A corporate plan can be varied during the reporting period if the accountable authority of an entity considers the variation to be significant (section 16E(6) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014 (PGPA Rule)).
The term ‘significant’ is defined as ‘important: of consequence' (Reference: Macquarie Concise Dictionary). It requires an exercise of judgement to determine whether a particular variation would be considered significant. As an example, consideration would be given to vary a corporate plan to recognise:
any new purposes or key activities for an entity (for example, as a result of machinery of government changes)
significant changes in an entity's operating environment (such as significant changes in economic conditions)
significant changes to the way an entity intends to measure or assess its performance.
The contents of the varied plan must comply with the PGPA Rule in the same manner as a plan otherwise would for the relevant reporting periods.
Publishing a varied corporate plan
If the corporate plan is varied (that is, amended) during the reporting period, and the accountable authority of the entity considers that the variation is significant then the varied plan must be published on the entity’s website as soon as practicable after the plan is prepared.
There is no legal requirement under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) or PGPA Rule for the responsible Minister to approve an entity’s varied corporate plan. However, an entity’s enabling legislation may require the varied plan to be given to the responsible Minister and ministerial approval. Entities should follow any arrangements that they have agreed with the relevant Minister’s office on finalising their corporate plans.
Entities need to provide the Minister for Finance a copy of any variation (that is, amendment) to their corporate plan, regardless of whether the variation is considered significant or not. A copy of the varied corporate plan should be sent to the Department of Finance at PGPA@finance.gov.au. Entities do not need to send a copy of the varied plan to the Office of the Finance Minister directly.
Finance is responsible for publishing the entity’s varied corporate plan on the Transparency Portal after the plan has been published on the entity’s website. The varied plan will replace the previous version so only one plan is displayed on the Portal and it will be consistent with the version on your entity’s website.
For more information on varying a corporate plan, please contact Finance at PGPA@finance.gov.au.
