Corporate Governance

Leading with Integrity in Sugar Research

Sugar Research Australia Limited is a public company limited by guarantee operating under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and the rules set out in our Constitution.

SRA was declared as the industry services body for the Australian sugar industry on 5 August 2013 after passage of the following legislation by the Commonwealth Parliament on 28 June 2013:

  • Sugar Research and Development Services Act 2013
  • Sugar Research and Development Services (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2013
  • Sugar Research and Development Services (Consequential Amendments – Excise) Act 2013

In our role as the industry services body, SRA is entitled to receive the levies paid by grower and milling businesses, and matching funds from the Commonwealth Government. The levy is 70 cents per tonne of cane, with both grower and milling businesses each contributing 35 cents per tonne of cane.

As a Rural Research and Development Corporation (RDC), SRA operates under an accountability framework overseen by the Federal Government, comprising:

    • A Statutory Funding Agreement
    • A Companion to RDCs Statutory Funding Agreement
    • Guidelines for Statutory Funding Agreements
    • RDC Knowledge Transfer and Commercialisation Guide
    • Best Practice Guide to Stakeholder Consultation

 

SRA has an Engagement and Consultation Plan that guides its interactions with industry and is aligned with the Federal Government’s Best Practice Guide to Stakeholder Consultation.

 

In 2023, SRA contracted professional services company, GHD, to conduct an Independent Performance Review as required under the terms of SRA’s Statutory Funding Agreement with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

The aim of the review as agreed upon by SRA and the Department, was to:

Evaluate SRA’s performance against the requirements of SRA’s Statutory Funding Agreement and the Australian Government priorities;
Evaluate SRA’s performance against the Performance Principles that accompany the Guidelines for Statutory Funding Agreements for Rural Research and Development Corporations (RDCs);
Assess the implementation of actions based on feedback and recommendations from previous reviews; and
Engage with levy payers and stakeholders during the review process.
The review has now been completed and the Independent Performance Review Report is available.
The review identified 20 recommendations for improvement, covering areas such as stakeholder engagement, research investment, collaboration with partners, and governance.

SRA thoroughly reviewed and prepared a plan that outlines the actions we will undertake in response to the recommendations. SRA wishes to formally thank all sugarcane growers, milling company representatives, industry representatives, government stakeholders, and research partners who provided feedback to the review.

SRA Independent Performance Review
SRA Response Plan to Independent Performance Review
SRA Roadmap for Change 2024

SRA is continuing to implement and improve data collection and monitoring processes and tools to specifically measure and track (over the short, medium and long-term) adoption of new technology, practice change and the impact and/or economic value created through the application of our research. As this performance data becomes available, it will be incorporated into SRA’s KPIs and reporting.

We are committed to communicating with our investors and other stakeholders on our strategic and operational performance and use feedback on our performance to enhance the quality of our research and investment processes, programs and activities.

SRA has an Executive Team in place to define responsibility and accountability across the business. Each business unit is led by an executive manager who reports to the CEO. The CEO reports to the Board.

The Board is skills-based, and the roles and responsibility of the Board are set out in a formal Board Charter.
The Board has oversight of governance and the strategic direction of SRA.

Read more about our Board members. Read more about Board Skills and Expertise.