2010-2011 Annual Report:

Appendix Six: Governance

Executive Committee profile

Richard Bolt
Secretary

Mr Richard Bolt, BE (Electrical), Master Public Policy and Management, joined DPI as Secretary in November 2006.

As Secretary, Richard leads the department in its role of enabling the sustainable development of Victoria’s agriculture, energy, earth resources, fisheries and forestry industries.

Richard represents Victoria on two committees of departmental CEOs, which advise the Commonwealth-State ministerial councils with responsibility for the industries overseen by DPI. He also chairs the Commonwealth-State Animal Welfare and Product Integrity Taskforce.

Richard is Chair of the Grampians Regional Management Forum, which provides a forum for local and state government to strengthen the strategic planning and coordinated delivery of regional programs and services.

Richard has served on several Commonwealth ministerially-appointed advisory committees on energy and carbon pricing and is currently a member of the Advisory Board for the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy. He was Deputy Chair of the former State-Territory National Emissions Trading Task Force, which developed the first comprehensive blueprint for a national cap-and-trade scheme.

Richard holds a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from the South Australian Institute of Technology (now the University of South Australia) and a Masters degree in Public Policy and Management from Monash University.

John Skerritt Deputy
Secretary, Agriculture and Fisheries Services

Dr John Skerritt, BSC (Hons1), PhD, FTSE, is responsible for leading and implementing key reforms within the Agriculture and Fisheries Services Group, which includes Biosecurity Victoria, Farm Services Victoria, Fisheries Victoria, and the Emergency and Security Planning divisions and the Community and Capability Branch. Some of these reforms include improving DPI’s services to farmers, the whole-of government Biosecurity Strategy for Victoria and strengthening DPI’s emergency management capabilities.

In addition, John is leading the strengthening of DPI’s engagement with regional Victoria through the appointment and leadership of a new team of regional directors.

Bruce Kefford
Deputy Secretary, Agriculture Research and Development

Dr Bruce Kefford, BSc (Hons), PhD, Graduate Management Qualification (AGSM), FIPAA, MAICD, is responsible for strategic direction aimed at enhancing the performance of the agriculture and food sector in Victoria in terms of productivity, competitiveness and sustainable use of natural resources. Bruce oversees the Office of Science and Technology Commercialisation, the Future Farming Systems Research and the Biosciences Research divisions.

In the June 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours, Bruce was awarded the Australian Public Service Medal in. He was recognised for his outstanding service and leadership in public policy in relation to research, development and extension supporting primary industries.

Joanne de Morton
Deputy Secretary, Business and Corporate Services

Ms Joanne de Morton, MBA, Grad Cert Public Sector Mgt, GAICD, FIPAA, is responsible for providing the corporate management framework that directly supports the achievement of departmental objectives.

Her major focus is on strengthening the department’s reputation by anticipating and preventing corporate risks, providing high-quality corporate governance and achieving best practice in business and corporate service delivery.

Richard Aldous
Deputy Secretary, Energy and Earth Resources

Dr Richard Aldous, Ph.D, DIC, M.Aus IMM, is responsible for providing strategic advice and support on policy, regulation and investment facilitation to the Secretary and Minister for Energy and Resources concerning the energy, minerals and extractive industries. He also oversees energy policy advice and projects and the implementation and further development of the Energy Technology Innovation Strategy.

Deborah Peterson
Deputy Secretary, Policy and Strategy

Dr Deborah Peterson, PhD, MSc., BB.S (Hons), GAICD, FIPAA, is responsible for providing policy analysis and advice to DPI and its ministers on agriculture, fisheries, forestry, earth resources, fossil and renewable energy and energy efficiency.

She helps to shape DPI’s input to whole-of-government strategies, including climate change, water and regulatory reform.

Deborah is also responsible for DPI’s corporate and business strategies and their performance monitoring and evaluation.

Executive role

The Secretary is the head of the department and reports to the Premier of Victoria.

Executive Committee

The Secretary (Chair) and the Deputy Secretaries meet weekly as an Executive Committee.

The members bring a broad range of perspectives and consider key issues and decisions to ensure they are properly tested before the Secretary makes a final decision. The Executive Committee is a deliberative body that provides a process through which differences are considered and integrated in preparation for formal decision.

Management Forum

Management Forum is the primary forum for information exchange, alignment and engagement for senior management. The forum guides the development of the DPI Strategic Plan and other strategic projects that impact DPI-wide performance. It comprises the Secretary, Deputy Secretaries and their direct reports, who are the heads of major function areas.

Standing committees

Standing committees are those required by legislation. Members are appointed by the Secretary.

DPI has two standing committees.

The Audit and Risk Management Standing Committee provides independent assurance, oversight and review of financial management and reporting, compliance with applicable laws, regulations and standards, risk management planning and review of the efficiency and effectiveness of operations.

Independent members are Peter Lewinsky (Chair) Kathy Grigg and Fiona Bennett. DPI members are Joanne de Morton, Alan Young and John Skerritt (appointed March 2011), Ron Prestidge (term completed February 2011) and Jeremi Moule (resigned December 2010).

The Accredited Purchasing Unit Standing Committee advises on government procurement policy and strategic contract management issues. It also reviews and endorses requests for major procurement and acquisition activity. The committee comprises six senior managers representing all departmental groups.

The Chair is Giovanna Tivisini, General Counsel.

Steering committees

The Emergency and Security Planning Steering Committee comprises Executive Directors primarily responsible for various types of emergencies and key personnel and infrastructure functions. It is the primary group for ensuring adequate preparedness and capability for DPI emergencies.

Through the Deputy Secretary, Agriculture and Fisheries Services, the committee may bring key emergency and security issues to the attention of the Executive Committee.

The Chair is David Harris, Executive Director, Emergency and Security Planning.

The Gene Technology Steering Committee oversees the development of appropriate policies and procedures within DPI for gene technology and security sensitive biological agent research and their applications. In addition to DPI senior management representation, the committee includes a representative from the Department of Business and Innovation and an independent external member.

The Chair is Dr Graham Mitchell, DPI Chief Scientist.

Other groupings

To deliver a diverse and varied work program and live the value of ‘working together’, DPI creates many groups for a variety of purposes. They may include project control boards, working groups, communities of practice and collaboration groups.

Establishment, terms of reference and membership of these groups is at the discretion of the convenor. They have no official decision-making authority and can only make recommendations to an authorised delegate.

Risk Attestation

We certify that the Department of Primary Industries has a risk management framework that is consistent with the Australian/New Zealand Risk Management Standard (AS/NZ ISO 3 1000:2009 or its successor). The department's internal control system is governed by its Governance Framework and supported by the Organisational Capability, Risk Management and Fraud Control Frameworks. In addition, risk is identified and managed through strategic, policy and business planning processes, and an Executive reporting system. DPl's internal audit plan is aligned to the department's risk profile, and the Audit and Risk Management Standing Committee: verify this assurance and that the risk profile of the department has been critically reviewed within the last 12 months.

Richard Bolt

Secretary
Department of Primary Industries
3/7/2011

Kathy Grigg

Acting Chair, Audit and Risk Management Standing Committee
Department of Primary Industries
12/7/2011