EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Issued by the authority of the Minister for Human Services
Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency Act 1997
Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency (Functions of Chief
Executive Officer) Direction 2011 (No. 2)
Authority
- Under paragraph 8(1)(c) of Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency Act 1997 (the Act), the Minister may give the Chief Executive Officer (Centrelink CEO) of the Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency (known as Centrelink) a written direction to perform specified functions. The Centrelink CEO has a number of functions under subsection 8(1) of the Act.
Background
2. Subsection 8(2) of the Act provides that a direction under paragraph 8(1)(c) is a legislative instrument, but neither section 42 nor Part 6 of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 applies to the direction. This means that the Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency (Functions of Chief Executive Officer) Direction 2011 (No. 2) (the Direction) is neither subject to disallowance by Parliament nor automatic sunsetting after 10 years.
3. Centrelink currently works closely with Medicare Australia and the Department of Human Services in relation to the delivery of benefits and services to the public. The Service Delivery Reform initiatives announced by the Minister for Human Services on 16 December 2009 are increasing the interaction and co-operation between these agencies. The Government has announced an intention to merge Centrelink and Medicare Australia into the Department of Human Services on
1 July 2011, subject to the passage of legislation.
Management services
4. To support the stronger links between the Department of Human Services, Centrelink and Medicare Australia, it is proposed to bring some parts of the Department of Human Services and Medicare Australia under the day to day management of the Centrelink CEO. Some parts of Centrelink will be under the day to day management of the Chief Executive Officer of Medicare Australia. This will enable similar functions undertaken by the Department of Human Services, Centrelink and Medicare Australia to be better co-ordinated and aligned. This is intended to improve efficiency and the quality of the services provided to the public.
5. The accountabilities of the Centrelink CEO and the Chief Executive Officer of Medicare Australia will not change. It is not proposed that the Centrelink CEO assume responsibility for the delivery of any program currently delivered by the Department of Human Services or Medicare Australia.
6. This Direction expands the statutory functions of the Centrelink CEO to enable her to assist the Chief Executive Officer of Medicare Australia. It is intended that the specific assistance that will be provided will be the provision of management services.
7. This direction is intended to operate in parallel with the Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency (Functions of the Chief Executive Officer – Management Services) Direction 2010 which expands the statutory functions of the Chief Executive Officer of Centrelink to enable her to assist the Secretary of the Department of Human Services and the Medicare Australia (Functions of the Chief Executive Officer) Direction 2011 (No. 1), which expands the statutory functions of the Chief Executive Officer of Medicare Australia to enable her to assist the Centrelink CEO.
8. The Direction commences the day it is registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.
Consultation
9. It was not considered necessary to consult stakeholders external to the Government in relation to this Direction because the Direction deals solely with the internal governance arrangements for Centrelink and Medicare Australia.