Internal accountability
Business Planning
The department’s strategic plan underpins and guides day-to-day business. Divisional and branch business plans are aligned
with the strategic plan to effectively and efficiently deliver the
department’s five core strategic objectives. These business plans
are ‘living documents’ that are periodically reviewed and adjusted
to reflect emerging risks and opportunities in the operational
environment.
The department ensures that whole-of-government specific
purpose plans are incorporated into business planning activities.
Specific purpose plans focus on addressing areas of high strategic
importance. The department has reported achievements against
these plans throughout the annual report:
The Strategic Rail Project Team
The Strategic Rail Project Team oversees and coordinates the
department’s response to the Strachan Inquiry recommendations
by strengthening rail governance and the interfaces between
capital projects and significant timetable changes. The team
supports the Cross River Rail project, acting as the interface
manager between the department and the Cross River Rail
Delivery Authority. The team works on a range of initiatives to
enable the department to play a stronger role in:
- setting the strategic direction of rail services in
Queensland
- driving rail investment in priority areas
- monitoring and improving the performance of the rail
portfolio.
Performance management and monitoring
The department monitors both performance against service
standards in the department’s service delivery statements (SDS)
and progress of strategic initiatives through quarterly performance
reports to the Executive Leadership Team.
These reports inform strategic decisions, drive improvements and
allow course correction or re-evaluation of objectives, to ensure
value is continually delivered to our customers, stakeholders,
and the community. The report also demonstrates alignment
with the Queensland Government’s Financial and Performance
Management Standard 2019.
The department’s commitment to continuous improvement is
affirmed through the Planning and Performance Network, which connects regularly to strengthen planning and performance
capability and to champion a performance culture across the
department.
Data and business analytics strategy
Underpinned by the Transport Data Exchange (strategic data
analytics framework), the department implemented several
analytics solutions and proofs of concept to help solve complex
business challenges and continued to build organisational
capability in cloud-enabled analytics. For example:
- pavement analytics to standardise and automate data
processing and analysis, enabling faster and more
informed decisions and calculations regarding pavement
design, quality and evaluation
- data visualisations for employees to self-serve data
insights, supporting evidence-based decisions related
to initiatives including community road safety grants,
ICT portfolio performance, soil testing, and corporate
finance management
- use of real-time passenger transport data and digital
twin technology to predict likely service delays given
current and predicted traffic volumes and patterns.
These solutions strengthened workforce capability in cloud data
analytics tools and techniques to discover, organise, integrate,
and maximise the use of the department’s vast data assets, while
maintaining consistency, manageability, governance, and security.
Read more about our Data and Business Analytics Strategy 2017-2022.
Complaints management
Feedback from our customers is central to providing responsive
government services and the department is committed to:
- learning from customer compliments
- managing complaints effectively
- innovate and enhance services
- improve decision making
- increase accountability in government.
The department’s complaints management system complies with
the Public Service Act 2008 (Section 219A), is compatible with the
Human Rights Act 2019 and meets the guiding principles of the
Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 10002:2014 Guidelines
for complaint management in organisations.
Table 13: Complaints received
Year |
Complaints Volume |
Customer Interactions Volume |
2015–16 |
37,314 |
12900000
|
2016–17 |
48,642 |
11840000
|
2017–18 |
45,820 |
12600000
|
2018–19 |
45,065 |
16000000
|
2019–20
|
35,174 |
16800000
|
Data source: TMR Complaints Management System
Internal Audit
The Internal Audit operates under a charter consistent with
the Institute of Internal Auditors’ international standards and
approved by the department’s Director-General.
The Chief Auditor is directly accountable to the Director-General
for leading an effective and efficient internal audit function and for
ensuring the internal audit activity meets its objectives and adds
value. This includes the implementation of risk-based strategic
and annual internal audit plans, and coordinating audit activities
with the external auditors, Queensland Audit Office, to best
achieve appropriate assurance objectives for the department.
The Chief Auditor reports regularly to the Audit and Risk
Committee, which reviews the work of the internal
audit function. The relationship with the committee is based on
Queensland Treasury’s Audit Committee Guidelines.
The Internal Audit team has a central role in improving operational
processes and financial practices by:
- assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of
departmental financial and operating systems, reporting
processes, and activities
- identifying operational deficiencies and non-compliance
with legislation or prescribed requirements
- assisting in risk management and identifying
deficiencies in risk management
- bringing a broad range of issues to management’s
attention, including performance, efficiency, and
economy
- monitoring whether agreed remedial actions are
undertaken.
During 2019–20, Internal Audit:
- developed and delivered an annual plan of internal
audits approved by the Director-General and completed
32 internal audit reports, covering assurance and
improving effectiveness of controls, systems, project
management, operations, and risk management
- engaged with the Audit and Risk Committee about
proposed internal audit plans and their alignment to the
risks of the department
- provided advice and assistance on key projects and
initiatives
- monitored and reported on the implementation of
agreed audit recommendations
- maintained an effective working relationship with
Queensland Audit Office.