The In Background and Context

ANAO Report No.10 2014–15 Administration of the Biodiversity Fund Program 35

2. Governance Arrangements

This chapter examines the governance and oversight arrangements established and implemented by Environment for the Biodiversity Fund program, as well as the development of a performance monitoring and reporting framework. Introduction

2.1 The

administration of programs requires effective governance arrangements to guide and support program delivery. The ANAO examined the governance arrangements implemented by Environment for the Biodiversity Fund program, including oversight arrangements, planning for the program, the assessment of risk and the establishment of a performance monitoring and reporting framework. 37 Administration and oversight arrangements

2.2 The

oversight arrangements established within Environment for the delivery of the Biodiversity Fund program were:  a Project Board chaired by one of Environment’s Deputy Secretaries, with representation from senior departmental executives. The Project Board’s role was to provide high‐level guidance on the planning, implementation and reporting requirements for the four Land Sector Package measures;  a Project Sponsor First Assistant Secretary level member of the Project Board who had overall responsibility for the delivery of the Biodiversity Fund program; and  a Project Manager Assistant Secretary with day‐to‐day responsibility for delivering Biodiversity Fund program activities. 37 As outlined in Chapter 1, the Biodiversity Fund program was one of a suite of measures being implemented under the Clean Energy Future CEF Initiative, which was being delivered by a number of Australian Government agencies. The department advised that there were a range of high-level oversight arrangements for implementation of CEF initiative, including an Inter-departmental Committee, the Clean Energy Future Plan Program Office, a Deputy Secretaries’ Steering Group, and Ministerial and Government scrutiny. The high level oversight and implementation arrangements for the CEF initiative as a whole were not examined as part of this audit. ANAO Report No.10 2014–15 Administration of the Biodiversity Fund Program 36

2.3 Following

the announcement of the CEF initiative in July 2011, Environment established a taskforce 38 to commence planning and implementation of Environment’s responsibilities under the Land Sector Package, including the Biodiversity Fund program. The taskforce prepared regular