Corporate planning

The Corporate Plan is our primary planning tool and provides the framework within which we develop our strategies, objectives and work practices. It articulates our vision, mission and values, the factors that we perceive to be critical to our success, our key strategies for the coming year, and the outcomes that we hope to achieve for the community.

Through our commitment to delivering goods and services that accord with the priorities of Government, the Corporate Plan is linked intrinsically with the delivery of Government Outcomes. There is thus a close alignment between the Corporate Plan, the Department's annual budget as specified in the Budget Papers, and the Department's Annual Report.

As well as enabling us to manage performance at the corporate and branch level, our planning and reviewing processes assist us in managing individual performance. Each member of our staff has a performance agreement with his or her supervisor that is reviewed on a six-monthly basis at a Performance Management Interview. This feedback enables each individual to ensure that his or her performance remains focused on the achievement of organisational goals.

Corporate planning is an ongoing process where management and staff work together to frame our strategic direction and determine how we intend to achieve our goals. It encompasses a 12-month cycle of planning, reviewing and decision-making that is linked with the State Budget process. During this cycle we monitor and measure our corporate and branch performance on a quarterly basis. This is to ensure that, as a Department, we continue to meet or exceed agreed performance criteria.

Strategic direction-setting for the coming year occurs in October at a Senior Management Conference and this provides the context for the development of branch operating plans and the major project plans. These plans identify what we intend to do during the following financial year. As part of our budget-development process, Branch budgets are developed in November for inclusion in the State Budget by May. Branch Operating Plans are reviewed in May or June, to ensure that our identified activities and projects can be funded from within the corporate budget and that they remain focused on the Government's priorities for the coming year. The Corporate Plan for the coming year is then finalised, and presented to the Treasurer for endorsement.