Accountability (body section 1; AIHW annual report 2007–08 ...

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Chapter 1—Accountability

22 AIHW ANNUAL REPORT Chapter 1—Accountability 23

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Figure 3: Accountability framework


Ministerial accountability

The AIHW is an independent statutory authority within the Health and Ageing portfolio and is responsible to the Minister for Health and Ageing. When the subject area is related to other portfolios, the AIHW provides advice and reports to relevant Ministers, including:

• MinisterforFamilies,Housing,CommunityServices and Indigenous Affairs

• MinisterforAgeing

• MinisterforHousingandStatusofWomen

• MinisterforYouthandSport

• ParliamentarySecretaryforHealthandAgeing

• ParliamentarySecretarytotheMinisterforFamilies, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services

• ParliamentarySecretaryforEarlyChildhoodEducation and Childcare.

The AIHW appeared before the Senate Community Affairs Committee (Senate Estimates) on two occasions during 2007–08.

In addition to this the AIHW prepared 12 Minutes to the Minister, 1 Current Issue Brief, 9 Parliamentary Questions on Notice and 3 Ministerial Briefings.

Charter of Corporate Governance

The AIHW Charter of Corporate Governance adopted by the Board takes into account contemporary thinking on corporate governance and forms the basis for Board

operations in an increasingly complex environment. This charter is provided at Appendix 4, page 189.

AIHW Board

The AIHW Board is accountable to the parliament of Australia through the Minister for Health and Ageing.

The role and composition of the Board is specified in s. 8(1) of the AIHW Act. Board members, other than the ex-officio members, are appointed by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Minister for Health and Ageing and hold office for a specified term not exceeding 3 years.

Directors’ fees are set by the Remuneration Tribunal (see appendix 1 Financial statements, Note 10).

The Board is supported by two committees: the Audit and Finance Committee and the Remuneration Committee.

Audit and finance committee

The Audit and Finance Committee is a subcommittee of the AIHW Board consisting of four non-executive members. The committee authorises and oversees the AIHW’s audit program and reports to the Board on financial and data audit matters.

The major matters on which the committee reported to the Board were the review of annual financial statements, the draft budget, the internal audit program and accommodation.


Board members

Table 2 is a list of Board members, meetings and committees attended for the period 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008. Details of the Board members’ qualifications, current positions and affiliations are in Appendix 5, page 198.

Remuneration committee

The Remuneration Committee is a subcommittee of the AIHW Board. The committee advises the Board on the remuneration of the Director and provides performance feedback to the Director.

Table 2: Board members and meetings attended

Board member

BoardAudit and Finance

CommitteeRemuneration

CommitteeMeetings attended

Eligible meetings

Meetings attended

Eligible meetings

Meetings attended

Eligible meetings

Non-Executive Directors

The Hon. Peter Collins, AM (Board Chair) 2* 4 2 2

Adjunct Professor Heather Gardner 4 4 4 5

Mr Ian Spicer, AM 4 4 5 5 2 2

Dr Greg Stewart 3 4

Mr David Kalisch 4 4

Mr Brian Pink 2** 4

Ms Sandra Lambert(until 7 January 2008) 2 2

Ms Bette Kill(appointed 15 May 2008) 1 1

Mr Peter Allen 3 4 5 5 2 2

Mr Peter Smith 3 4

Dr Sandra Eades 1 4

Mr Daniel McCarthy (staff representative)(resigned 25 January 2008) 2 2

Ms Louise York (staff representative)(elected 25 February 2008) (appointed 15 May 2008) 2 2

Mr Owen Donald*** 5 5

Executive Director

Dr Penny Allbon (Director, AIHW) 4 4

* Ian Spicer was appointed acting Chair in Peter Collins’ absences.** On the two occasions the member was not present his representative attended.*** Appointed as an independent non-executive member of the Audit and Finance Committee.Notes1. A representative of the Secretary, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, attended and participated in Board meetings.2. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the AIHW have reciprocal arrangements to observe AIHW Board and NHMRC Council meetings, respectively.


Commonwealth’s Privacy Act 1988 and the terms and conditions under which the data were supplied to the AIHW.

The Ethics Committee meets the National Health and Medical Research Council requirements for the composition of human research ethics committees.

The committee agreed to the ethical acceptability of 35 projects during the year.

Membership and attendance of the Ethics Committee is shown in Table 3. Details of the Ethics Committee members’ qualifications are in Appendix 5, page 198.

Ethics Committee

The Ethics Committee is established under section 16(1) of the AIHW Act.

The committee’s main responsibility is to advise the AIHW on the ethical acceptability or otherwise of current or proposed health-related and welfare-related activities of the AIHW or of bodies with which the AIHW is associated (see Appendix 3 Regulations, page 185).

The AIHW may release identifiable health and welfare data for research purposes with the agreement of the committee, provided that release does not contravene the

Table 3: Ethics Committee members and meetings attended

Committee member Meetings attended Eligible meetings

Dr Ching Choi (Chair) 4 4

Dr Malcolm Sim 2* 4

Mr John Buckley 4 4

Ms Kathryn Cole 4 4

Rev. Dr Wesley Campbell 4 4

Ms Ellen Kittson 3* 4

Dr Wendy Scheil 4 4

Ms Val Edyvean 4 4

Dr Penny Allbon (Director, AIHW) 4 4

* Members were provided with papers and opportunity to comment for all meetings even if they didn’t attend.


Deputy Director has responsibility for the Information and Strategy Group, and the group heads have responsibility for Health and Functioning, Welfare and Housing, Economics and Health Services, and Business. Figure 4 shows the AIHW’s structure as at 30 June 2008.

Information about the Executive and unit heads are included in Appendix 7, page 204. Further information about staffing can be found in tables 8 and 9 on page 118.

AIHW structure

The AIHW structure is aimed at ensuring that the AIHW fulfils its roles and responsibilities in the best manner possible. The structure reflects the growth in various aspects of the work program and ensures that staff have clear, balanced and reasonable workloads.

The Director is supported by a Deputy Director, Medical Adviser and five group heads, each with major functional responsibilities. The

Dr Penny AllbonDirector

Ms Susan KillionHealth Group Head

Ms Julie RoedigerDeputy Director and Information and Strategy Group Head

Mr Justin Griffin (acting)Housing and Disability Group Head

Mr Andrew KettleBusiness Group Head

Dr Diane GibsonWelfare Group Head

Ms Jenny HargreavesEconomics and Health Services Group Head

Dr Paul MagnusMedical Adviser


Figure 4: Organisation chart as at 30 June 2008

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28 AIHW ANNUAL REPORT

Harmony Counts —the choir of the AIHW

Harmony Counts is a mixed choir born out of a series of temporary choirs that brightened up the AIHW’s Christmas parties for a couple of years.

At Christmas 1999, one of Harmony Counts’ songs won the FM104.7 Christmas Carol competition. Inspired by this success the choir has continued to sing and perform on various occasions.

Harmony Counts rehearses once a week during lunch breaks and aims to simply enjoy singing together.

The choir often performs at social gatherings at the AIHW, such as the AIHW’s birthday party and the Christmas party. Harmony Counts has performed at the Australian National Choral Eisteddfod, Floriade, carols at the Canberra Centre and Old Parliament House, among others.

The choir also participates, both solely and as part of a combined choir, in rhAPSody, which is a choral event involving many public service choirs.

The choir mostly sings unaccompanied using the four voices: soprano, alto, tenor and bass. Harmony Counts has a large repertoire, including African, Latin, Aboriginal, other ethnic and contemporary songs.

Harmony Counts performing at Floriade in 2007

CASE STU

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