Formats and related files
Vote Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment#
APPROPRIATION MINISTER(S): Speaker of the House of Representatives (M78)
APPROPRIATION ADMINISTRATOR: Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
RESPONSIBLE MINISTER FOR PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSIONER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT: Speaker of the House of Representatives
Overview of the Vote#
The position of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment was established by the Environment Act 1986 to provide Members of Parliament with independent, high quality advice about environmental matters. Advice is generally in the form of reports on investigations, and presentations and submissions to select committees.
The Commissioner has seven statutory functions under the Environment Act to investigate environmental issues, processes, and public agencies. As an Officer of Parliament, the Commissioner has a unique opportunity to provide Parliament with independent advice in its consideration of any matters that may have an impact on the quality of the environment. The Commissioner also communicates his advice to a wider public audience.
The Commissioner is required to deliver one output, Reports and Advice. The Vote comprises:
- one output expense of $3.362 million for Reports and Advice
- other expense of $338,000 for the Commissioner's Remuneration under Permanent Legislative Authority, and
- capital expenditure of $72,000 under Permanent Legislative Authority for office equipment, furniture and fittings.
Details of these appropriations are set out in Parts 2-4.
Details of Appropriations and Capital Injections#
Annual Appropriations and Forecast Permanent Appropriations#
2019/20 | 2020/21 | ||
---|---|---|---|
Titles and Scopes of Appropriations by Appropriation Type | Final Budgeted $000 |
Estimated Actual $000 |
Budget $000 |
Departmental Output Expenses |
|||
Reports and Advice (M78) This appropriation is limited to reviewing, investigating, providing reports and advice on the legal and other systems governing management of the environment and the performance of central and local government agencies in maintaining and improving the quality of the environment. |
3,362 | 3,361 | 3,362 |
Total Departmental Output Expenses |
3,362 | 3,361 | 3,362 |
Departmental Other Expenses |
|||
Remuneration of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment PLA (M78) This appropriation is limited to remuneration expenses for the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment as authorised by section 9 of the Environment Act 1986. |
338 | 338 | 338 |
Total Departmental Other Expenses |
338 | 338 | 338 |
Departmental Capital Expenditure |
|||
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment - Capital Expenditure PLA (M78) This appropriation is limited to the purchase or development of assets by and for the use of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, as authorised by section 24(1) of the Public Finance Act 1989. |
72 | 72 | 72 |
Total Departmental Capital Expenditure |
72 | 72 | 72 |
Total Annual Appropriations and Forecast Permanent Appropriations |
3,772 | 3,771 | 3,772 |
Capital Injection Authorisations#
2019/20 | 2020/21 | ||
---|---|---|---|
Final Budgeted $000 |
Estimated Actual $000 |
Budget $000 |
|
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment - Capital Injection (M78) | - | - | - |
Supporting Information#
Part 1 - Vote as a Whole#
This part provides trend information for the vote.
1.2 - Trends in the Vote#
Summary of Financial Activity
2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Actual $000 |
Actual $000 |
Actual $000 |
Actual $000 |
Final Budgeted $000 |
Estimated Actual $000 |
Departmental Transactions Budget $000 |
Non- Departmental Transactions Budget $000 |
Total Budget $000 |
Estimated $000 |
Estimated $000 |
Estimated $000 |
|
Appropriations |
||||||||||||
Output Expenses | 2,873 | 3,005 | 2,924 | 3,150 | 3,362 | 3,362 | 3,362 | - | 3,362 | 3,362 | 3,362 | 3,362 |
Benefits or Related Expenses | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A | - | - | - | - | - |
Borrowing Expenses | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Other Expenses | 323 | 326 | 326 | 337 | 338 | 338 | 338 | - | 338 | 338 | 338 | 338 |
Capital Expenditure | 71 | 46 | 72 | 75 | 72 | 72 | 72 | - | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 |
Intelligence and Security Department Expenses and Capital Expenditure | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A | - | - | - | - |
Multi-Category Expenses and Capital Expenditure (MCA) | ||||||||||||
Output Expenses | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Other Expenses | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Capital Expenditure | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A | - | - | - | - | - |
Total Appropriations |
3,267 | 3,377 | 3,322 | 3,562 | 3,772 | 3,772 | 3,772 | - | 3,772 | 3,772 | 3,772 | 3,772 |
Crown Revenue and Capital Receipts |
||||||||||||
Tax Revenue | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A | - | - | - | - | - |
Non-Tax Revenue | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A | - | - | - | - | - |
Capital Receipts | - | - | - | - | - | - | N/A | - | - | - | - | - |
Total Crown Revenue and Capital Receipts |
- | - | - | - | - | - | N/A | - | - | - | - | - |
Note - where restructuring of the vote has occurred then, to the extent practicable, prior years information has been restated as if the restructuring had occurred before the beginning of the period covered. In this instance Total Appropriations for the Budgeted and Estimated Actual year may not equal Total Annual Appropriations and Forecast Permanent Appropriations and Multi-Year Appropriations in the Details of Appropriations and Capital Injections.
Adjustments to the Summary of Financial Activity Table Due to Vote Restructuring
There have been no restructuring adjustments to prior year information in the Summary of Financial Activity table.
1.3 - Analysis of Significant Trends#
The appropriations for the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment remained unchanged between 2010/11 and 2012/13. In the 2013/14 financial year a $100,000 increase to baseline funding was given to meet increasing cost pressures that had been absorbed in prior years.
For 2014/15 and 2015/16 financial years a $450,000 increase to baseline was to meet the resource requirements necessary to carry out the additional outputs required by the Environment Reporting Act 2015. This funding, for the outputs associated with the Environmental Reporting Act 2015, increased to $550,000 in 2016/17 and out-years.
For the 2016/17 year specifically, a one off increase of $60,000 to the appropriation for the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment is to meet the cost of recruitment of the new Commissioner in that year.
The Commissioner's remuneration, as set by the Remuneration Authority, has been increased by $10,000 from $326,000 to $336,000, for the 2017/18 and subsequent years.
From 2018/19 year and out-years, there is an increase of $384,000 to the office's permanent baseline in order to achieve the objective of providing independent, robust and timely advice to Members of Parliament.
The Commissioner's remuneration, as set by the Remuneration Authority, has been increased by $1,000 from $336,000 to $337,000, for the 2018/19 and subsequent years.
The Commissioner's remuneration, as set by the Remuneration Authority, has been increased by $1,000 from $337,000 to $338,000, for the 2019/20 and subsequent years.
Part 2 - Details of Departmental Appropriations#
2.1 - Departmental Output Expenses#
Reports and Advice (M78)
Scope of Appropriation
Expenses and Revenue
2019/20 | 2020/21 | ||
---|---|---|---|
Final Budgeted $000 |
Estimated Actual $000 |
Budget $000 |
|
Total Appropriation | 3,362 | 3,361 | 3,362 |
Revenue from the Crown | 3,359 | 3,359 | 3,359 |
Revenue from Others | 3 | 3 | 3 |
What is Intended to be Achieved with this Appropriation
The position of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment was established by the Environment Act 1986 to provide Members of Parliament with independent, high quality advice about environmental matters.
Decisions to change law, policy and institutional arrangements are the responsibility of Parliament, central government, and local government. Implementing these decisions, and monitoring their impact on the environment, is the responsibility of government agencies.
Over the 2020/21 year, the Commissioner will continue to produce a body of reports and advice aimed at improving environmental decision-making, the implementation of decisions, and public understanding, especially of environmental science.
How Performance will be Assessed and End of Year Reporting Requirements
2019/20 | 2020/21 | ||
---|---|---|---|
Assessment of Performance | Final Budgeted Standard |
Estimated Actual |
Budget Standard |
Proportion of recommendations adopted or partially adopted |
65% | 60% | 65% |
Number of reports and commentaries |
6-8 | 3 | 6-8 |
Briefings to Members of Parliament |
30 | 30 | 30 |
Reports and commentaries externally peer reviewed |
100% | 100% | 100% |
Response to public concerns and information requests within agreed timeframes |
100% | 96% | 100% |
Provision to follow up reports within recommended timeframes |
100% | 100% | 100% |
Other advise to Parliament |
4-8 | 4-8 | 4-8 |
End of Year Performance Reporting
Performance information for the Office will be reported by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment in the Annual Report that is to be presented to the House.
2.2 - Departmental Other Expenses#
Remuneration of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment PLA (M78)
Scope of Appropriation
Expenses
2019/20 | 2020/21 | ||
---|---|---|---|
Final Budgeted $000 |
Estimated Actual $000 |
Budget $000 |
|
Total Appropriation | 338 | 338 | 338 |
What is Intended to be Achieved with this Appropriation
This appropriation is intended to achieve payment to the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment as determined by the Remuneration Authority.
How Performance will be Assessed and End of Year Reporting Requirements
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment leads the performance of the Office. The performance of the Office's activities, including the above payment, is reflected in the information for departmental output appropriations.
End of Year Performance Reporting
Performance information for the Office will be reported by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment in the Annual Report that is to be presented to the House.
2.3 - Departmental Capital Expenditure and Capital Injections#
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment - Capital Expenditure PLA (M78)
Scope of Appropriation
Capital Expenditure
2019/20 | 2020/21 | ||
---|---|---|---|
Final Budgeted $000 |
Estimated Actual $000 |
Budget $000 |
|
Forests/Agricultural | - | - | - |
Land | - | - | - |
Property, Plant and Equipment | 72 | 72 | 72 |
Intangibles | - | - | - |
Other | - | - | - |
Total Appropriation |
72 | 72 | 72 |
What is Intended to be Achieved with this Appropriation
This appropriation is intended to achieve the replacement and/or upgrade of assets in support of the delivery of the Office's services.
How Performance will be Assessed and End of Year Reporting Requirements
Expenditure is in accordance with the Commissioner's capital asset management policy.
End of Year Performance Reporting
Performance information for this appropriation will be reported by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment in the Annual Report that is to be presented to the House.
Capital Injections and Movements in Departmental Net Assets
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
Details of Net Asset Schedule | 2019/20 Estimated Actual $000 |
2020/21 Projected $000 |
Explanation of Projected Movements in 2020/21 |
---|---|---|---|
Opening Balance | 611 | 611 | |
Capital Injections | - | - | |
Capital Withdrawals | - | - | |
Surplus to be Retained (Deficit Incurred) | - | - | |
Other Movements | - | - | |
Closing Balance |
611 | 611 |