The Department of Home Affairs, which includes the Australian Border Force (ABF), is one of the largest and more diverse organisations in the Australian Government. Its functions cover national security, migration, social cohesion and national resilience. Its guiding purpose is to help enable a prosperous, secure and united Australia.

Every day the department carries out functions that help protect and build Australia’s social and economic prosperity, and the stable and secure conditions that underpin it. For example, the department manages migration, humanitarian and refugee programs that enrich the nation’s cultural fabric and help ensure Australia can access the workforce needed now and into the future. At the same time, the ABF helps ensure legitimate business and travel is not undermined by the importation of drugs, weapons and other prohibited goods, or the movement of people outside established migration settings. The department helps to make sure Australia continues to be an attractive place to live, learn and do business by helping to protect critical infrastructure from cyber attacks and other disruptions.

The pilot Capability Review program is an investment in longer-term capability and an opportunity to focus on strengths and development areas in the context of the anticipated future operating environment. The aim of the program is to:

• help embed a culture of continuous improvement across the APS
• ensure that APS agencies are better able to deliver government priorities and outcomes for Australians.

The review assesses the agency’s current capabilities and preparedness to deliver critical capabilities in the medium-term. It gives the agency a maturity rating against each of the 18 capability elements to indicate the most important areas for growth and improvement.

Key findings:

• The Department should prioritise review and evaluation to support its policy and operational activity. Currently this capability is very much a secondary focus in many parts of the Department. While there are pockets of activity, there is not a culture of regularly learning from the past or taking the time to review and reconsider areas for improvement.
• There is room for improvement in the Department’s relationships with ministers and their advisers. The department has an opportunity to make sure it is offering proactive, well developed advice, that is informed by a whole-of-system view, and which leverages its full range of community and business-facing functions.