Published Date
- Help us improve Finance.gov.au – tree test take 2!
- New PGPA Act Flipchart and List – 1 October 2025
- Amendment to PGPA (Finance Minister to Accountable Authorities of Non-Corporate Commonwealth Entities) Delegation
- Commonwealth Fraud Prevention Centre
- 2024-25 Annual Report and the Digital Annual Reporting Tool
- Launch of the updated Green Lease Schedules
- Updated Advice and Guidance on Developing Ministerial Statements of Expectations and Statements of Intent
- Climate Action in Government Operations eLearning: 6 courses now available
- Tip of the Month
Help us improve Finance.gov.au – tree test take 2!
As we flagged in the last edition of the newsletter, Finance is rebuilding its website to make it more modern, accessible and easier to use.
We received great engagement so a big thanks to all who took the time to participate in the tree test activity. We’ve taken on your feedback and are running a new tree test activity to understand how users might find information in an updated structure – hopefully better reflecting your thoughts.
What is tree testing?
Tree testing helps check if users can find what they need on a website. Participants are given a task and a list of menu options, then asked to choose where they would go to complete the task.
We received great engagement so a big thanks to all who took the time to participate in the tree test activity. We’ve taken on your feedback and are running a new tree test activity to understand how users might find information in an updated structure – hopefully better reflecting your thoughts.
What is tree testing?
Tree testing helps check if users can find what they need on a website. Participants are given a task and a list of menu options, then asked to choose where they would go to complete the task.
- Time required: 10–15 minutes
- Purpose: To test how well the current menu structure works
- How to participate: Visit Finance Tree Testing
This activity is anonymous and will close on COB Tuesday 14 October 2025. Your feedback will inform how information is organised on the Finance website.
Your opinion is important to us! If you are interested in being part of future user testing activities, please contact corporateengagement@finance.gov.au.
New PGPA Act Flipchart and List – 1 October 2025
A new Flipchart and List of Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) Commonwealth entities and companies was issued on 1 October 2025.
The Flipchart and List have been updated to reflect the following change to current Commonwealth entities and companies for the PGPA Act:
- New Commonwealth entity - Defence and Veterans’ Services Commission
The Defence and Veterans’ Services Commission is a new non-corporate Commonwealth entity in the Defence portfolio, established by the Defence Act 1903 on 29 September 2025.
Further detail on this update is available in the Table of Changes for 2025-26. See latest versions of the Flipchart and its associated List of Commonwealth entities and companies.
For questions or feedback, please contact PGPA@finance.gov.au.
Amendment to PGPA (Finance Minister to Accountable Authorities of Non-Corporate Commonwealth Entities) Delegation
An amendment to the PGPA (Finance Minister to Accountable Authorities of Non-Corporate Commonwealth Entities) Delegation 2022 commenced on 22 September 2025.
This amendment reflects the Finance Minister’s amendments to Schedule 1, Part 5. In the table at Direction 5.1, items 1 and 7 have been updated to reflect that the special accounts were replaced as the original accounts were due to sunset on 1 October 2025 and an update to the special account in item 3 which reflects the account’s renaming as set out in section 64 of the Primary Industries Levies and Charges Disbursement Act 2024.
Additional information on the delegation and associated instruments can be found on the PGPA legislation, associated instruments and policies page.
For questions, please contact PGPA@finance.gov.au.
This amendment reflects the Finance Minister’s amendments to Schedule 1, Part 5. In the table at Direction 5.1, items 1 and 7 have been updated to reflect that the special accounts were replaced as the original accounts were due to sunset on 1 October 2025 and an update to the special account in item 3 which reflects the account’s renaming as set out in section 64 of the Primary Industries Levies and Charges Disbursement Act 2024.
Additional information on the delegation and associated instruments can be found on the PGPA legislation, associated instruments and policies page.
For questions, please contact PGPA@finance.gov.au.
Commonwealth Fraud Prevention Centre
The Commonwealth Fraud Prevention Centre has released a new guide to help you to strengthen corruption risk management across your entity.
The Guide to incorporating corruption control into risk management frameworks offers guidance and actionable strategies to help manage corruption risks and support Commonwealth officials with reporting for the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) Fraud and Corruption Against the Commonwealth census.
Inside the guide, you’ll find:
- insights into activities, functions and programs that are more susceptible to corruption risks, along with strategies and resources to help you manage these risks
- clear definitions and supporting information to help distinguish between fraud and corruption, including advice on reporting classifications, tailored to help you complete the AIC census, and
- 8 practical steps to help embed corruption risk management into your broader organisational risk systems and policies so your approach is aligned with the Commonwealth Fraud and Corruption Control Framework.
Developed by the Centre in consultation with the National Anti-Corruption Commission, this guide is your go-to resource for strengthening corruption risk management.
For questions, please contact info@counterfraud.gov.au.
2024-25 Annual Report and the Digital Annual Reporting Tool
Commonwealth entities are currently preparing their 2024–25 digital annual reports using the Digital Annual Reporting Tool (DART).
Useful resources
Check out our annual report RMGs and the Digital Annual Reporting Tool (DART) online training.
DART Tips
Useful resources
Check out our annual report RMGs and the Digital Annual Reporting Tool (DART) online training.
DART Tips
- If you experience any issues accessing the DART, try clearing your browser cache or enabling third-party cookies.
- An orange dot next to a chapter or section indicates that something is missing. This might be an alternative text description on an image, or a table incorrectly uploaded.
- When uploading data templates, please note that any changes to the formatting of the accompanying Excel spreadsheet will cause the upload to fail. When downloading the Excel file, for example the spreadsheet that captures “Details of Accountable Authority”, please ensure you do not alter any of the columns or rows. Fill in each cell with the required information before uploading the file back into the DART.
For questions, please contact DAR@finance.gov.au.
Launch of the updated Green Lease Schedules
Finance has updated the Green Lease Schedules (GLS) to align with the requirements outlined in the Net Zero in Government Operations (NZGO) Strategy.
Non-corporate Commonwealth entities (NCEs) must use a Green Lease Schedule (GLS) and corporate Commonwealth entities (CCEs), and Commonwealth companies are encouraged to do so.
A GLS is a formal commitment between tenants and building owners which sets a minimum ongoing operational building energy performance standard. More details can be found in the Guidance Note and the GLS documents on the webpage.
For questions, please contact climateaction@finance.gov.au.
Non-corporate Commonwealth entities (NCEs) must use a Green Lease Schedule (GLS) and corporate Commonwealth entities (CCEs), and Commonwealth companies are encouraged to do so.
A GLS is a formal commitment between tenants and building owners which sets a minimum ongoing operational building energy performance standard. More details can be found in the Guidance Note and the GLS documents on the webpage.
For questions, please contact climateaction@finance.gov.au.
Updated Advice and Guidance on Developing Ministerial Statements of Expectations and Statements of Intent
Finance will soon release updated advice and guidance to address the government’s whole-of-government policy objective for Commonwealth regulators to better balance risk mitigation with efficiency, growth and dynamism.
The Prioritising Productivity Policy Advice outlines content requirements for Ministerial Statements of Expectations (SOEs) and guidance for issuing new or updated SOEs. The government has agreed Ministers should endeavour to reissue SOEs by the end of 2025. Departments should proactively support this, including briefing and sequencing where multiple regulators are involved.
RMG-128 Regulator Performance is being revised to reflect the updated advice and improve clarity.
For questions, contact APSRegulatoryReform@finance.gov.au.
The Prioritising Productivity Policy Advice outlines content requirements for Ministerial Statements of Expectations (SOEs) and guidance for issuing new or updated SOEs. The government has agreed Ministers should endeavour to reissue SOEs by the end of 2025. Departments should proactively support this, including briefing and sequencing where multiple regulators are involved.
RMG-128 Regulator Performance is being revised to reflect the updated advice and improve clarity.
For questions, contact APSRegulatoryReform@finance.gov.au.
Climate Action in Government Operations eLearning: 6 courses now available
To enhance climate literacy across the APS and support implementation of the Net Zero in Government Operations (NZGO) Strategy, Finance has developed a suite of education courses.
The courses are designed to help participants build their understanding of climate change concepts and the NZGO Strategy, its importance, and its implementation.
Courses currently available on APSLearn include:
The courses are designed to help participants build their understanding of climate change concepts and the NZGO Strategy, its importance, and its implementation.
Courses currently available on APSLearn include:
- Foundations of Net Zero in Government Operations
- Net Zero Buildings
- Introduction to Commonwealth Climate Disclosure
- Net Zero Energy
- Foundations of Net Zero Emissions Reporting
- Net Zero Procurement.
For questions, please contact ClimateAction@finance.gov.au.
Tip of the Month
Did you know that Finance has a PGPA eLearning program available for new starters and as a refresher.
The program is a self-learning tool aimed at Commonwealth officials. The course will empower you with the knowledge to understand and work with the Commonwealth Resource Management Framework and to understand your responsibilities under the PGPA Act and Rule.
The program is a self-learning tool aimed at Commonwealth officials. The course will empower you with the knowledge to understand and work with the Commonwealth Resource Management Framework and to understand your responsibilities under the PGPA Act and Rule.
