Estimates of appropriations

Vote Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment - Environment Sector - Estimates 2020/21

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.

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.

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
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.
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
This appropriation is limited to remuneration expenses for the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment as authorised by section 9 of the Environment Act 1986.
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
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.
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