced Cooperation Package |
| EDMS | electronic document management system |
| EMA | Emergency Management Australia |
| EMS | Environmental Management System |
| ESD | ecologically sustainable development |
| EU | European Union |
| FaCSIA | Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs |
| FATF | Financial Action Taskforce |
| FCA | Family Court of Australia |
| Finance | Department of Finance and Administration |
| FMA Act | Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 |
| FOI | freedom of information |
| FRLI | Federal Register of Legislative Instruments |
| FSG | Financial Services Group |
| FTA | free trade agreement |
| FVPLS | Family Violence Prevention Legal Services |
| HCO | harassment contact officer |
| HREOC | Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission |
| HTML | hyper text markup language |
| IAWJ | International Association of Women Judges |
| ICACSCP | International Child Abduction, Child Support and Civil Procedure |
| ICC | International Criminal Court |
| ICC | Indigenous Coordination Centre |
| ICCPR | International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights |
| ICJ | International Court of Justice |
| ICT | information and communications technology |
| IGA | Inter-Governmental Agreement |
| IJLAD | Indigenous Justice and Legal Assistance Division |
| IKS | Information and Knowledge Services Group |
| ILHRD | Information Law and Human Rights Division |
| ILSAC | International Legal Services Advisory Council |
| ILUA | Indigenous Land Use Agreements |
| IOC | International Oceanographic Commission |
| IP | intellectual property |
| IPAA | Institute of Public Administration Australia |
| IT | information technology |
| ITEC | Information Technology Executive Committee |
| ITLOS | International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea |
| ITSA | Insolvency and Trustee Service Australia |
| JAICCOLS | Joint Australia–India Consultative Committee on Legal Services |
| JSCOT | Joint Standing Committee on Treaties |
| LARI | Legal Aid Reporting Initiative |
| LJAD | Law and Justice Advocacy |
| LSNTD | Legal Services and Native Title Division |
| M2006 | Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games |
| MCCA | Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs |
| MOU | memorandum of understanding |
| MSIC | Maritime Security Identification Card |
| NADRAC | National Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisory Council |
| NCC | National Crisis Committee |
| NCCPP | National Community Crime Prevention Programme |
| NCTC | National Counter-Terrorism Committee |
| NCTC LISC | National Counter-Terrorism Committee Legal Issues Sub-Committee |
| NEMCC | National Emergency Management Coordination Centre |
| NFMS | National Firearms Management System |
| NGO | non-government organisation |
| NII | National Information Infrastructure |
| NJCA | National Judicial College of Australia |
| NSINS | National Spatial Information for National Security |
| OECD | Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development |
| OFLC | Office of Film and Literature Classification |
| OH&S | occupational health and safety |
| OIL | Office of International Law |
| OIPC | Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination |
| OLDP | Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing |
| PAES | Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements |
| PBS | Portfolio Budget Statements |
| PDRR | Preventative, Diversion, Rehabilitation and Restorative |
| PKK | Kurdistan Workers Party |
| PM&C | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |
| PNR | Passenger Name Record |
| PSIS | Prescription Shopping Information Service |
| PSCC | Protective Security Coordination Centre |
| PSM | Protective security manual |
| PSPC | Protective Security Policy Committee |
| RIS | Regulation Impact Statement |
| RLAU | Regional Legal Assistance Unit |
| RMIT | Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology |
| RPA | Regional Partnership Agreement |
| SCAG | Standing Committee of Attorneys-General |
| SCALEplus | Statutes, Cases Automated Legal Enquiry (with Internet access) |
| SCID | Security and Critical Infrastructure Division |
| SES | Senior Executive Service |
| SIG | Security in Government |
| SITF | Special Incident Task Force |
| SLRC | Security Legislation Review Committee |
| SRA | Shared Responsibility Agreement |
| TISN | Trusted Information Sharing Network |
| TMRO | Trade Measures Review Officer |
| TMRS | Trade Measures Review Secretariat |
| TPMs | Technological protection measures |
| UNCITRAL | UN Commission on International Trade Law |
| UNIDROIT | An international institution for the unification of private law |
| USAR | Urban Search and Rescue |
| WAN | Wide Area Network |
| WIPO | World Intellectual Property Organization |
| WMD | Weapons of Mass Destruction |
| WTO | World Trade Organization |