Our performance

Part 2 covers our performance in areas for which activity is measured across the department, including:

services to ministers and parliament
our financial performance.

This annual report also responds to the programme deliverables and key performance indicators published in the Portfolio Budget Statements and Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements. Programme performance information includes:

achievements contributing to programme deliverables
evaluations and reviews
purchaser–provider arrangements (where relevant)
results set against key performance indicators.

Services to ministers and parliament

Ministerial correspondence

During the reporting period, the department processed approximately 18,380 items of correspondence, an average of more than 70 items per working day, some of which is reflected in Table 1. This is a decrease from the previous financial year.¹ Common topics and issues arising in ministerial correspondence included the National Independent Redress Scheme, same-sex marriage, Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, and slavery and human-trafficking.

The department commenced its transition to the whole-of-government Parliamentary Document Management Solution (PDMS) for the management of ministerial correspondence and submissions. It will complete the transition in the first half of 2015–16.

1 The trend information in the 2013–14 annual report was incorrectly reported due to a typographical error; the correct figure was a 7% increase.

Performance indicators

Table 1: Services to ministers and parliament 2014–15

Submissions to ministers	Responses to ministerial correspondence	Responses to questions on notice	Briefs	Speeches
1,456	4,379	65	513	120

Note: Approximate numbers of meeting briefs, question time briefs and parliamentary questions on notice (does not include updated briefs or briefs provided by portfolio agencies).

Our financial performance

Parliament, via the Appropriation Acts, provides the department with two types of funding: departmental and administered. We use departmental resources to deliver services (programmes). We also administer payments, revenues and other resources on behalf of the government, which controls how we use them and requires us to account for them separately.

The department’s revenue and expenses are shown in Table 2 and administered expenses are shown in Table 3. Our resources are outlined in Table 4 and the allocation of expenses to outcomes and administered items for 2014–15 is detailed in Table 5.

Analysis of financial performance

The departmental operating result for 2014–15 was a deficit of $14.687m compared to a deficit of $18.213m for 2013–14. The deficit is primarily attributable to unfunded depreciation and amortisation expenses of $23.865m.

The total administered expenses for 2014–15 was $1,275.811m compared to $952.795m in 2013–14. The 2014–15 expenses include $471.068m in payments to portfolio agency corporate Commonwealth entities, $97.684m for royal commissions and $112.727m in personal benefits payments to individuals following the cyclones and floods in 2014–15 and for Australian Victims of Terrorism Overseas payments.

Table 2: Department revenue and expenses²

	2014–15	2013–14
Revenues ($m)	336.532	328.868
Expenses ($m)	351.125	350.621

2 The department revenue and expense figures for the years prior to 2014–15 have been restated from those previously reported to reflect changes in accounting treatment.

Table 3: Administered expenses

	2014–15	2013–14
Administered expenses ($m)	1,275.811	952.795

Resource statement 2014–15

Table 4: Department resource statement

	Actual available appropriation for 2014–15 $’000	Payments made 2014–15 $’000	Balance remaining 2014–15 $’000
	(a)	(b)	(a) – (b)
Ordinary annual services ¹
Departmental appropriation ²	413,926	342,148	71,778
Total	413,926	342,148	71,778
Administered expenses
Outcome 1 ³	471,197	464,024
Outcome 2 ⁴	205,812	206,753
Payments to corporate entities ⁵	439,556	439,556
Total	1,116,565	1,110,333
Total ordinary annual services (A)	1,530,491	1,452,481
Other services ⁶
Administered expenses
Specific payments to states,
Outcome 1	4,746	874
Total	4,746	874
Departmental non-operating
Equity injections ⁷	7,510	2,040	5,470
Total	7,510	2,040	5,470
Administered non-operating
Administered assets and liabilities ⁸	42,752	11,221
Payments to corporate entities ⁵	31,512	31,512
Total	74,264	42,733
Total other services (B)	86,520	45,647
Total available annual
appropriations and payments	1,617,011	1,498,128
Special appropriations
Special appropriations limited by criteria/entitlement
Law Officers Act 1964 s 16(13) – former Solicitors-General	450	414
High Court Justices (Long Leave Payments) Act 1979	–	973
Social Security (Administration) Act 1999 – Australian Victims of Terrorism Overseas Payment	7,060	5,952
Social Security (Administration) Act 1999	45,624	106,190
Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013	127	33
Total special appropriations (C)	53,261	113,572
Total appropriations excluding special accounts	1,670,272	1,611,700
Special accounts
Opening balance	9,718	–
Appropriation receipts	1,927	–
Non-appropriation receipts to special accounts	47,410	–
Payments made	–	20,704
Total special account (D)	59,055	20,704	38,351
Total resourcing and payments
A+B+C+D	1,729,327	1,632,404
Less appropriations drawn from annual or special appropriations above and credited to special accounts ⁹	1,927	–
Less payments to corporate entities through annual appropriations	471,068	471,068
Total net resourcing and payments for agency	1,256,332	1,160,028

1 Appropriation Act (No.1) 2014–15 and Appropriation Act (No.3) 2014–15. This may also include prior year departmental appropriation and section 74 Retained Revenue Receipts under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.

2 This includes an amount of $15.614m in 2014–15 for the Departmental Capital Budget. For accounting purposes this amount has been designated as ‘contributions by owners’.

3 This includes an amount of $2.286m in 2014–15 for the Administered Capital Budget. For accounting purposes this amount has been designated as ‘contributions by owners’.

4 This includes an amount of $1.665m in 2014–15 for the Administered Capital Budget. For accounting purposes this amount has been designated as ‘contributions by owners’.

5 ‘Corporate entities’ are corporate Commonwealth entities and Commonwealth companies as defined under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.

6 Appropriation Act (No.2) 2014–15 and Appropriation Act (No.4) 2014–15.

7 This may also include prior year equity injections.

8 This may also include prior year administered assets and liabilities.

9 Appropriation receipts credited to special accounts.

Resource summaries

Table 5: Resource summaries

Expenses for Outcome 1
Outcome 1: A just and secure society through the maintenance and improvement of Australia’s law and justice framework and its national security and emergency management system	Budget* 2014–15 $’000 (a)	Actual Expenses 2014–15 $’000 (b)	Variation 2014–15 $’000 (a) – (b)
Programme 1.1: Attorney-General’s Department operating expenses—Civil justice and legal services
Departmental expenses
Departmental appropriation ¹	172,582	147,992	24,590
Expenses not requiring appropriation in the Budget year	13,601	10,422	3,179
Total for Programme 1.1	186,183	158,414	27,769
Programme 1.2: Attorney-General’s Department operating expenses—National security and criminal justice
Departmental expenses
Departmental appropriation ¹	145,866	148,914	(3,048)
Expenses not requiring appropriation in the Budget year	10,554	11,118	(564)
Total for Programme 1.2	156,420	160,032	(3,612)
Programme 1.3: Justice services
Administered expenses
Ordinary annual services (Appropriation Act Nos. 1 and 3)	87,480	85,114	2,366
Special appropriations	567	200	367
Total for Programme 1.3	88,047	85,314	2,733
Programme 1.4: Family relationships
Administered expenses
Ordinary annual services (Appropriation Act Nos. 1 and 3)	161,162	161,144	18
Total for Programme 1.4	161,162	161,144	18
Programme 1.5: Indigenous law and justice
Administered expenses
Ordinary annual services (Appropriation Act Nos. 1 and 3)	75,743	75,743	–
Total for Programme 1.5	75,743	75,743	–
Programme 1.6: National security and criminal justice
Administered expenses
Ordinary annual services (Appropriation Act Nos. 1 and 3)	44,675	43,777	898
Other services (Appropriation Act Nos. 2 and 4)	4,746	(124)	4,870
Special appropriations	7,060	5,997	1,063
Special accounts	41,459	15,026	26,433
Expenses not requiring appropriation in the Budget year	1,470	1,412	58
Total for Programme 1.6	99,410	66,088	33,322
Programme 1.7: Australian Government disaster financial support payments
Administered expenses
Ordinary annual services (Appropriation Act Nos. 1 and 3)	234	129	105
Special appropriations	45,624	106,491	(60,867)
Expenses not requiring appropriation in the Budget year	312	–	312
Total for Programme 1.7	46,170	106,620	(60,450)
Programme 1.8: Royal commissions
Administered expenses
Ordinary annual services (Appropriation Act Nos. 1 and 3)	99,617	90,177	9,440
Expenses not requiring appropriation in the Budget year	6,959	7,032	(73)
Total for Programme 1.8	106,576	97,209	9,367
Outcome 1 Totals by appropriation type
Administered expenses
Ordinary annual services (Appropriation Act Nos. 1 and 3)	468,911	456,084	12,827
Other services (Appropriation Act Nos. 2 and 4)	4,746	(124)	4,870
Special appropriations	53,251	112,687	(59,436)
Special accounts	41,459	15,026	26,433
Expenses not requiring appropriation in the Budget year	8,741	8,443	298
Departmental expenses
Departmental appropriation ¹	318,448	296,906	21,542
Expenses not requiring appropriation in the Budget year	24,155	21,540	2,615
Total expenses for Outcome 1	919,711	910,562	9,149

	2014–15 Budget	2014–15 Actual
Average Staffing Level	1,493	1,489	4

Expenses for Outcome 2
Outcome 2: Participation in, and access to, Australia’s arts and culture through developing and supporting cultural expression	Budget* 2014–15 $’000 (a)	Actual Expenses 2014–15 $’000 (b)	Variation 2014–15 $’000 (a) – (b)
Programme 2.1: Arts and cultural development
Administered expenses
Ordinary annual services (Appropriation Act Nos. 1 and 3)	203,647	204,081	(434)
Special appropriations	10	–	10
Special accounts	500	499	1
Expenses not requiring appropriation in the Budget year	1,489	1,489	–
Payments to corporate entities	439,556	439,556	–
Departmental expenses
Departmental appropriation ¹	22,736	24,882	(2,146)
Special accounts	5,287	3,721	1,566
Expenses not requiring appropriation in the Budget year	55	2,299	(2,244)
Total for Programme 2.1	673,280	676,527	(3,247)
Outcome 2 Totals by appropriation type
Administered expenses
Ordinary annual services (Appropriation Act Nos. 1 and 3)	203,647	204,081	(434)
Special appropriations	10	–	10
Special accounts	500	499	1
Expenses not requiring appropriation in the Budget year	1,489	1,489	–
Payments to corporate entities	439,556	439,556	–
Departmental expenses
Departmental appropriation ¹	22,736	24,882	(2,146)
Special accounts	5,287	3,721	1,566
Expenses not requiring appropriation in the Budget year	55	2,299	(2,244)
Total expenses for Outcome 2	673,280	676,527	(3,247)

	2014–15 Budget	2014–15 Actual
Average Staffing Level	148	148	–

* Full year budget, including any subsequent adjustment made to the 2014–15 Budget.

1 Departmental Appropriation combines Ordinary annual services (Appropriation Act Nos. 1 and 3) and Retained Revenue Receipts under section 74 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.