Making an interdepartmental committee work effectively

Good practices for interdepartmental committees

IDCs or other joint agency forums are very important for the coordination of responses to whole of government issues. Here are some thoughts about good practices that will help make IDCs work effectively.

Who should attend an IDC?

Representatives need to be able to contribute. They need to be knowledgeable enough to participate fully in discussions and be able to speak with the necessary amount of authority. Often this will require Senior Executive Service employees to attend IDCs— especially for the initial and final stages of the work. Sometimes, more than one person will need to go. Representation needs to be worked out on a case-by-case basis. The bottom line is that they need to be able to comprehensively represent their agency’s perspective.

The status of information and views

The status of information and views raised in meetings ought to be clear to everyone who is there. People would want to know, for instance, if a view is a department’s considered position or one that requires clearance—for example, by the minister. Similarly, people ought to be made aware of the status of factual information: is it reliable? comprehensive? agreed by others? Obviously, others should be advised as soon as possible of any errors that are found in the information that has been placed before the IDC. Also, people should be alert to any misinterpretations of their department’s information, and misunderstandings need to be clarified as soon as possible.

Preparing and clearing IDC reports

Any reports being prepared by the IDC must be factually correct and include the views of all participating agencies, including differences of opinion. The report should cover the range of practical options and highlight risks and opportunities. It should also reflect an understanding of relevant government policy, take a whole of government view and be completed within the required timeframes.

People who chair IDCs have special responsibilities, such as making sure that:

there are adequate opportunities for dialogue between members—it is critical that issues are considered on the basis of the fullest possible knowledge of facts and opinions
IDC members are provided with a brief record of each meeting, highlighting action required—this should be done as soon as possible, consistent with the timelines of the IDC
any report produced by the IDC meets the standards set out above.

Lines of communication within agencies

Representatives on IDCs need to be able to communicate clearly and quickly with relevant people within their own agency. This includes seeking input from them and making sure all their views are properly aired at the IDC. Sometimes this might entail taking a subject matter specialist to a meeting. It is likely that the minister and agency executive should be notified:

when an IDC report to ministers is imminent
when an IDC is heading in a direction that might be of concern or interest
where IDC recommendations might lead to important commitments
when issues under consideration are of policy or political importance and sensitivity.

Leaving a paper trail

Whole of government issues being considered by IDCs will, by definition, be important. Everyone involved has a part to play in making sure a full paper trail of the IDC deliberations is left behind. This includes relevant discussions and actions taken outside the formal IDC process.

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