Office of the Governor Annual Report 2019 – 2020
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OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR ANNUAL REPORT 2019 – 2020 Cover image To obtain information about the content of this Aim of Report report, please contact: The cover illustration by The Office of the Governor Annual Report Brisbane-born botanical artist Air Commodore Mark Gower AM LVO OAM (Mil) 2019/20 is an integral part of the Office Anne Hayes depicts the striking Official Secretary of the Governor’s Corporate Governance purple flower of the Jacaranda tree. Office of the Governor of Queensland Framework and describes the achievements, Native to Latin America and the performance, outlook and financial position Caribbean, this fragrant flowering tree GPO Box 434 of the Office for the financial year. The can be found throughout Queensland Brisbane Qld 4001 Annual Report is a key accountability in spring and early summer when it document and the principal way in which the makes an impressive annual display Telephone: (07) 3858 5700 of bright trumpet shaped purple Facsimile: (07) 3858 5701 Office reports on activities and provides a blooms and fern like leaves. Email: [email protected] full and complete picture of its performance to Parliament and the wider community. Known in Australia by its botanical name, Information about the activities of the Jacaranda, it is known internationally Queensland Governor and the operations The Report details the objectives, activities by several names including the Black and performance of the Office during the Poui, Brazilian Rose Wood, and Fern of the Office of the Governor is available period 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020 and Tree. In Queensland, it is also known as at the following internet address: the ‘exam tree’ or ‘purple panic’, with includes information and images which the annual spring blooms signalling www.govhouse.qld.gov.au illustrate the many activities the Office the onset of university exams. undertakes to provide executive, personal, Internet annual report: administrative and logistical support to the The Government House Estate is home to several Jacaranda trees, including www.govhouse.qld.gov.au/ Governor and to manage the Government those that line the vice-regal drive, office-of-the-governor/news-publications/ House estate. and the estate’s largest Jacaranda annual-reports.aspx which provides shade and protection The Office of the Governor advises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander for the Lady Campbell Camelia Grove. Copyright The current Governor also planted people that this Annual Report may a Jacaranda on the estate in 2015 © The State of Queensland (Office of the contain images of people who have died. which descended from the ‘Tree of Governor) 2020 The Office does not wish to cause distress Justice’ which shaded the entrance to any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander to the former Supreme and District Licence Court building in George Street, community members. Brisbane since the late 1800s. This Annual Report is licensed by the State of The Office of the Governor is committed Queensland (Office of the Governor) under a to providing accessible service to Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 Queenslanders from all culturally and International licence. linguistically diverse backgrounds. If you have difficulty in understanding the Annual Report, please contact us on telephone (07) 3858 5700 and we will arrange an interpreter to effectively communicate In essence, you are free to copy, communicate and the Report to you. adapt this Annual Report, as long as you attribute the work to the State of Queensland (Office of the Governor). To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Attribution Content from this Annual Report should be attributed as: The State of Queensland (Office of the Governor) Annual Report 2019/20. ISSN 1837-2767 The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk MP Premier of Queensland PO Box 15185 CITY EAST QLD 4002 Dear Premier, I am pleased to submit for presentation to the Parliament the Annual Report 2019 – 2020 and financial statements of the Office of the Governor. I certify that this Annual Report complies with: • the prescribed requirements of the Financial Accountability Act 2009 and the Financial and Performance Management Standard 2019, and • the detailed requirements set out in the Annual report requirements for Queensland Government agencies. A checklist outlining the annual reporting requirements is provided at page 47 of this annual report. Yours sincerely Mark Gower AM LVO OAM (Mil) Official Secretary 23 September 2020 ANNUAL REPORT 2019/20 Table of Contents 2 22 Official Secretary’s Summary Financial Overview Year in Review Expenditure 2019/20 Outlook for 2020/21 Consultancies Overseas Travel Public Liability 6 2019/20 Statement of Assurance Office Overview Corporate Objectives 23 Financial Statements Statement of Comprehensive Income 8 Statement of Financial Position Corporate Governance Statement of Changes in Equity Management Processes Statement of Cash Flows Management Structure Notes to and Forming Part of the Financial Statements 2019/20 Measuring Corporate Governance Management Certificate Independent Auditor’s Report 12 Report on Performance 47 Constitutional and Legal Ceremonial Compliance Checklist Community Engagement Preserving the Government House Estate Effective Management Promoting Queensland ANNUAL REPORT 2019/20 [01] Official Secretary’s Summary The Office also supported His Excellency by drought, and raised over $4,300 for when, as the senior State Governor the Queensland Country Women’s in office in Australia, he acted as Association Public Rural Crisis Fund, Mark Gower AM LVO OAM (Mil) Administrator of the Government of through a gold coin donation by visitors to Official Secretary the Commonwealth of Australia on two the Government Christmas Lights display. occasions. The Office also supported the Honourable Chief Justice Catherine Support for Indigenous Communities. Holmes, the Honourable Justice Walter In July 2019, the Office supported His Sofronoff, the Honourable Justice Hugh Excellency’s hosting of a reception at YEAR IN REVIEW Fraser and the Honourable Justice Philip Government House to acknowledge Morrison in fulfilling the duties of Acting NAIDOC Week and his travel to The 2019/20 financial year marked the Governor, and supported the Chief Justice Cairns to officially open the 2019 Cairns sixth year of service of His Excellency and Justice Sofronoff in performing the Indigenous Art Fair. The Office continued the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC as duties of Deputy Governor as required, to ensure that engagement with Indigenous Governor of Queensland, and the first and facilitated the swearing-in of three Queenslanders remained an integral part year of the two-year extension of His additional Supreme Court Judges as of the Governor’s travel program, arranging Excellency’s original term of office Acting Governors. visits to Mornington Island, Dajarra, approved by Her Majesty The Queen and the Dugalunji Aboriginal Campsite in 2018. The Office’s support for His Excellency’s in Camooweal during 2019 Regional official program in 2019/20 resulted in Government House in Mount Isa. During the period in review, the Office the following key outcomes: of the Governor provided professional Community Engagement. Despite the support to His Excellency’s program Engagement with Regional COVID-related hiatus in public access of 646 constitutional, ceremonial and Queensland. The Office of the Governor from March 2020, Government House community activities, including an organised visits to 59 regional centres, recorded an increase in community audience with Queensland’s Head all but three of which took place in the visitations compared with the previous of State, Her Majesty The Queen, at eight months prior to the implementation year – 20,999, up from 19,253 in 2018/19. Buckingham Palace in November. of COVID-19 restrictions. These visits The Office achieved this through a The Office successfully prioritised ensured that Queenslanders from all proactive engagement plan that succeeded the Governor’s central constitutional walks of life in many parts of the State in attracting a higher number of visitors for role during the COVID-19 period – were able to meet and speak with the community tours of Government House, maintaining stable executive government Governor. The Office also organised Brisbane Open House and Christmas – while also continuing an operational the fifth Regional Government House Lights. In addition, the Office commenced focus on the Governor’s ceremonial and (RGH) of the Governor’s tenure, during preparation of publications explaining the community role. which operations were relocated to contemporary role of the Governor and Mount Isa from 17 to 23 August 2019. Office, and the heritage values of the estate. During this period, the volume and His Excellency’s RGH program included tempo of vice-regal activities were higher 54 program events in 11 locations across Community Recognition and than at any period in recent years, with eight local government areas. Encouragement. The Office supported a parallel increase in the workload of the Governor’s 2019/20 program of the Office. This was evident prior to the Support for Communities affected by lunches, dinners and receptions that implementation of COVID-19 related Natural Disasters. The Office of the honoured and encouraged individuals restrictions, with the Office’s expansion of Governor augmented His Excellency’s and patronage and other organisations the Governor’s travel program to include visits to take in areas severely