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Departmental overview
Role and functions
The vision of the Australian Government Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA) is that Australia will continue to develop dynamic and world-class communications, information technology, cultural and sport sectors. The Department builds on the underlying opportunities provided by new technologies to enrich the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of all Australians.
To support this vision, the Department provides strategic advice and professional support to the Australian Government, through the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Richard Alston, and the Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp. This support and advice covers a wide range of policy areas including the arts, cultural development, broadcasting and online regulation, information and communications technology, intellectual property, sport and telecommunications.
The Department also administers legislation, regulations, grants and incentives to industry and the wider community, and works with advisory councils and committees to broaden input and advice. In international forums, the Department seeks to maximise Australia's opportunities in global markets and on related international treaties and agreements.
The Department's staff work towards achieving four outcomes:
- a rich and stimulating cultural environment and a stronger, sustainable and internationally competitive Australian sport sector;
- competitive and effective communications and information technology industries and services, and improved access to Government information;
- Australians value science and technology's contribution to our culture and economic prosperity; and
- increased use, enjoyment and safety of Australia's audiovisual heritage.
To achieve these outcomes, the Department's resource management practices and corporate services support a highly skilled, motivated and focused workforce by investing in training and development initiatives, retaining and attracting highly skilled staff, and promoting excellence and continuous improvement.
Arts and culture
The Department encourages excellence in, and access to, Australia's cultural activities by developing policy advice for the Ministers, conducting research, collecting statistics, administering legislation and grants, and managing Old Parliament House (OPH), the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) and Artbank. Program areas include tax incentives for the arts and film, support for touring cultural activities and assistance for arts training institutions. The Department also supports the national collecting institutions and helps maintain a strong and vibrant Australian film industry. During 2002-03, two of Australia's national cultural institutions - ScreenSound Australia, the National Screen and Sound Archive and Questacon, the National Science and Technology Centre - were also operational groups within the Department.
Broadcasting and online regulation
The Department provides policy advice and administers programs relating to the television and radio broadcasting sector, including national, commercial, subscription and community broadcasters, intellectual property and the regulation of online content. The Department also administers television and radio black spots programs designed to extend the reach of these services to the Australian community.
Information and communications technology
To encourage and support the growth of this important sector, the Department administers a range of measures facilitating information and communications technology (ICT), small-to-medium enterprise development, multinational engagement in Australia's ICT sector, innovation promotion and infrastructure development and support. These measures include the Building on IT Strengths Incubators Program and Advanced Networks Program, the National Communications Fund, the ICT Centre of Excellence and industry development arrangements for Australian Government ICT procurement.
The Department also has a significant role in preparing advice on policy initiatives relevant to the ICT sector. Initiatives have included the development of an ICT Framework for the Future, which sets out a shared Government-industry stakeholder plan for Australia's ICT industry over the next decade.
Intellectual property
The Department advises on a range of issues relating to intellectual property, including the management of intellectual property in the public and private sectors, and the rights of creators including moral rights, performers' rights and Indigenous cultural intellectual property. The Department has joint responsibility, with the Attorney-General's Department, for copyright policy matters relating to the Copyright Act 1968 and advises on the Australian Government's copyright reform agenda.
Sport
The Department is responsible for advising the Government on several key sports issues, in particular anti-doping and the potential for growth in the sport and leisure industries. The Department works closely with the Australian Sports Drug Agency and the Australian Sports Commission. The Department is also coordinating the Australian Government's involvement in the Commonwealth Games to be held in Melbourne in 2006.
Telecommunications and postal services
The Department is responsible for advising the Government on a range of telecommunications and postal policy matters and for implementing a number of programs, including Telstra Social Bonus programs designed to improve telecommunications services to regional, rural and remote Australia and the Government's response to the Telecommunications Service Inquiry. Competition, consumer choice and universal access are key underlying principles. The Department works closely with industry and agencies including the Australian Communications Authority, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.
The outcome and output structure under which these roles and functions are delivered is set out at pages 10 and 11.
Organisational structure
The Department is led by the Secretary who, together with the Deputy Secretary for Arts and Sport and the Deputy Secretary for Communications, forms the Department's Executive. Supported by the Department's Senior Executive Service, the Executive provides leadership through the development of broadcasting, telecommunications, information technology, intellectual property, arts and culture, and sport policy.
The Department is supported in its operations by the Corporate and Business Division, the Finance and Budgets Group, the Legal Group and the Communications Research Unit. The Department also has several operational groups including ScreenSound Australia - the National Screen and Sound Archive, Questacon - the National Science and Technology Centre, Artbank, the National Portrait Gallery and Old Parliament House.
The Department's organisational structure is illustrated on pages 8 and 9 and the list of agencies that make up the Communications, Information Technology and Arts portfolio is at page 12.
Outcome and output structure
Outcome 1
A rich and stimulating cultural environment and a stronger, sustainable and internationally competitive Australian sports sector
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Departmental outputs Output 1.1 Strategic policy advice, support and awareness for the cultural and sport sectors Output 1.2 Increase awareness, knowledge and understanding of the Centenary of Federation and encourage participation in events celebrating the Centenary Output 1.3 Understanding and knowledge of Australian history, culture and portraiture through access to Old Parliament House and the National Portrait Gallery |
Administered items Cultural Development Program Educational Lending Right Scheme - Book Industry Assistance Package and Public Lending Right Scheme Federation Fund Sports and Recreation Program (anti-doping) Water and alpine safety |
Outcome 2
Competitive and effective communications and information technology industries and services and improved access to Government information
|
Departmental outputs Output 2.1 Strategic advice, policy and programs to achieve competitive and effective communications and information technology industries and services |
Administered items Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure Account Telstra Social Bonus 2 International organisation contributions Compensation to Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques ABC and SBS Digital Interference Subsidy Government response to Telecommunications Service Inquiry Australia's response to foot and mouth disease and other quarantine risks National Transmission Network Residual Funding Pool Commercial Radio Black Spots Television Fund Regional Equalisation Plan Television Black Spots - Alternative Technical Solutions Untimed Local Calls Access National Relay Service Universal Service ICT Centre of Excellence Grant Telecommunications Action Plan for Remote Indigenous Communities |
Outcome 3
Australians value science and technology's contribution to our culture and economic prosperity
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Departmental outputs Output 3.1 Programs and exhibitions that engage people in science and technology |
Outcome 4
Increased use, enjoyment and safety of Australia's audiovisual heritage
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Departmental outputs Output 4.1 A high-quality, safe and accessible national audiovisual collection Output 4.2 The national audiovisual collection is widely accessed by the public |
Structure of the portfolio
The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Richard Alston, and the Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp, are supported by the Department and 22 agencies in the Communications, Information Technology and the Arts portfolio.
These are:
- Australia Business Arts Foundation Limited;
- Australia Council for the Arts;
- Australian Postal Corporation;
- Australian Broadcasting Authority;
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation;
- Australian Communications Authority;
- Australian Film Commission;
- Australian Film, Television and Radio School;
- Australian National Maritime Museum;
- Australian Sports Commission;
- Australian Sports Drug Agency;
- Bundanon Trust;
- Film Australia Limited;
- Film Finance Corporation Australia Limited;
- National Archives of Australia;
- National Gallery of Australia;
- National Library of Australia;
- National Museum of Australia;
- National Office for the Information Economy;
- NetAlert Limited;
- Special Broadcasting Service Corporation; and
- Telstra Corporation Limited.
Contact details for these agencies are contained in Appendix 2 of this Annual Report.
More information
This report and further information about the Department and its role and initiatives are available online at www.dcita.gov.au, under 'Publications'.
Inquiries about the Department's Annual Report should be directed to:
Alexandra Mason
Corporate Communications
Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts
GPO Box 2154
Canberra ACT 2601
Telephone: 02 6271 1709
Facsimile: 02 6271 1262
Email: dcita.mail@dcita.gov.au