The Financial Management Forum, which comprises of Treasury representatives and agency financial managers, is held three times per year, in March, May/June and October. The Financial Management Forum addresses current financial management issues, developing a strategic path for change. Often, inter-agency Working Groups are formed to address specific financial management issues.

The next Financial Management Forum will be held in March 2004. Current topics of interest for the Financial Management Forum include:

The 2004-05 State Budget

The 2004-05 State Budget will be tabled in Parliament in May 2004. Treasury and agency finance managers have been working closely to gain a common understanding of the environment in which the 2004-05 Budget will be developed.

The New Financial Reporting Framework

The Financial Management and Audit Amendment Act 2003 received Royal Assent on 4 July 2003. This Act introduced a new external financial reporting framework, amended the tabling date for annual reports and changed the arrangements for tabling special reports of the Auditor-General.

Until now, the Consolidated Fund result has represented the sole Headline Budget Measure. From 2003-04 onward, attention will focus on accrual-based statements for the General Government Sector. The new reporting framework includes:

• A half yearly reporting series reporting as at 31 December and 30 June. This series will continue to report on the Consolidated Fund as well as providing additional accrual based financial statements. The December report will provide a revised Budget outcome for the current Budget year, including explanations of the reasons for any changes in forecasts.
• A Treasurer's Annual Report to be released by 31 October each year. This will present the final Budget outcomes for the Headline Budget Measures, including audited Public Account information and mandatory statistical information. It will also include commentary on significant variations between the results and the original Budget estimates.
The Act also brought forward the tabling date for the annual report of agencies, Government Business Enterprises and certain statutory authorities from 30 November to 31 October, effective from 2003-04.

Currently there are four inter-agency Working Groups that report progress to each Financial Management Forum. The Working Groups include:

Financial Systems Management Group


The purpose of the Financial Management Systems User Group (FMSUG) is to provide an arena for the discussion of financial management systems issues. The FMSUG is concerned with broad issues concerning the management of information and will encompass activities such as strategic planning for the management of financial systems, TFRS mandatory requirements and systems integration.

The convenor of the Working Group is Craig Jeffery, who can be contacted on (03) 6233 3638, or via email at craig.jeffery@treasury.tas.gov.au.

Education and Training Working Group

In 2001, the Education and Training Strategy Working Group was established to develop strategies for ensuring the Tasmanian State Public Service has appropriate financial management knowledge and skills. Current outputs of the Working Group can be found on the Training and Education page.

The convenor of the Working Group is Debbie Sadler, who can be contacted on (03) 6233 3729, or via email at debbie.sadler@treasury.tas.gov.au.

Common Budget System Working Group

The principal role of the Common Budget System Working Group is to prepare high level specifications for the software needed for a whole-of-Government Common Budget System.

The convenor of the Working Group is Brian Smith from the Department of Justice and Industrial Relations, who can be contacted on (03) 6233 2161, or via email at brian.smith@justice.tas.gov.au.

Internal Control and Financial Risk Management Working Group.

The Internal Control Working Group will examine issues relating to financial risk management and internal control, commencing with the development of a best practice agency financial management manual.

The convenor of the Working Group is Michael McIntyre from the Department of Health and Human Services, who can be contacted on (03) 6233 4052, or via email at michael.mcintyre@dhhs.tas.gov.au.