Glossary of key terms
Administrative Arrangements Order (AAO): an order, issued from time to time by the Governor-General on advice from the Prime Minister, which establishes the matters or outcomes to be dealt with by each Department of State and the Acts to be administered by each Minister.
Agency: a Department of State, Department of Parliament and prescribed agency under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.
Budget: the Australian Government Budget sets out the fiscal and economic outlook for Australia, and includes expenditure and revenue estimates for the current financial year, the budget year and the three forward financial years.
Chief Executive’s Instruction: instructions and guidance provided for accountability requirements under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.
Closing the Gap: a commitment by all Australian governments to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians, and in particular provide a better future for Indigenous children. A national integrated Closing the Gap strategy has been agreed through COAG.
Commonwealth Procurement Rules (CPRs): establish the core procurement policy framework and articulate the Government’s expectations for all agencies subject to the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 and their officials, when performing duties in relation to procurement.
Council of Australian Governments (COAG): the peak intergovernmental forum in Australia, comprising the Prime Minister, state premiers, territory chief ministers and the President of the Australian Local Government Association.
enterprise agreement (EA): an agreement about the terms and conditions of employment, made under the Fair Work Act 2009, pertaining to the relationship between the employee and employer.
G20: the Group of Twenty (G20) is the premier forum for international economic cooperation. The G20 is a group of 19 countries and the European Union. G20 Leaders meet annually and Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meet regularly to address global economic and financial challenges.
Key performance indicators (KPIs): used to assess and monitor the Department’s performance and to provide a record of our progress towards supporting the Government to meet its policy objectives, how public money was spent and whether planned achievements were on track.
machinery of government (MOG) changes: organisational or functional changes affecting the Commonwealth. Common examples of MOG changes include changes to the AAO following a Prime Ministerial decision to abolish or create a department or to move functions/responsibilities between departments or agencies and the creation of new statutory agencies or executive agencies, or abolition of such agencies.
National Partnership Agreement (NPA): a mechanism that allows for policy or project collaboration between the Commonwealth and the States and Territories. A NPA generally provides for financial transfers between the Commonwealth and the states to support this collaboration.
non-ongoing employee: an Australian Public Service employee who is employed for a specific term or task, or for duties that are irregular or intermittent as per paragraph 22(2)(a) of the Public Service Act 1999.
Portfolio Additional Estimates Statement (PAES): the statement that informs Senators, Members and the public of changes since the Budget to the proposed allocation of resources to government outcomes.
Portfolio Budget Statement (PBS): explain the provisions of the Appropriation Bills (Budget Bills) – that is, where appropriated funds are to be spent for the portfolio.
portfolio agencies: government agencies in a portfolio, which are accountable to a Minister. For a list of the Prime Minister’s portfolio agencies, see ‘the portfolio’.