2190 Items found
Published: Wednesday 13 August 2003
Published

The Audit Activity Report: January to June 2003 summarises the activity and outputs of the Australian National Audit Office for the second half of the 2002-03 reporting year. The Report outlines the key findings of performance and financial control audits, and summarises audits tabled and better practice guides published during January to June 2003.

Entity
Australian National Audit Office; Parliament
Published: Thursday 3 February 2000
Published

This report summarises audit and other related activities of the Australian National Audit Office in the period July to December 1999.

Entity
Across Agency
Published: Thursday 16 October 2008
Published

This annual report documents the performance of the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) in the financial year ending on 30 June 2008. It includes highlights and areas of focus for the coming year; a forward by the Auditor-General; an overview of the report; a report on performance; details about management and accountability, and the financial statement for the year.

Published: Tuesday 9 March 1999
Published

This report summarises audit and other related activities of the Australian National Audit Office in the period July to December 1998.

Entity
Audit Activity Report
Published: Monday 2 March 1998
Published

This report is the second in a series of reports to be tabled at six-monthly intervals. It summarises the audit and other activities of the ANAO in the period July to December 1997.

Entity
Audit Activity Report
Published: Monday 19 August 2002
Published

The report summarises the audit and other related activities of the ANAO in the period January to June 2002. Key issues arising from performance audits tabled in this period are summarised. Appendix 1 of the Activity Report provides a short summary of each of the audits tabled between 1 January 2002 and 30 June 2002.

Entity
Audit Activity Report
Published: Monday 14 August 2000
Published

This report summarises audit and other related activities of the Australian National Audit Office in the period January to June 2000.

Entity
Audit Activity Report
Published: Thursday 30 October 2003
Published

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the Department of Family and Community Services' launch

Published: Friday 20 January 2006
Published

Mr Ian McPhee - Auditor-General for Australia, presented to the CPA Australia

Published: Wednesday 21 March 2007
Published

Mr Ian McPhee - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the ACAG Panel Forum, CPA Australia

Published: Thursday 7 March 2019
Published

This edition of audit insights focuses on quality in the public sector. Quality is an important concept that can be applied to all areas of government business. Quality applied through policy, services, regulations and program design and delivery supports community trust in government. A positive approach to quality, implemented through a quality framework that is embedded into the organisational culture at all levels of a government agency, is essential to meeting community and parliamentary expectations.

Contact

Please direct enquiries through our contact page.

Published: Monday 19 November 2018
Published

This edition of audit insights focuses on efficiency in the public sector. Find out more about what we think efficiency looks like, why we think efficiency is important in ensuring that public sector agencies remain sustainable, and some examples from recently tabled audits of what we can learn from others.

Contact

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Published: Wednesday 6 June 2001
Published

The objective of the audit was to report to Parliament on the ATO's management of its performance reporting within the outcomes and outputs framework and to identify potential areas for improvement in specifying, measuring, administering and reporting under that framework.

Entity
Australian Taxation Office
Published: Friday 1 August 1997
Published

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented a speech on the occasion of the release by the Minister for Finance of the Second Trial Unaudited Financial Statements for the Commonwealth of Australia for the year ended 30 June 1996.

Published: Tuesday 5 October 2004
Published

Mr P.J. Barrett (AO) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the UN Results Based Management Seminar

Published: Thursday 13 June 2013
Published

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Taxation Office's (ATO) management and reporting of selected information relating to the goods and services tax and the fringe benefits tax.

Entity
Australian Taxation Office
Contact

Please direct enquiries relating to reports through our contact page.

  • Accurate and transparent monitoring and reporting on compliance supports effective decision-making and accountability. Monitoring and reporting should be supported by data that is accurate and complete.
Published: Monday 31 August 1998
Published

This report summarises audit and other related activities of the Australian National Audit Office in the period January to June 1998.

Entity
Audit Activity Report
Published: Tuesday 26 August 1997
Published

This report is an information document summarising the audit activities of the ANAO in the period January to June 1997.

Entity
Audit Activity Report
Published: Monday 9 August 1999
Published

This report summarises audit and other related activities of the Australian National Audit Office in the period January to June 1999.

Entity
Audit Activity Report
Planned

The Financial and Performance Reporting Forum is scheduled for Friday, 27 November 2026. Further information about the forum will be announced closer to the event date. If you have any questions regarding the upcoming forum, please contact External.Relations@anao.gov.au.

Contact

For any enquiries, please contact External.Relations@anao.gov.au

Planned

The next Financial and Performance Reporting Forum is scheduled for Friday, 10 July 2026. Further information about the forum will be announced closer to the event date. If you have any questions regarding the upcoming forum, please contact External.Relations@anao.gov.au.

Contact

For any enquiries, please contact External.Relations@anao.gov.au

Published: Saturday 26 October 1996
Published

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the CPA Congress '96 - Profit from our Experience - Melbourne

  • Transparency is a central principle in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, as exemplified by requirements for annual reporting. An annual report is an important accountability mechanism and provides an opportunity to present progress holistically and candidly. Used appropriately it can be a tool for continuous improvement.
Published: Tuesday 23 April 2013
Published

The Australian National Audit Office has undertaken a pilot project to assess the status of the Australian Government performance measurement and reporting framework as a basis for implementation of a future program of audits of entities’ key performance indicators, and to develop a suitable audit methodology. This report presents a summary of the work completed to date.

Entity
Across Agencies
Published: Thursday 17 December 2015
Published

This report complements the interim phase report published in June 2015, and provides a summary of the final audit results of the audits of the Consolidated Financial Statements for the Australian Government and the financial statements of 253 Australian Government entities.

Entity
Across Entities
Briefing date
Recipient

Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit 

Topic

Review of recent Auditor-General reports

Published: Wednesday 31 August 2016
Published

The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) publishes two reports annually addressing the outcomes of the financial statement audits of Commonwealth entities, and the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Australian Government, to provide Parliament an independent examination of the financial accounting and reporting of public sector entities. This report focuses on the results of the interim audit phase, including an assessment of entities’ key internal controls, of the 2015–16 financial statements audits of 21 departments and other major General Government Sector (GGS) entities. These entities contribute 95 per cent of GGS revenues and expenses.

Entity
Across Entities
Contact

Please direct enquiries relating to reports through our contact page.

Briefing date
Recipient

Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit

  • Entities should ensure that required contract information is reported on AusTender accurately and within prescribed timeframes. Reporting of variations is also required, and frequent variations or significant variations to contracts can provide useful feedback and insights to entities about the effectiveness of their procurement and/or contract management practices.
Published: Thursday 14 December 2023
Published

This report complements the Interim Report on Key Financial Controls of Major Entities financial statement audit report published in May 2023. It provides a summary of the final results of the audits of the Consolidated Financial Statements for the Australian Government and the financial statements of 243 Australian Government entities for the period ended 30 June 2023.

Entity
Across Entities
Contact

Please direct enquiries through our contact page.

Briefing date
Recipient

Office of Senator the Hon Lidia Thorpe

Topic

Auditor-General Report No.23 2022–23 Administration of the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements

  • The benefits of establishing performance targets are diminished where entities do not assess and report their performance against those targets.
Published: Thursday 18 December 2014
Published

This report complements the interim phase report published in June 2014 (Audit Report No.44 2013–14), and provides a summary of the final audit results of the audits of the financial statements of 251 Australian Government entities, including the Consolidated Financial Statements for the Australian Government.

Entity
Across Entities
Contact

Please direct enquiries relating to reports through our contact page.

Published: Monday 23 January 2017
Published

This report complements the interim phase report published in August 2016, and provides a summary of the final results of the audits of the Consolidated Financial Statements for the Australian Government and the financial statements of Australian Government entities.

Entity
Across Entities
Published: Tuesday 20 September 2016
Published

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the design process for the Rural Research and Development for Profit Programme, including performance measurement and reporting arrangements.

Entity
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources; Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Contact

Please direct enquiries relating to reports through our contact page

Briefing date
Recipient

Dr Monique Ryan MP

Topic

Auditor-General Report No.31 2022–23 Administration of the Community Health and Hospitals Program

Briefing date
Recipient

Ms Dai Le MP

Topic

Auditor-General Report No.31 2022–23 Administration of the Community Health and Hospitals Program

  • Entities that are implementing multi-year programs should accurately describe the initiative and the stage of implementation in annual corporate reporting documents.
  • Reliable and unbiased performance reporting requires performance measures of outputs, efficiency and effectiveness that are relevant to all key activities and purposes.
Published: Friday 19 December 2025
Published

Welcome to the last edition of Audit Matters for 2025. I’ve provided some insights in this edition which may help you to focus on a few areas of audit interest in the new year.

Audit work, as you know, is ongoing. We’ll start tabling reports again in mid-late January 2026. Next year you’ll also see some shorter performance audit reports, as part of a trial we’re undertaking to bring reports to the Parliament more quickly. Thanks to those agencies who have worked with us as we trial this new approach. We’re also doing some important work on how we approach performance statements audits in the 21 entities subject to this process. Watch out for our summary report on performance statements early in 2026 — you can subscribe to be notified of release on our website.

I wish you and your teams a restful break over the holiday season after a big year in the public sector. I look forward to seeing you in 2026.

Rona Mellor PSM, Deputy Auditor-General

Contact

Please direct enquiries through our contact page or subscribe to receive the email version of Audit Matters in the future.

Published: Wednesday 6 July 2022
Published

Quality in the delivery of the ANAO’s audit services is critical in supporting the integrity of our audit reports and maintaining the confidence of the Parliament and public sector entities. The ANAO Corporate Plan 2022–23 is the ANAO’s primary planning document. It outlines our purpose; the dynamic environment in which we operate; our commitment to building capability; and the priorities, activities and performance measures by which we will be held to account. This Quality Assurance Framework and Plan complements the Corporate Plan. It describes the ANAO Quality Assurance Framework and reflects the ANAO’s quality assurance strategy and deliverables for the coming year.

The ANAO Quality Assurance Framework is the ANAO’s established system of quality control to provide the Auditor-General with reasonable assurance that the ANAO complies with the ANAO Auditing Standards and applicable legal and regulatory requirements, and reports issued by the ANAO are appropriate in the circumstances.

The Quality Assurance Strategy and Plan component of this document identifies the key activities that the ANAO conducts to provide the Auditor-General with confidence that the controls established within the Quality Assurance Framework are implemented and operating effectively.

The ANAO reports on the audit quality indicators that measure the ANAO performance against target benchmarks in the annual Audit Quality Report published on the ANAO website. The Audit Quality Report also provides transparency with respect to the processes, policies and procedures that support each element of the ANAO Quality Assurance Framework and the achievement of the quality assurance strategy and deliverables set out in the Quality Assurance Framework and Plan.

Contact

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Updated: Monday 30 July 2018
Updated

On 16 May 2017, the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet wrote to portfolio agency heads, including the Auditor-General, requesting some additional information on senior executive remuneration and highly paid individuals be published on websites by 31 July 2017. The request acknowledges that there is an increasing level of interest from the Parliament and the public to provide greater transparency of remuneration of senior executives and other highly paid officials.

The two tables below outline the cash remuneration at an aggregate level, within dollar ranges (or bands) for substantive senior executives and highly paid individuals, and show the numbers of employees within each band. The two tables will also be published in our audited financial statements which form part of our annual report. These notes are in addition to the information we must report in our financial statements on key management personnel remuneration under the accounting standards.

Contact

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Published: Friday 5 June 2015
Published

This report outlines the ANAO’s assessment of the internal controls of major entities, including governance arrangements, information systems and control procedures. The findings summarised in this report are the results of the interim phase  of the financial statement audits of 23 major General Government Sector entities that represent some 95 per cent of total General Government Sector revenues and expenses.

Entity
Across Entities
Contact

Please direct enquiries relating to reports through our contact page.

Published: Thursday 7 May 2020
Published

The Auditor-General undertook a limited assurance review of the Department of Finance’s reporting and administration of the Advances to the Finance Minister (AFM) for the Period 1 July 2019 to 24 April 2020.

Entity
Department of Finance
Contact

Please direct enquiries through our contact page.

  • Entities demonstrate transparency and accountability to the Parliament by complying with all annual reporting requirements specified in the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014.
  • To facilitate a meaningful assessment of progress and achievement, regulators should ensure that they are monitoring and evaluating against targets and reporting on their effectiveness in achieving regulatory objectives.
Published: Wednesday 31 March 2004
Published

In April 2002, the ANAO tabled Audit Report No.40 2001-02 Corporate Governance in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation ( the 2002 audit). In August 2003, the ABC submitted a report to the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) on its progress in implementing the recommendations from the 2002 audit and the JCPAA report. This follow-up audit examined the ABC's implementation of recommendations from both reports, using the ABC's progress report as its base.

Entity
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Published: Wednesday 20 February 2019
Published

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of arrangements for monitoring, evaluating and reporting progress towards Closing the Gap in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage.

Entity
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet; Productivity Commission
Contact

Please direct enquiries through our contact page.

Published: Tuesday 29 May 2018
Published

The objective of this audit was to examine the extent to which the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, now the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) has implemented the recommendations made by the ANAO in Audit Report #5 2016–17, Passenger Security Screening at Domestic Airports.

Entity
Department of Home Affairs
Contact

Please direct enquiries through our contact page.

  • Boards should determine in advance both the key policies and strategies they wish to approve, and the level of reporting they wish to receive, including indicators of risk to achievement.
Published: Wednesday 5 November 2014
Published

The objective of the audit was to assess the adequacy and effectiveness of the Australian Electoral Commission’s implementation of those recommendations made in Report No. 28 2009–10 relating to:

  • a more strategic approach to election workforce planning;
  • the suitability and accessibility of polling booths and fresh scrutiny premises; and
  • the transport and storage of completed ballot papers, in respect to matters not fully addressed in ANAO Audit Report No.31 2013–14.
Entity
Australian Electoral Commission
Contact

Please direct enquiries relating to reports through our contact page.

Published: Thursday 5 August 2004
Published

The objective of the audit were to assess the extent to which agencies' performance management systems, strategies and plans are consistent with the strategic framework set out in the Managment Advisory Committee Report; provide assurance that the administration of performance managment is being implemented efficiently and effectively in accordance with better practice principles; provide assurance that performance linked remuneration reported in anual reports complies with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Requirements for Annual Reports; and quantify the cost of performance linked remuneration, both performance bonuses and performance linked advancements (salary increments), across the APS.

Entity
Across Entities
Briefing date
Recipient

Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services

  • Reporting on technical issues and risks should be clearly communicated to senior leaders and decision makers in plain English and in terms of the anticipated impact on the functionality or capability of the system.
  • Internal and bilateral governance arrangements should be clearly outlined and communicated, so that staff and stakeholders can understand the interdependencies and responsibilities and follow agreed reporting lines.
Published: Monday 17 October 2016
Published

The audit objective was to assess Defence’s implementation of the five recommendations in  ANAO Report No.19 2014-15 Management of the Disposal of Specialist Military Equipment and the related recommendation in JCPAA  Report 449 Review of Auditor-General's Reports Nos. 1-23 (2014-15).

Entity
Department of Defence
Contact

Please direct enquiries relating to reports through our contact page.

Published: Wednesday 18 December 2013
Published

This report complements the interim phase report released in June 2013 (Audit Report No.49 2012–13), and provides a summary of the final audit results of the audits of the financial statements of all Australian Government entities, including the Consolidated Financial Statements for the Australian Government.

Entity
Across Agencies
Contact

Please direct enquiries relating to reports through our contact page.

Published: Wednesday 21 December 2005
Published

The focus of this report is on the year end results of the financial statement audits of all general purpose reporting entities for the 2004–05 financial year. Financial management issues (where relevant) arising out of the audits and their relationship to internal control structures are also included in this report.

Entity
across agency
Published: Tuesday 19 December 2006
Published

The focus of this report is on the year end results of the financial statement audits of all general purpose reporting entities for the 2005–06 financial year. Financial management issues (where relevant) arising out of the audits and their relationship to internal control structures are also included in this report.

Entity
NO-DEPTS-LISTED
Published: Thursday 22 June 2006
Published

The focus of this report is on the year end results of the financial statement audits of all general purpose reporting entities for the 2005–06 financial year. Financial management issues (where relevant) arising out of the audits and their relationship to internal control structures are also included in this report.

Entity
Across agency
Published: Tuesday 23 November 2004
Published

The audit examined the financial management of all Special Appropriations in the period 1998-99 to 2002-03, with the exception of those related to Special Accounts and those administered by Government Business Enterprises. The audit objectives were to: identity all Special Appropriations and ascertain which entities are responsible for their financial management and reporting; and assess entities' financial management and reporting of Special Appropriations against the Commonwealth's financial management and reporting frameworks.

Entity
Across Entities
Published: Saturday 31 January 2004
Published

A Special Account is a mechanism used to record amounts in the Consolidated Revenue Fund that are set aside for specified purposes. A total of $3.40 billion was reported as held in Special Accounts as of 30 June 2003, with $10.33 billion reported as credited to Special Accounts in 2002-03 and $10.06 billion in reported payments (debits) from these Accounts. The audit examined the establishment, management and abolition of Special Accounts by Commonwealth agencies, as well as compliance with legal requirements

Entity
Across Agency
  • The likelihood of successfully implementing recommendations is increased by establishing fit-for-purpose arrangements such as: clearly specifying roles and responsibilities; appropriate planning; monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements; and a process to assure or check that recommendations have been implemented in full.
  • Reporting publicly on the progress of the implementation of recommendations from performance reviews, like AWI is doing through its Review of Performance Implementation Portal, supports transparency and accountability.
Published: Friday 9 January 2004
Published

The report summarises the final results of the audits of the financial statements of Australian Government entities, being the second report this year on financial statements for the period ended 30 June 2003. It complements Audit Report No.61 2002-2003 Control Structures as part of the Audit of Financial Statements of Major Commonwealth Entities for the Year Ending 30 June 2003.

Entity
Across Agency
Published: Wednesday 12 January 2005
Published

This report provides a summary of the final audit results of the audits of the financial statements of all Australian government reporting entities, including the Consolidated Financial Statements for the Australian Government.

Entity
Across Entities
Published: Thursday 20 December 2007
Published

This report complements the interim phase report, Audit Report No.51 2006–07 Interim Phase of the Audit of Financial Statements of General Government Sector Entities for the Year Ending 30 June 2007, and provides a summary of the final audit results of the audits of the financial statements of all Australian Government entities, including the Consolidated Financial Statements for the Australian Government.

Entity
NO-DEPTS-LISTED
Published: Thursday 22 April 2010
Published

Recent performance audit priority for the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) in the Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government portfolio has been directed at the administration of funding for land transport. Accordingly, this audit is one of a series ANAO is undertaking of land transport funding programs. Four audits have already been completed, namely:

  • ANAO Audit Report No. 31 2005–06, Roads to Recovery;
  • ANAO Audit Report No. 45 2006–07, The National Black Spot Program;
  • ANAO Audit Report No. 22 2007–08, Administration of Grants to the Australian Rail Track Corporation; and
  • ANAO Audit Report No. 29 2008–09, Delivery of Projects on the AusLink National Network.
Entity
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government
Published: Thursday 16 December 2010
Published

This report complements the interim phase report, and provides a summary of the final audit results of the audits of the financial statements of all Australian Government entities, including the Consolidated Financial Statements for the Australian Government.

Entity
across agencies
Published: Tuesday 27 April 2004
Published

The audit examined ATSIS' implementation of recommendations from Audit Report No.39, 1998-1999 National Aboriginal Health Strategy - Delivery of Housing and Infrastructure to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities (the previous audit). In addition to assessing ATSIS' progress in implementing the recommendations of the previous audit, this follow-up audit examined ATSIS' performance reporting of the NAHS program, and concluded that the current level of aggregation of performance reporting makes it difficult to identify the particular contribution that the NAHS Program makes in improving services to Indigenous communities.

Entity
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services
Published: Tuesday 31 May 2005
Published

The objective of this audit was to the examine action taken by the ATO to improve TFN integrity, particularly through the implementation of the recommendations made in:Report No.37, taking into account any changed circumstances, or new administrative issues, affecting the implementation of those recommendations; and Numbers on the Run, taking into account that the Government has not formally responded to the report at this time.The audit also aimed to identify further opportunities for the ATO to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the TFN system. The report of this audit is necessarily detailed as it considers each of the recommendations and the extent to which they have been implemented.

Entity
Australian Taxation Office
Published: Monday 7 December 2020
Published

The objective of the audit was to examine the Department of Defence’s (Defence's) implementation of agreed recommendations made in Auditor-General Report No. 38 of 2017–18 Mitigating Insider Threats through Personnel Security and the related report provided to ministers under section 37(5) of the Auditor-General Act 1997, and by the Parliament’s Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) in Report 479 of 2019 Australian Government Security Arrangements.

Entity
Department of Defence
Contact

Please direct enquiries through our contact page.

Published: Thursday 1 June 2017
Published

The objective of the audit was to assess the selected entities’ progress in implementing the corporate planning requirements under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and related PGPA Rule 2014.

This audit assessed corporate plans for the 2016–17 reporting period, and complements the report published in August 2016 which assessed corporate plans for the 2015–16 reporting period.

Entity
Comcare; Department of Education and Training; Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet; National Library of Australia
Contact

Please direct enquiries relating to reports through our contact page.

Published: Thursday 15 December 2011
Published

The ANAO is responsible for the audits of the financial statements of all Australian Government entities. This report provides a summary of the final audit results of these entities, including the Consolidated Financial Statements for the Australian Government.

The paragraphs numbered 5.213 to 5.216 in relation to Defence Housing Australia were tabled as an addendum to the Report.

A correction to the third bullet point of paragraph 5.120 was tabled as a corrigendum to the Report.

Entity
Cross Agencies
Published: Friday 24 June 2005
Published

This report presents the results of the interim phase of the 2004-2005 financial statement audits. The audits have encompassed a review of governance arrangements related to entities' financial management responsibilities, and an examination of internal control, including information technology system controls for all portfolio departments and other major General Government Sector entities as at 31 March 2005. An examination of such issues is designed to assess the reliance that can be placed on internal controls to produce complete and accurate information for financial reporting purposes. All ANAO findings have been reported to entities and summary reports provided to the relevant Minister(s).

Entity
Across Agency
Published: Thursday 2 June 2005
Published

The objectives of the audit were to:determine whether entities had established effective internal control frameworks and processes to mitigate the risks associated with FBT obligations and transactions;assess whether the internal control frameworks and processes supported the payment of FBT and the reporting of reportable fringe benefit amounts (RFBAs) on employee payment summaries in accordance with the legislation;identify sound and better practices in the administration, management and operation of systems for collecting, collating, calculating, reporting and remitting FBT; and as necessary, recommend improvements in the controls and practices relating to the administration of FBT in the audited entities.

Entity
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation; Department of Defence; Australian Taxation Office
  • Monitoring and reporting on integrity-related metrics, such as conflict of interest declarations, gifts and benefits notifications and integrity training completion rates, helps entities to identify and respond to integrity risks.
  • Methodologies for performance measurement should be documented to enable the reperformance of calculations and replication of reported results. Methodology changes should be documented in a register, including the rationale for the change, approver and date the change is to take effect. Entities should identify data limitations and underpinning assumptions when publishing performance information.
Published: Thursday 2 March 2006
Published

The objective of this follow-up audit was to examine the ATO's implementation of the 20 recommendations in: The Administration of Petroleum Excise Collections (Audit Report No.17, 2001(02); and The Administration of Tobacco Excise (Audit Report No. 55, 2001(02), having regard to any changed circumstances, or new administrative issues, affecting implementation of those recommendations. The audit also aimed to identify scope for improvement in the ATO's administration of petroleum and tobacco excise. Follow-up audits are recognised as an important element of the accountability processes of Commonwealth administration. The Parliament looks to the Auditor-General to report, from time to time, on the extent to which Commonwealth agencies have implemented recommendations of previous audit reports. Follow-up audits keep the Parliament informed of progressive improvements and current challenges in areas of Commonwealth administration that have previously been subject to scrutiny through performance audits.

Entity
Australian Taxation Office
Published: Wednesday 29 October 2025
Published

The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) conducted 44 performance audits across the 2024–25 financial year to provide independent and objective assessments of all or part of an entity’s operations. This report presents themes and insights from the 2024–25 performance audit program, as well as analysis of the outcomes of performance audits between 2020–21 and 2024–25.

Entity
Across Entities
Contact

Please direct enquiries through our contact page.

Published: Tuesday 1 February 2005
Published

The audit examined the relationship between the strategic guidance and capabilities provided by Army, through analysis of the Army capability management and reporting framework. The objectives of the audit were to: Assess Army capability management and reporting processes; determine whether these processes efficiently and effectively manage resources to provide Army capability; and accurately indicate the capability provided by Army.

Entity
Department of Defence
Published: Thursday 17 December 2009
Published

Financial statement audits are an independent examination of the financial accounting and reporting of public sector entities. The results of the examination are presented in an audit report, which expresses the auditor's opinion on whether the financial statements as a whole and the information contained therein fairly present each entity's financial position and the results of its operations and cash flows. The accounting treatments and disclosures reflected in the financial statements by the entity are assessed against relevant accounting standards and legislative reporting requirements.

Entity
NO-DEPTS-LISTED
Published: Wednesday 25 February 2004
Published

This report relates to the fifth audit of Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (FMA Act) agencies' compliance with the Senate Order for Departmental and Agency Contracts, (the Senate Order) to list, on the Internet, contract details for the Financial Year 2002-2003 reporting period. The audit was conducted in accordance with the Senate Order request for the Auditor - General to undertake twice - yearly examinations of agency contracts listed on the Internet, and to report whether there had been any inappropriate use of confidentiality provisions. The objectives of the audit were to assess agency performance in relation to compiling the Internet listings required by the Senate Order and the appropriateness of the use of confidentiality of provisions in Commonwealth contracts.

Entity
Australian Industrial Registry; Australian Taxation Office; Department of Communications Information Technology and the Arts; Department of the Environment and Heritage; Federal Court of Australia; National Office for the Information Economy
Published: Tuesday 3 October 2000
Published

The objective of the follow-up audit was to report on the action taken by the Australian Customs Service to address the recommendations of the 1996 Audit Report. The audit also reviewed key areas of the Passenger Movement Charge administration identified in the 1996 audit, including the appropriateness of formal arrangements between the ACS and Regular Public Transport airlines and assessed the proposed arrangements being developed by the ACS. The arrangements with RPT airlines were a particular focus in the follow-up report (as they were in the 1996 Audit Report), because of the significance of that category of carrier in revenue terms

Entity
Australian Customs Service
Published: Friday 1 June 2001
Published

The audit examined the design, management and reporting of performance information for the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) which is administered by the Commonwealth Departments of Environment and Heritage, and Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. The objective of the audit was to examine and report on the performance information used to support the administration of $1.5 billion in Commonwealth financial assistance; and compliance with legislative requirements for performance monitoring and reporting.

Entity
Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry - Australia; Department of the Environment and Heritage; Department of Agriculture
Published: Thursday 11 September 2003
Published

This report relates to the fourth audit of Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (FMA Act) agencies' compliance with the Order of the Senate for Departmental and Agency Contracts, (the Senate Order) to list, on the Internet, contract details for the reporting period 4 February 2002 to 3 February 2003. The audit was conducted in accordance with the Senate Order request for the Auditor-General to undertake twice-yearly examinations of agency contracts listed on the Internet, and to report whether there had been any inappropriate use of confidentiality provisions. The objectives of the audit were to assess agency performance in relation to compiling the Internet listings required by the Senate Order and the appropriateness of the use of confidentiality provisions in Commonwealth contracts.

Entity
Australian Federal Police (AFP);; Australian Greenhouse Office (AGO);; Department of Defence (Defence);; Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR);; Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS);1 and; National Capital Authority (NCA)
Published: Thursday 29 April 2004
Published

The objective of the current audit was to assess Army's progress in implementing the ANAO recommendations and to examine and assess any developments in relation to AIRN since the 1999?2000 audit report and the 2001 JCPAA report. Army updated AIRN policy in 2001 and 2004, and the ANAO has assessed, where appropriate, the implementation of the 1999?2000 audit recommendations for these two policy reissues.

Entity
Department of Defence
Published: Thursday 30 June 2005
Published

The objectives of this performance audit were to provide assurance that there were effective measures in place to safeguard the national collections and that institutions had processes in place to provide access to them. The ANAO also examined the extent to which the national cultural institutions have implemented the eleven recommendations from the previous report, Safeguarding Our National Collections (Audit Report No.8 1998-99).

Entity
Department of Communications, Technology and the Arts
Published: Wednesday 8 August 2007
Published

The objective of this follow up audit was to examine Customs' implementation of the eight recommendations in the ANAO Report No.16 2004–05 and the two related recommendations from JCPAA Report 404. The audit has had regard to issues affecting the implementation of the recommendations and has taken into account changed circumstances and new administrative arrangements since the previous audit.

Entity
Australian Customs Service
Published: Tuesday 15 June 2004
Published

The objective of this audit was to follow up DVA's implementation of the recommendations in Audit Report No. 44, 2000-01, Information Technology in the Department of Veterans' Affairs. The ANAO made two recommendations in the report (the second having five parts). The recommendations addressed the monitoring of IT changes; IT performance information; information systems model documentation; and the facilitation of the interpretation of performance information.

Entity
Department of Veterans' Affairs
Published: Wednesday 30 June 2004
Published

This report updates the ANAO's assessment of audit findings relating to major entity internal control structures, including governance arrangements, information systems and control procedures through to March 2004. The findings summarised in this report arise from the interim phase of the financial statement audits of major Australian Government entities for 2003/2004. Examinations of such findings are designed to assess the reliance that can be placed on control structures to produce complete, accurate and valid information for financial reporting purposes.

Entity
Across Agency
Published: Wednesday 12 May 2021
Published

The objective of the audit was to assess the department’s: effectiveness in administering school funding; and implementation of recommendations made in Auditor-General Report No.18 2017–18 Monitoring the Impact of Australian Government School Funding and JCPAA Report 476: Australian Government Funding.

Entity
Department of Education, Skills and Employment
Contact

Please direct enquiries through our contact page.

Updated: Friday 28 July 2023
Updated

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the ANAO’s attraction, retention and development of capability required to undertake the agency’s core activities. The Independent Auditor report — Performance Audit of Attraction, Development, and Retention of Capability — was tabled in Parliament on 15 August 2022.

This page lists status updates on the ANAO’s progress on recommendations contained in the audit report.

Contact

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Published: Tuesday 29 November 2005
Published

The objective of the audit was to assess the ATO's administration of the LMR. Specifically, the audit sought to: examine and report on aspects of LMR governance; assess the systems, processes and controls used by the ATO to capture and process LMR data reported by providers; examine the mechanisms and strategies the ATO uses to gain assurance that providers are complying with LMR legislation; and assess the mechanisms and strategies the ATO uses to promote awareness of, and enable access to, the LMR.

Entity
Australian Taxation Office
Published: Friday 28 June 2024
Published

The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) has zero tolerance for fraud and corruption. This means the ANAO will take all reasonable steps necessary to prevent, detect and respond to fraud and corruption. This strategy defines the ANAO’s principles of effective fraud and corruption control, key roles and responsibilities and how the ANAO expects to mitigate and manage risks. The strategy informs staff how they can report fraud and corruption.

Contact

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Published: Friday 15 June 2001
Published

This audit followed up the ANAO's 1997 performance audit report on ADF health services (Audit Report No.34 1996-97 Australian Defence Force Health Services), which focused on the delivery of non-operational health services to entitled members. The objective of the follow-up audit was to assess Defence's implementation of recommendations made in the original audit report and their effectiveness in improving ADF health services.

Entity
Department of Defence
Published: Friday 15 December 2000
Published

This report summarises the final results of the audits of the financial statements of Commonwealth entities, forming the second report this year on financial statement audits for the period ended 30 June 2000. It complements Audit Report No.52 1999-2000 Control Structures as Part of the Audits of Financial Statements of Major Commonwealth Agencies for the Period Ended 30 June 2000. The report is in three parts:

  • Part One of the report is a commentary on the structure and status of the new financial framework, focusing on the quality and timeliness of the preparation of the annual financial statements;
  • Part Two discusses the summary final results of the audits of the financial statements, providing details regarding qualifications and any matters emphasised in audit reports; and
  • Part Three provides the results of the individual financial statement audits and any additional significant control issues identified since Audit Report No.52.
Entity
Across Agency
Published: Thursday 21 February 2019
Published

The objective of the audit was to examine the extent to which the Department of Human Services (Human Services) has implemented the recommendations made by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) in Auditor-General Report No. 37 of 2014–15 Management of Smart Centres’ Centrelink Telephone Services; as well as Human Services’ performance against call wait time and call blocking metrics.

Entity
Department of Human Services
Contact

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Published: Wednesday 31 May 2006
Published

The overall objective of the audit was to assess whether the RSS Programme is effective and efficient in providing assurance on the levels of payment error and the resultant risks to the integrity of Australian Government outlays for payments administered by Centrelink. Specifically, the audit assessed whether: the RSS Programme meets the objectives outlined for it in the Portfolio Budget Statements under which funding was provided; there is an adequate methodology underpinning the RSS reviews; the RSS reviews are conducted effectively and efficiently, and adequate quality assurance mechanisms exist to assure the results obtained from the RSS reviews; and reporting by the agencies of the results of the RSS Programme is adequate and takes into consideration the issues identified in Audit Report No. 44 2002–03 Review of the Parenting Payment Single Program, and Audit Report No. 17 2002–03 Age Pension Entitlements.

Entity
Department of Family Community Services and Indigenous Affairs; Department of Employment and Workplace Relations; Department of Education Science and Training; Centrelink
  • Management of severe risks with potentially catastrophic consequences requires a structured approach for escalation and reporting to senior management. This enables the relevant senior officials, including the accountable authority, to make informed decisions about risk management, including whether to accept the risks as sufficiently controlled, require further treatments, or even stop the activity from going ahead.
  • ICT improvement programs should establish baselines, including documenting the current state of systems or processes, and develop benefits measurement arrangements prior to commencement. This allows for benefits to be effectively measured and reported.
  • It is good practice for entities to develop documentation for each performance measure that sets out the data, methodology, the limitation of both the data and method and the lines of responsibility to report a result. This documentation should be developed prior to the publication of the entity’s corporate plan. These documents should form part of the entity’s assurance framework to the accountable authority.
  • When developing objectives for a strategy or program, entities should consider and build into the design process how the objectives will be achieved, and how progress will be monitored, reported on, and evaluated. Leaving these to be considered later may compromise the entity’s ability to determine whether the program is meeting its intended objectives and public resources are being properly used.
  • High quality administration of a mandatory policy framework, such as the Building trust in the public record policy, requires a policy owner to use available evidence to measure the success of implementation and to report to government and the public on implementation progress. Where the progress of entity implementation is based on self-assessed or self-reported information, a diligent policy owner implements assurance arrangements to provide confidence in this information.
Published: Wednesday 18 April 2007
Published

The objective of this follow-up audit was to review Centrelink's progress in implementing the findings and recommendation relating to Centrelink's Customer Charter from Audit Report No.32
2004–05, Centrelink's Customer Charter and Community Consultation Program. This audit covers Centrelink's Customer Charter only and does not follow-up on the findings and recommendation on the Community Consultation Program aspect of the 2004–05 audit report.

Entity
Centrelink
Published: Wednesday 12 August 1998
Published

This is a follow-up audit to Audit Report No. 16, 1995-1996, Assessable Government Industry Assistance. This audit examined whether the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) had implemented the appropriate balance of compliance strategies to ensure that Australian Government Industry Assistance (AGIA) is adequately identified, disclosed to the ATO, and the revenue collected in an efficient and administratively effective manner. The objective of this audit was to report on the action taken by the Australian Taxation Office in addressing the recommendations of the 1996 Audit Report.

Entity
Australian Taxation Office
Published: Tuesday 13 May 1997
Published

The ANAO's purpose was to report on:

  • the HIC's management of approaches to minimise medifraud and inappropriate practice;
  • HIC's reporting of its performance on these matters to stakeholders;
  • the methodology used by the HIC to estimate the extent of fraud and inappropriate practice, including comment on the reliability of the estimates; and
  • the HIC's implementation of the major recommendations from Medifraud and Excessive Servicing - Audit Report No.17 1992-93.
Entity
Health Insurance Commission
Updated: Monday 16 March 2026
Updated

The ANAO gifts and benefits policy recommends that ANAO employees do not accept any gifts or benefits in their role as an employee of the ANAO. Employees are required to report any offered gift or benefit (whether accepted or refused) within 10 business days of the offer being made, through an internal gifts and benefits register. The data collected through the internal register is reported to the ANAO’s Executive Board of Management, and a subset of the data is reported publicly here.

Contact

Please direct enquiries through our contact page.

Published: Friday 21 December 2001
Published

This report summarises the final results of the audits of the financial statements of Commonwealth entities, forming the second report this year on financial statement audits for the period ended 30 June 2001. It complements Audit Report No.1 2001-2002 Control Structures as Part of the Audits of Financial Statements of Major Commonwealth Agencies for the Period Ended 30 June 2001. The report is in five parts:

  • Part One of the report discusses Commonwealth financial management and reporting issues. It also provides ongoing commentary on the structure of the Commonwealth's financial framework. Related reporting issues include developments in relation to the outcomes and outputs costing and appropriation framework. Comment is also made on the quality and timeliness of the preparation of entities' annual financial statements;
  • Part Two provides details of the audit of the Commonwealth's Consolidated Financial Statements for 2000-2001;
  • Part Three provides an overview of the current control issues noted in the financial statement audits of Commonwealth entities;
  • Part Four discusses the summary final results of the audits of the financial statements, providing details regarding qualifications and any matters emphasised in audit reports; and
  • Part Five provides the results of the individual financial statement audits and any additional significant control matters identified since Audit Report No.1 2001-2002.
Entity
Across Agency
Published: Thursday 19 June 2014
Published

This report outlines the ANAO’s assessment of the internal controls of major agencies, including governance arrangements, information systems and control procedures. The findings summarised in this report are the results of the interim phase of the financial statement audits of 23 major General Government Sector agencies that represent some 95 per cent of total General Government Sector revenues and expenses.

Entity
Across Agencies
Contact

Please direct enquiries relating to reports through our contact page.

Published: Thursday 17 October 1996
Published

Grants Scheme in Audit Report No.33 of 1993-94. The major recommendations in that report related to:

  • improved quality of claims and control measures;
  • optimisation of management planning and control;
  • rationalisation of the strategic planning structure;
  • improved responsiveness of the scheme; and
  • improved accountability to Parliament.

The objective of this follow-up audit was to form an opinion on Austrade's progress with implementing the recommendations of Audit Report No.33 of 1993-94.

Entity
Australian Trade Commission
Published: Thursday 17 October 1996
Published

This is a follow-up audit to Audit Report No.7, 1993-94 titled Department of Social Security: Data-matching. It reports upon the effectiveness of the DSS actions in response to the recommendations of the original 1993-94 audit. In noting the considerable progress made by the Department against the original audit recommendations, the ANAO considers that several recommendations have yet to be fully addressed. These are covered in this report and include reducing the variability in review results across offices, enhancing the TFN registration process, and validating savings assumptions.

Entity
Department of Social Security
Published: Thursday 7 February 2008
Published

The objective of this audit was to assess and report on the administration of the regional delivery of NHT 2 and the NAP.

The scope of the audit encompassed both Environment and DAFF, including the Joint Team of staff from both departments working together under a common management structure for the delivery of both programs. The audit focused on:

  • the implementation of the regional delivery arrangements;
  • governance and financial management for regional delivery; and
  • monitoring, evaluation and reporting on the programs' performance.
Entity
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts; Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Published: Thursday 3 November 2011
Published

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of DEEWR‘s administration of the initial phases of the NP ECE. The high-level criteria used to make this assessment were the appropriateness of DEEWR‘s:

  • establishment of a sound foundation for implementation, including implementation plans, monitoring arrangements and an Indigenous strategy for universal access; and
  • ongoing monitoring and support activities, including assessing progress reports, making payments, maintaining relationships, improving data quality and public reporting.
Entity
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations