In order to help you define the best approach for your particular organisation, this website aims to bring together practice examples and tools used in the WA public sector and across Australia to illustrate how other organisations have attempted to meet their accountability requirements. In addition, relevant guidelines and, occasionally, mandatory requirements from other Australian jurisdictions are provided for reference on how governance issues are addressed elsewhere.
To date, we have only compiled a few examples but will be adding to these over time. We welcome your feedback on the usefulness of these examples – please send your comments via email to GGG@opssc.wa.gov.au.
We also invite contributions from organisations to expand the collection of practice exemplars and tools. Should you wish to make a submission, please do so by email to GGG@opssc.wa.gov.au with a reference to the appropriate principle and possibly a short explanatory note. Your contributions will be acknowledged.
| Operational element |
Good practice examples |
1.1 A document defines responsibilities and accountabilities between the chief executive officer and the minister |
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1.3 Communication and other interaction are recorded and monitored |
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2.1 A document defines roles, responsibilities and accountability for all relevant levels of management (e.g. those involved in setting the organisation’s key strategic goals and outcomes and monitoring organisational performance) |
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2.2 Where boards and committees exist, the relationship between the parties must be clearly defined |
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2.3 A strategic plan outlines the organisation's key strategic goals and outcomes and outputs |
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2.4 Operational plans and programmes of work exist that define critical success factors and outline how key strategic goals and outcomes will be accomplished at all levels of the organisation |
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2.5 A delegations framework defines authority levels |
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2.6 Performance measures are defined and monitored for the organisation's strategic goals |
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3.1 Policies ensure that the organisation's structure serves its key strategic goals and outcomes |
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3.2 Processes exist to manage structural change and the relationships between business units
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3.3 Performance measures identify how well the structure delivers against strategic plans |
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4.1 Policies enable operations to deliver against the organisation's key strategic goals and outcomes |
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4.2 The organisation's operational plans and programmes of work support the organisation's key strategic goals and outcomes and are regularly adjusted to changes in strategic and environmental imperatives |
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4.3 Infrastructure is in place to enable the organisation to implement its operational plans
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4.4 A proper and adequate record is maintained of the performance of the organisation’s operations as aligned with its key strategic goals and outcomes |
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4.5 Business process and outcome specific key performance indicators track the organisation's performance against its strategic and operational plans |
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4.6 Performance evaluation and audits are conducted |
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5.1 The organisation's values and code of conduct reflect the WA Code of Ethics and define the standards of official conduct and professional behaviour expected of all employees |
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5.2 The organisation's ethics and integrity risks are identified and policies and operational processes address them (e.g. procurement, conflict of interest) |
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5.3 People management frameworks define the response to non-ethical behaviour
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5.4 Processes are in place to provide supervision and assistance and enable follow up of non-compliance (e.g. through public interest disclosure) |
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5.5 A structured process is in place to monitor official conduct and professional behaviour (e.g. compliance audit, performance management) |
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6.1 Policies enable the attraction, retention and management of people |
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6.2 Plans ensure that processes, decisions and actions are based on the principles of fairness, equity and diversity, and are consistent, transparent, impartial and open for review |
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6.3 People management frameworks cover the whole employment continuum |
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6.4 Structured procedures are in place to monitor adherence to human resource policies and processes |
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6.5 Feedback processes identify issues in people management practices |
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7.1 Finance policies define the key strategic goals and outcomes for which the organisation's finances must be employed |
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7.2 A formal audit charter specifies roles and responsibilities, composition and structure of all audit functions |
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7.3 Processes ensure the proper recording of financial transactions consistent with applicable accounting standards |
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7.4 Financial operations contribute towards the organisation's key strategic goals and outcomes and uphold the highest level of integrity |
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7.5 Structured processes are in place to monitor and audit financial performance against budget and key strategic goals, both at executive level as well as by an independent audit committee |
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8.1 Communication policies ensure the organisation's communication is open, accessible and responsive |
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8.2 Policies ensure information is disseminated through correct channels, in a timely manner and to the right target group |
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8.3 Processes ensure proactive, transparent and responsive internal and external communication |
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8.4 Processes assist in complying with legislation on record keeping, public interest disclosure and freedom of information, in safeguarding the confidentiality and integrity of information, and in preventing unauthorised, false or premature disclosure |
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9.1 Policies exist for the governance and management of material risks (e.g. reputational, financial or physical, including occupational safety and health) |
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9.2 The organisation's risk exposure is evaluated and remediation plans are implemented |
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9.4 Procedures are in place to monitor incidents from the identified risk categories (data analysis) |
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