CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S REPORT

Chief Executive Officer

It is with a feeling of considerable pride that I commend to readers this report on the administration of Part 3 of the Migration Act 1958 by the Authority for the 2012–13 financial year. Overall performance improved in most areas of operations. In particular, service standards improved or were maintained despite an expectation that they would reduce somewhat due to the allocation of resources to the pending implementation of a new IT system and website. I directly attribute this result to the dedication and commitment of staff throughout the program year.

The former CEO, Christine Sykes, was farewelled in September 2012 after successfully leading the Authority through its first three years of operation. Christine’s stewardship of the office in its beginnings, particularly in building productive stakeholder relationships, is a legacy that will be long remembered.

I commenced as CEO on 2 October 2012 and have focused my efforts since then on further understanding stakeholder needs and developing the capability to respond to them appropriately. Intrinsic to our capability is the culture of the office. The directors and I continue to nurture a culture that is engaging, empowering and ethical. These attributes need to be embodied in everything we do in order for us to remain credible in performing our regulatory role.

Staff of the Authority play active leadership roles at all levels. This includes participation in business planning; policy workshops; committee work in areas such as learning and development; guidance and innovation; and business process design. The learning and development committee has been instrumental in identifying and increasing our capabilities. An important aspect of staff participation has been the development of a consistent shared understanding of the role of the Authority and its priorities.

My role has been strongly supported throughout the year by the advisory board and the counsel I have received from the Chair, Helen Williams. I would like to thank the Chair and all of the advisory board members for their insight and guidance.

Outlook for 2013–14

The coming program year is an exciting one. A new website will be launched, integrated with a new business application. In 2013–14 the Authority will be extending its outreach and stakeholder engagement activities. Improved risk management will be used to streamline registration, monitoring and complaint-handling functions. Consultation will continue on planning priorities and a strategic plan will be developed for public release.

Signature

Stephen Wood
Chief Executive Officer