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Departmental overview

The vision of the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts is of a better future for all Australians through the continued development of world-class Australian communications, information technology, cultural and sport sectors

The goal of the Department is to contribute to the development of telecommunications, broadcasting, information technology, cultural and sports sectors in Australia that are:

• vigorous and sustainable in a global environment;
• innovative, creative and support excellence;
• increasingly accessible to all Australians; and
• enhancing the efficiency and productivity of the Australian economy.

To support this vision and goal, the Department is committed to providing high-quality strategic advice and professional support to ministers and the Australian Government on a wide range of policy areas including broadcasting and online regulation, telecommunications, information and communications technology (ICT), the information economy, cultural development and the arts, and sport.

The Department also administers legislation and regulations, and delivers a wide range of programs and services.

In pursuing its goal, the Department is committed to the APS Values and Code of Conduct. In particular, it:

• applies the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, probity and accountability;
• values responsiveness, initiative, flexibility, innovation and creativity;
• provides a safe working environment;
• promotes diversity, learning and development, communication and equity in employment;
• supports staff to achieve an effective work/life balance; and
• encourages the sharing of knowledge between staff.

Corporate priorities

The Department's corporate priorities are set out in the Corporate Plan 2005–08. The key sectoral business priorities for 2005–06 are listed below.

Priorities for 2005–06

Communications

• undertake and implement reviews of telecommunication regulatory arrangements;
• finalise the implementation of the Regional Telecommunications Inquiry;
• finalise a Telstra local presence plan;
• undertake a tender for the National Relay Service;
• progress digital radio policy;
• finalise announced broadcasting reviews;
• review the funding adequacy and efficiency of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), and undertake reviews of ABC and Special Broadcasting Service triennial funding;
• implement programs that improve access for regional and remote Australians, including Indigenous Australians, to television, radio, broadband and other telecommunications services;
• contribute to examining telecommunications privacy issues, including the implications for emergency services and law enforcement of changed access to personal telecommunications data;
• consolidate institutional reform of the communications regulators; and
• contribute to the outcomes of the World Summit for the Information Society Ministerial Meeting and the International Telecommunications Union Plenipotentiary Meeting.

Information economy

• support the development of Australia's ICT industry and the contribution of ICT to broader economic growth by implementing the established framework for industry growth and the Government's election commitments, including work on skills, ICT priorities, connectivity and standards development, and associated productivity studies;
• implement the Government's anti-spam strategy including establishing and leading international partnerships, improving anti-spam regulation in other countries and supporting anti-spam technical measures;
• support the protection of Australia's critical infrastructure by participating in the Critical Infrastructure Advisory Council framework and the implementation of the Government's e-Security National Agenda; and
• implement the National Broadband Strategy Action Plan.

Arts

• support the national leadership roles of the national collecting institutions through joint programs and initiatives, including the Community Heritage Grants program;
• manage the implementation of Government decisions arising from the Review of Australia's Pit and Symphony Orchestras, and the Review of the Australian National Academy of Music and the Australian Youth Orchestra;
• consolidate agency-wide strategic initiatives arising from the Review of Cultural Agencies;
• complete the Digital Content Industry Action Agenda;
• continue to evaluate and refine Old Parliament House's education and exhibition programs ahead of the National Portrait Gallery leaving the building in 2007–08;
• work with the project manager (Department of Finance and Administration) on the design and procurement phases of the National Portrait Gallery building project;
• develop a national Indigenous languages framework to guide the delivery of whole-of-government Indigenous language programs; and
• take a leadership role in the management and implementation of key Cultural Ministers' Council initiatives, including completing the redevelopment of the Collections Australia Network, establishing the Collections Council of Australia and developing a strategy for the future of the Return of Indigenous Cultural Property program.

Sport

• implement enhanced arrangements for investigating and hearing sports doping allegations;
• lead Australia's involvement in preparing the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) International Convention Against Doping in Sport;
• review the Indigenous Sport and Recreation Program to ensure that it provides an effective contribution to the whole-of-government approach to building Indigenous communities;
• ensure Australian Government representatives and Australian Government agencies are well supported during the staging of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games; and
• administer financial support for the development of sporting projects approved by the Australian Government.

The Department's achievement of these priorities is discussed in sections 2 and 3 of the report.

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Ministerial arrangements

Senator the Hon Helen Coonan served as Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts throughout 2005–06.

Senator the Hon Rod Kemp served as Minister for the Arts and Sport throughout 2005–06.

Department contact details

As at 30 June 2006, the Communications, Information Technology and the Arts portfolio consisted of the Department, including Artbank, Old Parliament House and the National Portrait Gallery, and 20 other agencies.

Contact details for the Department

Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts

38 Sydney Avenue Forrest ACT 2603
GPO Box 2154 Canberra ACT 2601
Tel: 02 6271 1000
Fax: 02 6271 1800
dcita.mail@dcita.gov.au
www.dcita.gov.au

Artbank
enquiries@artbank.gov.au
www.artbank.gov.au

Sydney showroom
50C Rosebery Avenue
Rosebery NSW 2018
Tel: 02 9662 8011
Fax: 02 9662 2563

Melbourne showroom
845 High Street Armadale Vic 3143
Tel: 03 9500 2119
Fax: 03 9500 2612

Old Parliament House
King George Terrace Parkes ACT 2600
GPO Box 2154 Canberra ACT 2601
Tel: 02 6270 8222
Fax: 02 6270 8111
info.oph@dcita.gov.au
www.oph.gov.au

National Portrait Gallery
Old Parliament House
King George Terrace Parkes ACT 2600
GPO Box 2154 Canberra ACT 2601
Tel: 02 6270 8210
Fax: 02 6270 8181
npg@dcita.gov.au
www.portrait.gov.au

Portfolio structure

Portfolio agencies as at 30 June 2006 are listed below.

Contact details are at appendix 1.

• Australia Business Arts Foundation
• Australia Council
• Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• Australian Communications and Media Authority
• Australian Film Commission
• Australian Film, Television and Radio School
• Australian National Maritime Museum
• Australian Postal Corporation
• Australian Sports Commission
• Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority
• 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
• NetAlert Limited
• Special Broadcasting Service Corporation
• Telstra Corporation Limited

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Department's organisational chart (overleaf)

The Department is organised into divisions which broadly support the outcome and output structure. The organisational chart overleaf reflects the organisational structure as at the end of June 2006.

DCITA Organisational chart (File size: 66Kb)

Departmental Executive

The Department's Executive comprises Helen Williams AO, secretary of the Department, Fay Holthuyzen, Deputy Secretary for Communications, Rod Badger, Deputy Secretary for Information Economy, and Lynn Bean, Acting Deputy Secretary for the Arts and Sport. The role of the Executive Group is discussed in detail in section 3 of this report.

The Department’s Executive, Lynn Bean (Acting Deputy Secretary, Arts and Sport), Helen Williams (Secretary), Dr Rod Badger (Deputy Secretary, Information Economy), Fay Holthuyzen (Deputy Secretary, Communications).

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Outcome and output structure

The Department has a diverse portfolio on which to report. This is based on the outcome and output structures established by the Portfolio Budget Statements for 2005–06 as set out below.

Outcome 1 Development of a rich and stimulating cultural sector for all Australians.

Output 1.1 Policy advice, program management and agency support which promotes excellence in, preservation and maintenance of, and access to Australia's cultural activities, cultural collections and Indigenous languages.

Output 1.2 Preservation of and access to Old Parliament House and the National Portrait Gallery and their respective collections.

Outcome 2 Development of a stronger and internationally competitive Australian sports sector and encouragement of greater participation in sport by all Australians.

Output 2.1 Policy advice, program management and agency support in relation to sports, anti-doping and industry development measures which support the Australian sports sector.

Outcome 3 Development of services and provision of a regulatory environment which encourages a sustainable and effective communications sector for the benefit of all Australians and an internationally competitive information economy and information and communications technology industry.

Output 3.1 Policy advice and program management which encourages competitively priced and reasonably accessible telecommunications and postal services.

Output 3.2 Policy advice and program management which promote accessible high-quality broadcasting services.

Output 3.3 Policy advice and program management that assist the development of the information and communications technology industry.

Output 3.4 Policy advice on intellectual property issues which supports the objectives of the portfolio, including encouraging the growth of the information economy, the production of content and the promotion of reasonable access to research and cultural materials.

Output 3.5 Strategic advice, activities and representation relating to Australia's development as an information economy, nationally and internationally.

Changes to the outcome and output structure