This audit would examine the effectiveness and value for money of the National Disability Insurance Agency’s (NDIA’s) procurement and contract management arrangements for Community Partnerships.

The operating model for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) includes outsourcing some NDIA functions to partners in the community. This includes the provision of information, linkages and capacity building to the community and broader services to people with disability, pre-planning engagement, data collection and planning discussions with NDIS participants, and plan implementation. As of 2018–19, there were 25 partners in the community operating in all Australian states and territories. The expenditure on partners in the community was $451.8 million in 2018–19, an increase from $288.8 million in 2017–18 and $125.7 million in 2016–17.

This audit would assess the effectiveness of the Department of Defence’s administration of the Hunter class frigate program, including the value for money of Defence’s acquisition of Hunter class frigates and planning for construction and entry into service.

In June 2018, the Australian Government announced the acquisition of nine Hunter class frigates to replace the Royal Australian Navy’s existing Anzac class frigates. The Hunter class is based on the BAE Type 26 design, and will be built at the Osborne shipyard in South Australia, with the first-of-class expected to enter service in the late 2020s. The acquisition cost of the Hunter class is approximately $35 billion.

In addition to providing capability to the Royal Australian Navy, the acquisition of the Hunter class frigates is an integral part of the Australian Government’s 2017 Naval Shipbuilding Plan to create a viable and sustainable Australian naval shipbuilding industry, based on a continuous build of naval surface ships and submarines.

This audit would assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the whole-of-government legal services panel established by the Attorney-General’s Department (AGD). In 2017–18, total legal services expenditure reported by Australian Government entities was $856.78 million. Total expenditure for 2018–19 is yet to be reported.

The AGD Secretary’s Review of Commonwealth Legal Services, published in November 2017, found that ‘external legal services providers remain a critical component of the Commonwealth’s overall legal services delivery’. However, the existing model, whereby most entities purchase legal services individually, is causing entrenched inconsistency and procurement administration costs. The review recommended that a whole-of-government legal services panel be established in a manner that ensures appropriate flexibility in usage by entities to suit their individual circumstances. AGD began the process of establishing this panel in 2018. The Whole of Australian Government Legal Services Panel commenced on 15 August 2019.

The proposed audit would assess whether the panel has been designed, and is being utilised, in a manner which ensures efficiency and value for money to the Australian Government.