Australian Human Rights Commission

Australian Human Rights Commission

Section 1: Entity overview and resources

1.1 Strategic direction statement

The Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) is Australia’s independent national human rights institution that is charged with promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, and with addressing discrimination.

The Commission works to build understanding of and respect for rights in our community. Its role is to conduct education and awareness-raising about rights and responsibilities, contribute to the prevention of discrimination and human rights breaches within society, and provide access to justice for discrimination and human rights breaches when they occur.

The Commission has identified two strategic priorities for 2014–17 of tackling violence, harassment and bullying, and working with business to improve productivity and promote best practice in respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The Commission is responsible for administering the following Acts:

•  Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986

•  Racial Discrimination Act 1975

•  Sex Discrimination Act 1984

•  Disability Discrimination Act 1992

•  Age Discrimination Act 2004.

Functions under these Acts are vested in the Commission as a whole, individual members, the President as Chief Executive Officer or the Attorney-General. The Commission also has functions under the Fair Work Act 2009 and Native Title Act 1994.

The Commission works closely with other government entities, the business community, the non-government sector and individuals to fulfil its role. The Commission aims to provide an independent, timely and effective complaint handling function in accordance with legislative requirements and best practice.

Its services are evaluated through both qualitative and quantitative measures, including a customer satisfaction survey of complainants and respondents to services through the Commission’s Investigation and Conciliation Service.

In the 2014–15 Budget, the government announced that the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner would cease operation from 1January2015, with an Office of the Privacy Commissioner established as a separate statutory office within the Australian Human Rights Commission, exercising statutory privacy functions under the Privacy Act 1988 and related legislation.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner will be independent of the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Privacy Commissioner will not be a Human Rights Commissioner for the purposes of the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986.
The Commission will provide administrative services to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner under agreement.

As the legislation giving effect to these changes has not passed Parliament, the funding appropriated to the Commission for the privacy functions will instead be appropriated to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner in 2015–16.

1.2 Entity resource statement

Table 1.1 shows the total resources from all sources.

Table 1.1: Entity resource statement—Budget estimates for 2015–16 as at Budget May 2015

Source / Actual available appropriation
2014–15
$’000 / Estimate of prior year amounts available in 2015–16 $’000 / Proposed at Budget 2015–16 $’000 / Total estimate 2015–16 $’000
Opening balance/reserves at bank / 8,835 / 14,435 / – / 14,435
REVENUE FROM GOVERNMENT
Ordinary annual services(a)
Outcome 1 / 18,641 / – / 15,515 / 15,515
Total ordinary annual services / 18,641 / – / 15,515 / 15,515
Other services(b)
Non-operating / 51 / – / – / –
Total other services / 51 / – / – / –
Total annual appropriations / 18,692 / – / 15,515 / 15,515
Payments from related entities(c)
Amounts from other entities / 6,035 / – / 6,577 / 6,577
Total / 6,035 / – / 6,577 / 6,577
Total funds from government / 33,562 / 14,435 / 22,092 / 36,527
FUNDS FROM OTHER SOURCES
Interest / 350 / – / 350 / 350
Sale of goods and services / 525 / – / 571 / 571
Total / 875 / – / 921 / 921
Total net resourcing for entity / 34,437 / 14,435 / 23,013 / 37,448

All figures are GST exclusive.

The Commission is not directly appropriated as it is a corporate Commonwealth entity. Appropriations are made to the Attorney-General’s Department which are then paid to the Commission and are considered ‘departmental’ for all purposes.

(a) Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2015–16.

(b) Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2015–16.

(c) Funding provided by a government entity that is not specified in the annual Appropriation Bills as a payment to the corporate entity.

1.3 Budget measures

Budget measures announced since the 2014–15 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) relating to the Commission are detailed in Budget Paper No.2 and are summarised in Part1 of Table1.2. MYEFO measures and other measures not previously reported in a portfolio statement are summarised in Part2.

Table 1.2: Entity 2015–16 Budget measures

Part 1: Measures announced since the 2014–15 MYEFO

Programme / 2014–15 $’000 / 2015–16 $’000 / 2016–17 $’000 / 2017–18 $’000 / 2018–19 $’000
Expense measures
National Security—Implementation of mandatory telecommunications data retention / 1.1
Departmental expenses / – / – / 1,089 / 988 / 965
Total expense measures / – / – / 1,089 / 988 / 965

Prepared on a Government Finance Statistics (fiscal) basis.

Part 2: MYEFO measures and other measures not previously reported in a portfolio statement

Programme / 2014–15 $’000 / 2015–16 $’000 / 2016–17 $’000 / 2017–18 $’000 / 2018–19 $’000
Measures
Communications and Public Affairs Functions—targeted savings / 1.1
Departmental expenses / (32) / (64) / (64) / (65) / –
Funding for pre-existing measures affecting the public sector / 1.1
Departmental expenses / 210 / – / – / – / –
Total / 178 / (64) / (64) / (65) / –

Prepared on a Government Finance Statistics (fiscal) basis.

Section 2: Outcomes and planned performance

2.1 Outcomes and performance information

Government outcomes are the intended results, impacts or consequences of actions by the government on the Australian community. Commonwealth programmes are the primary vehicle by which government entities achieve the intended results of their outcome statements. Entities are required to identify the programmes that contribute to government outcomes over the budget and forward years.

The Commission’s outcome is described below together with its related programme, specifying the performance indicators and targets used to assess and monitor the performance of the Commission in achieving government outcomes.

Outcome 1: An Australian society in which human rights are respected, protected and promoted through independent investigation and resolution of complaints, education and research to promote and eliminate discrimination, and monitoring, and reporting on human rights
Outcome 1 strategy

The main focus of the Commission is the protection and promotion of human rights. Its role is to foster and enhance human rights, contribute to the prevention of discrimination within society and assist in redressing discrimination when it occurs.

Outcome 1 expense statement

Table 2.1 provides an overview of the total expenses for Outcome 1, by programme.

Table 2.1: Budgeted expenses for Outcome 1

Outcome 1: An Australian society in which human rights are respected, protected and promoted through independent investigation and resolution of complaints, education and research to promote and eliminate discrimination, and monitoring, and reporting on human rights / 2014–15 Estimated actual expenses $’000 / 2015–16 Estimated expenses $’000
Programme 1.1: Australians have access to independent human rights complaint handling and public inquiries processes and benefit from human rights education, promotion and monitoring, and compliance activities
Revenue from government
Ordinary annual services (Appropriation Bill No. 1) / 18,641 / 15,515
Payment from related entities / 6,366 / 6,899
Resources received free of charge / 51 / 51
Revenues from other independent sources / 554 / 600
Total expenses for Outcome 1 / 25,612 / 23,065
2014–15 / 2015–16
Average staffing level (number) / 120 / 111

Note: Departmental appropriation splits and totals are indicative estimates and may change in the course of the budget year as government priorities change.

Contributions to Outcome 1
Programme 1.1: Australians have access to independent human rights complaint handling and public inquiries processes and benefit from human rights education, promotion and monitoring, and compliance activities
Programme 1.1 objective
The Commission:
•  investigates alleged infringements under the federal anti-discrimination and human rights legislation
•  inquires into acts or practices that may impinge on human rights or may be discriminatory
•  fosters public discussion, and undertakes and coordinates research and educational programmes to promote human rights and eliminate discrimination.
Programme 1.1 expenses
2014–15 Estimated actual $’000 / 2015–16 Budget $’000 / 2016–17 Forward estimate $’000 / 2017–18 Forward estimate $’000 / 2018–19 Forward estimate $’000
Annual departmental expenses
Departmental item / 25,612 / 23,065 / 31,998 / 32,262 / 34,293
Total programme expenses / 25,612 / 23,065 / 31,998 / 32,262 / 34,293
Programme 1.1 deliverables
Over the budget and forward years, and beyond, the Commission will achieve its objective by delivering:
•  a complaint handling service for the investigation and resolution of complaints
•  educational programmes and research to promote and eliminate discrimination
•  inquiries into acts or practices that may impinge on human rights or may be discriminatory
•  monitoring and compliance activities, and reporting on human rights.
Programme 1.1 key performance indicators
Key performance indicators / 2014–15 Estimated actual / 2015–16 Budget / 2016–17 Forward estimate / 2017–18 Forward estimate / 2018–19 Forward estimate
Customer/stakeholder survey to rate the effectiveness of major educational and promotional activity / 80%
rate as effective / 80%
rate as effective / 80%
rate as effective / 80%
rate as effective / 80%
rate as effective
Percentage of parties satisfied with the overall investigation and complaint handling process / 80% / 80% / 80% / 80% / 80%
Percentage of complaints finalised within 12 months / 80% / 80% / 80% / 80% / 80%
Percentage of complaints conciliated per annum / 30% / 30% / 30% / 30% / 30%
Extent of contact with government, community and industry groups / distribute >70,000 publications and >35million website hits / distribute >70,000 publications and >35million website hits / distribute >70,000 publications and >35million website hits / distribute >70,000 publications and >35million website hits / distribute >70,000 publications and >35million website hits

Section 3: Explanatory tables and budgeted financial statements

Section 3 presents explanatory tables and budgeted financial statements that provide a comprehensive snapshot of entity finances for the 2015–16 budget year. It explains how budget plans are incorporated into the financial statements and provides further details of the reconciliation between appropriations and programme expenses, and government Indigenous expenditure.

3.1 Explanatory tables

3.1.1 Movement of administered funds between years

The Commission has no administered funds.

3.1.2 Special accounts

The Commission has no special accounts.

3.1.3 Australian Government Indigenous expenditure

Table 3.1.3: Australian Government Indigenous expenditure (AGIE)

Approp Bill No. 1 $’000 / Approp Bill No. 2 $’000 / Special approp $’000 / Total approp $’000 / Other $’000 / Total $’000 / Programme
Outcome 1
Departmental 2015–16 / 715 / – / – / 715 / 150 / 865 / 1.1
Departmental 2014–15 / 739 / – / – / 739 / 150 / 889 / 1.1
Total AGIE 2015–16 / 715 / – / – / 715 / 150 / 865
Total AGIE 2014–15 / 739 / – / – / 739 / 150 / 889

3.2 Budgeted financial statements

3.2.1 Differences in entity resourcing and financial statements

There is no material difference between the entity resourcing and financial statements.

3.2.2 Analysis of budgeted financial statements
Income statement

In 2015–16, income is budgeted at $23.065m. This is a net decrease of $2.547m on the 2014–15 estimated actual of $25.612m. The decrease in revenue arises primarily from a net decrease in revenue from government.

The Commission’s revenue from government in 2015–16 has decreased from a revised 2014–15 estimate of $18.641m to $15.515m. This is the net result of new measures, cumulative parameter adjustments, the application of the efficiency dividend and targeted savings.

Own-source revenue funding arising from service fees and direct cost recoveries is projected to be $7.499m in 2015–16. The revenues arise primarily from the supply of international human rights technical assistance programmes to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, accommodation and shared services under a memorandum of understanding with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, and interest income from bank deposits with the Reserve Bank of Australia. The 2015–16 period also includes projected cost recoveries from collaboration with the Australian Defence Force on a project for cultural reform.

The expenditure reflects the anticipated costs of delivering the Commission’s deliverables under its outcome and fee-for-service activities identified above for the 2015–16 Budget and forward estimates.

Balance sheet

In 2015–16 the Commission anticipates capital expenditure of $0.306m for the purchase and replacement of end-of-life assets and equipment.

3.2.3 Budgeted financial statements tables

Table 3.2.1: Comprehensive income statement (showing net cost of services)
for the period ended 30June

2014–15 Estimated actual $’000 / 2015–16 Budget $’000 / 2016–17 Forward estimate $’000 / 2017–18 Forward estimate $’000 / 2018–19 Forward estimate $’000
EXPENSES
Employee benefits / 17,404 / 15,090 / 22,971 / 22,983 / 24,933
Suppliers / 7,313 / 7,080 / 7,322 / 7,917 / 8,127
Depreciation and amortisation / 895 / 895 / 1,705 / 1,362 / 1,233
Total expenses / 25,612 / 23,065 / 31,998 / 32,262 / 34,293
LESS:
OWN-SOURCE INCOME
Own-source revenue
Sale of goods and rendering of services / 5,585 / 6,164 / 9,511 / 9,710 / 9,615
Interest / 350 / 350 / 400 / 400 / 400
Rental income / 985 / 985 / – / – / –
Total own-source revenue / 6,920 / 7,499 / 9,911 / 10,110 / 10,015
Gains
Other / 51 / 51 / 84 / 84 / 84
Total gains / 51 / 51 / 84 / 84 / 84
Total own-source income / 6,971 / 7,550 / 9,995 / 10,194 / 10,099
Net cost of (contribution by) services / 18,641 / 15,515 / 22,003 / 22,068 / 24,194
Revenue from government / 18,641 / 15,515 / 22,003 / 22,068 / 24,194
Surplus (deficit) attributable to the Australian Government / – / – / – / – / –
OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Changes in asset revaluation surplus / – / – / – / – / –
Total other comprehensive income / – / – / – / – / –
Total comprehensive income (loss) / – / – / – / – / –
Total comprehensive income (loss) attributable to the Australian Government / – / – / – / – / –

Prepared on Australian Accounting Standards basis.