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 — Management Services) Direction 2010
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. These functions are additional to those conferred directly by 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 — Management Services) Direction 2010 (the Direction) is not subject to disallowance by Parliament and is not subject to automatic sunsetting after 10 years.
3. Agencies in the Human Services portfolio work closely together to deliver social, health and welfare services to the Australian community. The Service Delivery Reform initiatives announced by the Minister for Human Services on 16 December 2009 will increase the connections between portfolio agencies.
Management services
4. To support the stronger links between portfolio agencies, it is appropriate to confer on the Centrelink CEO a new function of providing assistance to the Secretary of the Department, including in relation to the management of the Department. This will enable the Centrelink CEO to assist the Secretary to manage particular elements of the Department.
5. Most immediately, it is intended that the Centrelink CEO will assist the Secretary to manage CRS Australia. CRS Australia is a business unit of the Department. Centrelink and CRS Australia have worked closely together for some time, and have an overlapping client base. It is therefore appropriate that the Centrelink CEO assists to manage CRS Australia.
6. The Direction commences the day after it is registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.
Consultation
7. It was not considered necessary to consult externally because the Direction deals solely with internal governance affecting the Department and Centrelink.