Governance

Accountability
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IBA is established under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2005 (ATSI Act), which sets out our purposes, functions and powers. IBA is a corporate Commonwealth entity and the IBA Board is the accountable authority under the PGPA Act.

RESPONSIBLE MINISTER

IBA is accountable to the Australian Parliament through the Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio and the Minister for Indigenous Affairs. In 2017–18, Senator the Hon. Nigel Scullion was Minister for Indigenous Affairs.

MINISTERIAL DIRECTIONS AND
GOVERNMENT POLICY ORDERS

Under section 151 of the ATSI Act, the responsible minister is empowered to make general written directions with which IBA must comply. No such directions were made during the reporting period. IBA must also comply with applicable government policies. No government policy orders

PORTFOLIO BUDGET STATEMENTS AND CORPORATE PLAN

IBA’s budget is managed through the annual portfolio budget statements of the Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio.

The PGPA Act requires Commonwealth entities to prepare a corporate plan. This plan sits alongside the portfolio budget statements as IBA’s principal planning document and is a key mechanism for accountability to the Parliament and the public.