In my memorandum 91/7 to you of the 15 March 1991, 1 announced the development of a Strategic Information Base and said "one of the keys to reform is greater accountability measured in terms of outcomes or results. There needs to be strategic information that is readily accessible to all those who play a role in planning and decision making - myself and the Cabinet, the Central Agencies, the responsible Minister and the Chief Executive Officer. The Office of Strategic Planning, in co-operation with the relevant agencies, has begun to develop a Strategic Information Base. I have asked them to continue this process.

The idea is not to create an enormous paper flow of information - but simply to look for a few key strategic indicators. It is also important that agencies and departments themselves come to 'own' this information and review and refine it, so that it eventually becomes common currency for all those involved in the decision making process."

Attached for your information and use is a copy of the SIB which deals with trends in the performance of budget-funded agencies from the mid 1980s to the present. Section 1 examines Government as Consumer of Resources looking at trends in capital and recurrent expenditure by policy areas. Section 2 has been written by a selection of Line Departments and Agencies themselves and deals with trends in outputs and results produced by Government. It includes contributions from:

• Agriculture
• Community Services
• Corrective Services
• Courts Administration
• Health
• Housing
• Industrial Relations, Employment, Training and Further Education
• Police