2019–2023 Corporate Plan
I, as the accountable authority of the Australian Electoral Commission, present the 2019–2023 Corporate Plan, which covers the period 2019–2023, as required under paragraph 35(1)(b) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.
Tom Rogers
Electoral Commissioner
This is the AEC’s corporate plan for 2019–2023. The information below provides a high-level outline of the elements in our plan and what they mean. Subsequent pages explore these elements in more detail and show how they work together to deliver our purpose. Our corporate plan sets the AEC’s strategic direction over a four-year period.
Our purpose is to maintain an impartial and independent electoral system for eligible voters through active electoral roll management, efficient delivery of polling services, and targeted education and public awareness programs.
Our vision outlines our aspirations for the future and guides our internal decision making.
Our agency directions are our medium to long-term objectives. They guide what we do, how we prioritise and how we promote continuous improvement.
Our functions enable us to deliver our purpose.
Our activities enable us to deliver our functions and are guided by our agency directions.
Our environment outlines the factors or influences that may impact the operation of our agency and how we deliver our purpose.
Our risks outlines potential issues or threats we need to mitigate to ensure we deliver our purpose.
Our capability includes our people, processes and the systems we need to deliver our purpose, and who we cooperate with to do this.
Our performance outlines the results and level of performance expected in meeting our agency directions, and through them, our purpose.
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is an independent statutory authority established by the Australian Government to:
Our vision
Our agency directionsOur agency directions are:
Our directions remain the same as the previous corporate plan, and are explained in more detail below.
Our activities are the tasks and projects we complete to achieve outcomes against each direction.
Our activities are guided by our agency directions and are listed in more detail against individual directions in this corporate plan.
Our corporate plan fits within the broader APS Performance Management Framework required under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act).
Our corporate plan informs and draws from the Portfolio Budget Statements (PBS) which define our purpose and the proposed funding allocation to achieve this.
In the PBS, the AEC has one outcome: Program 1.1 — To deliver electoral events.
We report on our performance through our agency directions. The table following maps the performance criteria in the PBS against the AEC’s agency directions. Our performance against each agency direction is detailed below.
| Performance criteria | Agency directions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
Elections, by-elections and referendums
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Electoral roll management
|
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Party registrations and financial disclosure
|
Yes | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
Public awareness
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Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | Yes | Yes |
Our environmentThe 2019 federal election was an opportunity to demonstrate our ongoing efforts to modernise. Increased use of electronic certified lists and improvements to our supply chain management are examples of the modernisation we have achieved.
However, the way we conduct elections must continue to evolve to meet increasing public and stakeholder expectations. We must remain vigilant about physical and online security, as well as information privacy. We continue to grow our efforts to ensure safe and secure elections, while prescriptive and ageing legislation presents some challenges. These factors continue to create a complex and dynamic operating environment for the AEC.
The Australian electoral system presents a number of unique challenges. With no fixed date for federal elections we must be ready to deliver an electoral event at any point in the electoral cycle. We do this through effective election planning and balancing the appropriate level of ‘election readiness’ with risks and cost.
As evidenced by high levels of voting before polling day in the 2019 federal election, we are acutely aware of greater demands for more accessible and convenient voting options. The AEC goes above and beyond to provide early, postal, inter-division and interstate, mobile and overseas voting options and services within the remit of our legislation. Comprehensive preparations and planning and key partnerships with various service providers ensure that we are able to deliver these often logistically complex voting options with the appropriate number of ballot papers, materials and temporary workforce in place to enable a seamless and nationally consistent voter experience.
Demand for these voting services continues to grow as our population increases. Advances in technology offer opportunities for the AEC to reinvent and evolve the way we conduct our business. While acknowledging and managing the changing cyber security environment, the AEC continues to seize opportunities to incorporate technological solutions to deliver more efficient electoral events and internal processes, train and support our staff, and provide a voting experience in-line with stakeholder expectations—all while actively managing the associated challenges and risks.
The Electoral Act outlines a highly prescriptive process for conducting elections which must be balanced with evolving technological, demographic and stakeholder demands for error free, transparent, modern and efficient electoral events. This presents the AEC with an ongoing challenge which we methodically and strategically manage through the six agency directions outlined in this plan.
Our operating environment is more complex and unpredictable than ever before. We must be able to adapt and respond to new challenges to effectively engage with and manage risk. It is also crucial that we meet Australian Government and community expectations.
The AEC’s commitment to maturing our risk management framework and strengthening organisational capability continues. This means we will:
An important component of the AEC’s governance framework is the risk management policy, which applies to all employees, contractors and the temporary workforce. This policy defines:
Our risk appetite statement specifies that the AEC accepts low and medium levels of risk and prefers not to accept high and extreme risks. As guided by our purpose, the following table lists our strategic and enterprise risks and impacts.
Our purpose is to maintain an impartial and independent electoral system for eligible voters through active electoral roll management, efficient delivery of polling services, and targeted education and public awareness programs.
Risks The Commonwealth Electoral Act and the AEC’s current operating model loses relevance to the modern day service delivery experience and expectation of electors and stakeholders. |
Risk Impact
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The AEC is unable to uphold electoral integrity and transparency against a changing environment of domestic and global threats. |
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AEC fails to build trusting relationships with electors, political stakeholders and the government. |
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The AEC cannot source and maintain a capable and trained APS and temporary workforce. |
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The AEC is not properly positioned for the future and is unable to deliver its core business and services as its systems and processes are not sustainable, relevant and modern. |
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To ensure we can continue to deliver effective and secure elections into the future, we must modernise the way we do business and adapt to change. We work with a range of Commonwealth Government agencies to protect our electoral integrity.
We remain focused on modernising our processes, delivery model, IT systems and approach to workforce management, and cooperate with others to maximise sustainability.
Our strategic planning and day-to-day operations are guided by the AEC’s values of electoral integrity through quality, agility and professionalism. Our values frame how AEC staff work to maintain our commitment to electoral integrity. This means:
IT systems and infrastructure are key to our delivery of electoral events. To leverage advancements in technology, we must re-develop our IT election systems to better respond to contemporary election and security risks, improve practices, and create process efficiencies.
Our core election and enrolment systems are ageing and costly to maintain. We continue to progress a business case for the replacement of these systems so:
The AEC’s information communication technology (ICT) strategy helps to plan IT investment and aligns capability with the AEC’s long-term corporate planning. The ICT strategy aims to provide resilient, modern and secure systems informed by data and insights, and to upskill teams to develop innovative new products and services.
The AEC is fully committed to its cyber security program to manage the threat of cyber-attacks. The AEC works closely with partner Australian Government security agencies to maintain compliance and to better understand the cyber security threat environment. Cooperation with electoral management bodies around the world, including the Electoral Council of Australia and New Zealand, coupled with cyber security training, work to mitigate the risk of cyber security incidents.
The AEC’s workforce is integral to delivering successful electoral events, and must be underpinned by an organisational structure that supports modernisation and workforce planning.
Our evolving organisational design allows us to continue
delivering high quality electoral services, while ensuring we
have the required capability to address future objectives,
and to guide our approach and future investment.
With a network of APS officers across Australia and a temporary election workforce of around 90,000 at a federal election, the AEC continues to focus on ensuring that both temporary and permanent staff are appropriately trained and supported. A national training and education unit ensures we deliver on our strategic priority to professionalise our workforce.
The AEC performance frameworkThe AEC Performance Reporting Framework guides our approach to developing, managing and reporting our performance information. It is reviewed each year in line with the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.
This year, our six agency directions and intended results stay the same, while our performance criteria and methods of measurement have been further refined to ensure we are focused on achieving our outcomes.
In 2018–19 we combined our two reporting cycles: the electoral cycle and the PGPA Act reporting cycle. Our corporate plan addresses both of these through our agency directions. Externally we report on a four-year cycle through the PGPA Act. Internally, we are focused on a three-year electoral cycle encompassing the three phases of election readiness used in our election readiness framework:
While we must always be ready to deliver an electoral event, each phase of the election readiness framework directs the activities to be undertaken, and the performance measures for the year. We moved into the ‘mobilisation’ phase in 2018–19 to deliver the federal election in May. We will move through ‘evaluate and learn’ in 2019–20.
The 2019 federal election provided an opportunity to further improve our performance framework through our approach to lessons management. Through this cycle of improvement, we continue to link internal planning and reporting to ensure performance priorities are agreed and reported on, both internally and externally.
The 2019 federal election provided an opportunity to further improve our performance framework through our approach to lessons management.
| Our intentions | Our environment risk and capability | Our activities 2019–20 and beyond |
|---|---|---|
| Our intended state | The characteristics of our environment and how we will build capability | The activities we will undertake to deliver our purpose |
We provide the public and our stakeholders with the best possible electoral services, including enrolment, election delivery, political party registration, and funding and disclosure. We maintain public awareness of electoral matters and voting obligations through effective communication and targeted education and community engagement activities. |
Characteristics of our environment:
How we build capability:
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Progress election readiness for 2021-22 federal election. Deliver electoral events in accordance with legislation, and the AEC’s strategies, policies and procedures. Actively manage the electoral roll throughout the electoral cycle. Support the timely conduct of electoral redistributions. Deliver joint roll services to state and territory electoral commissions. Provide the Australian public with targeted, accurate and impartial information and education on electoral matters. Develop a self-service platform to more efficiently enable political parties to engage with the AEC as they carry out their legislative responsibilities and obligations. Deliver industrial elections and protected action ballots in accordance with relevant legislation and rules. |
| Performance criteria | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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N/A | N/A | Yes | N/A |
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N/A | N/A | Yes | N/A |
| Performance criteria | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Performance criteria | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Performance criteria | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
* Based on a federal election being held every three years. The AEC also supports referendums, plebiscites and by-elections as required.
** Benchmarking follows federal election only.
***Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, young people, people with disability, people experiencing homelessness, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and prisoners.
| Our intentions | Our environment and capability | Our activities 2019–20 and beyond |
|---|---|---|
| Our intended state | The characteristics of our environment and how we will build capability | The activities we will undertake to delivery our purpose |
The model for delivering electoral events and services is robust, nationally consistent and built for continual evolution through all phases of the electoral cycle – maintaining the electoral roll, election planning, readiness and delivery. We are always driving efforts to improve our enrolment and election management systems. This is designed to ensure we are planning for, and delivering, modern and safe enrolment and polling services into the future. |
Characteristics of our environment:
How we build capability:
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Further embed lessons management capability within the AEC. Progress modernisation of core AEC election and roll management systems. Further mature the AEC’s Election Ready Road Map. Mature the supply chain for future election delivery. |
| Performance criteria | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Performance criteria | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
* Based on a federal election being held every three years. The AEC also supports referendums and plebiscites.
| Our intentions | Our environment risk and capability | Our activities 2019–20 and beyond |
|---|---|---|
| Our intended state | The characteristics of our environment and how we will build capability | The activities we will undertake to deliver our purpose |
Effective, efficient and mature agency-wide governance arrangements are in place with assurance processes. We are strategically focused and organisationally aligned to deliver our expected outcomes. |
Characteristics of our environment:
How we build capability:
|
Support a funding review of the AEC and implement outcomes. Implement the AEC’s ICT Strategic Plan which aligns technology with the AEC’s corporate plan priorities to support modernisation and change. Agency operations and decision-making is informed by accurate and timely business intelligence. |
| Performance criteria | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Our intentions | Our environment risk and capability | Our activities 2019–20 and beyond |
|---|---|---|
| Our intended state | The characteristics of our environment and how we will build capability | The activities we will undertake to deliver our purpose |
We further professionalise electoral management and delivery. We do this through attracting, developing and retaining a professional and agile workforce. Our approach to training is centrallyled and nationally consistent. Staff at all levels have clear learning pathways. We engage with our temporary staff through the electoral cycle, continually improving and optimising recruitment and training for the temporary election workforce. |
Characteristics of our environment:
How we build capability:
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Further develop the AEC’s HR strategy to manage our workforce. Continue to develop, deliver and evaluate training and development opportunities for our permanent and temporary workforce that build critical operational and professional capabilities appropriate to their role and level. Develop a capability framework and training and development strategy to guide our approach and future investment. |
| Performance criteria | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Our intentions | Our environment risk and capability | Our activities 2019–20 and beyond |
|---|---|---|
| Our intended state | The characteristics of our environment and how we will build capability | The activities we will undertake to deliver our purpose |
We have productive and valued relationships with our stakeholders. They understand our role and our values, and uphold our reputation as an electoral management body. Our relationships with the Minister, Parliament, and key agencies help us shape expectations and increase understanding of our operating environment – both our opportunities and risks. |
Characteristics of our environment:
How we build capability:
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Provide information and advice to the Minister, Parliament and key agencies on electoral administration and operations. Work to maintain electoral integrity from electoral fraud or non-compliance with the Electoral Act. Work with relevant Commonwealth agencies and stakeholders to mitigate threats from malicious cyber activity, physical means, foreign interference or disinformation. Engage and collaborate with other electoral management bodies to improve systems, services and learning through knowledge sharing. Undertake strategic engagement with developing countries and emerging democracies on electoral administration, consistent with the Australian Government’s national interest and foreign policy objectives. |
| Performance criteria | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Our intentions | Our environment risk and capability | Our activities 2019–20 and beyond |
|---|---|---|
| Our intended state | The characteristics of our environment and how we will build capability | The activities we will undertake to deliver our purpose |
Our organisation quickly adapts and responds with agility and flexibility. We have the people, processes and systems to respond to changes in the electoral cycle and stakeholder and community expectations, while continuing to improve our election delivery and systems. |
Characteristics of our environment:
How we build capability:
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Maintain robust processes embedded in the AEC’s Election Readiness Framework to regularly monitor and determine election readiness. Continue to evolve our organisational design, structure and governance to allow increased agility in response to changes in risk and the environment. |
| Performance criteria | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Performance criteria | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
As a regulatory body we aim to reduce the regulatory burden imposed on electors through enrolment and voting services.
In line with the Australian Government’s commitment to reducing the cost of unnecessary and inefficient regulation imposed on individuals, business and community organisations, we measure our performance against the regulator performance framework.
This includes six mandatory key performance indicators set by the Australian Government. The following table outlines our performance against our measures of success.
| Our performance against the regulator performance framework | |
|---|---|
| Mandatory key performance indicators under the regulator performance framework | Our measures of success – what we do to ensure we meet these performance indicators |
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