Corporate plan
The Australian Submarine Agency (ASA) Corporate Plan is the basis for performance reporting to Government and the Australian people. It sets out the purpose and operating context of the agency, the key activities the ASA will undertake to achieve its purpose and the results it expects to achieve over a four year period in line with Section 35 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013(Opens in a new tab/window).
Budget
The budget documents provide information on the allocation of public resources to Defence portfolio's priorities.
The ASA budget is guided by the ASA Corporate Plan and actual spend will be reported each year in the ASA Annual Report.
It is through the budget approval process that the Government gains the Parliament’s authority to spend relevant money via the passage of the annual appropriation acts and other legislation that establishes special appropriations.
Budget 2025-26(Opens in a new tab/window)
Annual reports
Annual reports are one of the formal accountability mechanisms between Government, Departments, Parliament, and the public.
The ASA Annual Report details performance against the organisation's purpose, outcomes, key activities, and performance targets established in the ASA Corporate Plan and the Defence Portfolio Budget(Opens in a new tab/window).
The report also provides information about the agency organisational structure and governance practices, challenges faced by different programs and initiatives, along with the measures and policy directions to overcome these challenges.
ASA Audit and Risk Committee
The ASA Audit and Risk Committee provides independent advice to the Director-General ASA on the appropriateness of the Agency’s financial reporting, performance reporting, system of risk oversight and management, and system of internal control. The ASA Audit and Risk Committee functions are set out in its charter.
Senate Order 12 - Agency files
ASA is required to prepare a report in response to Senate Order 12, known as the Harradine Report, every 6 months. The motion by Senator Harradine was agreed by the Senate on 14 November 1994.
The original Senate Order was amended in 1998 and now requires ASA to also publish the indexed list of all relevant corporate file titles with the following exclusions:
- files transferred to the National Archives of Australia
- case related files
- files related to the internal administration of ASA.
In accordance with the Order, some information in file titles have been excluded such as:
- commercially confidential information
- identifiable personal information
- security classified information.
The lists are required to be tabled twice a year, once in the Spring sitting (file titles created in the preceding January to June) and once in the Autumn sitting (file titles created in the preceding July to December).
Gender equality reporting
The ASA participates in the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) – Gender Equality Reporting Program in accordance with the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012.
WGEA publishes Commonwealth public sector employer equality reports on the WGEA website(Opens in a new tab/window).
The ASA submits APS workforce data based on the 6 gender equality indicators(Opens in a new tab/window):
- gender composition of the workforce
- gender composition of governing bodies of relevant employers
- equal remuneration between women and men
- availability and utility of employment terms, conditions and practices relating to flexible working arrangements for employees and to working arrangements supporting employees with family or caring responsibilities
- consultation with employees on issues concerning gender equality in the workplace
- sexual harassment, harassment on the ground of sex or discrimination.
The ASA has submitted for reporting periods:
- 1 July 2023 to 31 December 2023
- 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024.
WGEA are publishing Commonwealth public sector employer pay gap data in early March 2026.
The ASA Gender Pay Gap Employer Statement provides context on the Agency’s gender pay gap results, operating environment and ongoing commitment to narrowing the existing gender pay gap.
APS Employee Census and Action Plan
The Australian Public Service (APS) Employee Census is an opinion survey distributed online to all APS employees each year.
The aim of the census is to capture the attitudes of APS employees on workforce issues including strategic leadership, workforce capability and organisational effectiveness.
The census collects information such as job satisfaction, employee engagement, leadership and general impressions of the APS. The information collected is used to identify strengths and areas for improvement, and to provide data for the annual State of the Service report which is presented to Parliament.
As a recently established Agency, employee feedback is a key element in ensuring that the Australian Submarine Agency (ASA) is well equipped to meet the Government’s intent to safely and securely acquire, construct, deliver, technically govern, sustain and dispose of Australia’s conventionally-armed nuclear-powered submarine capability.
Child Safety Framework
The Australian Submarine Agency (ASA) is committed to the whole-of-government Commonwealth Child Safe Framework and to creating and maintaining a child safe environment. ASA has a zero-tolerance approach to child exploitation and abuse, and promotes individual and collective responsibility for youth safety and protection.