CASA Media Release - Friday, 23 April 2004
CASA to make performance commitment
A performance agreement between the Minister for Transport and Regional Services and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority is being developed.
This performance agreement will set out the actions CASA will take to meet the goals and strategic directions for aviation safety established by the Minister.
The high-level agreement will be underpinned by similar performance arrangements between all CASA senior managers and the chief executive officer, Bruce Byron.
The performance agreements were outlined by Mr Byron in a speech this week which set out CASA’s new corporate governance processes.
CASA’s corporate governance was remodelled after the federal Government disbanded the board of directors last year and appointed Mr Byron as the sole director and chief executive officer.
In a speech to the annual Corporate Governance in the Public Sector conference, Mr Byron said a performance agreement with the Minister would ensure CASA delivers on the Government’s new charter for aviation safety. This was set out in a formal Charter Letter delivered in December 2003.
“One of the requirements of the job, therefore, is the development of a performance agreement between CASA and the Minister, setting out the things we intend to do, with timelines and milestones, to meet the Minister’s goals for CASA to achieve,” Mr Byron said.
“This is an agreement with the CEO, and in practice it is an agreement by the CEO to deliver in terms of CASA’s functions, and my performance is very much on the line.
“It is my intention that a similar performance agreement will apply to all of the senior management team so that in a governance sense there is no doubt where we are heading and the outcomes for which all will have a direct personal commitment.”
Mr Byron said under CASA’s new governance model he was focusing on setting strategic policy, issuing high-level directives to management and exercising ultimate financial control.
The deputy chief executive officer’s role has been broadened to manage day-to-day business, with the position also having the title of chief operating officer.
He said CASA’s system of management committees has been largely eliminated and been replaced with a regime that makes each senior manager responsible and accountable for their operational area and the decisions they make.
The full speech can be read at: casa.gov.au/corporat/ceo/
Media contact
Peter Gibson
mobile 0419 296 446
Ref: MR0412