Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the Senate Occasional Lecture Series

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Health’s records management arrangements, including Health’s progress in transitioning to digital records management.

The objective of the audit was to assess whether Defence has a fit-for-purpose framework for the management of materiel sustainment.

The objective of the audit was to assess whether the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts’ management of service delivery arrangements for the external territories was effective.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Taxation Office's activities in addressing Superannuation Guarantee non-compliance.

The Age Pension is a social security income support payment available to Australian residents and eligible Australians residing overseas who have reached Age Pension age and whose income and assets are under certain limits. In 1999-2000, approximately $14 billion was paid to approximately 1.7 million Age Pension recipients. Payment of Age Pension is made under the Social Security Law and in accordance with the Guide to the Social Security Law prepared by the Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS). FaCS has contracted Centrelink under a Business Partnership Agreement (BPA) to administer the payment of Age Pension to eligible customers. The objective of the audit was to assess the extent to which new claims for Age Pension had been assessed in compliance with the legislation and other relevant guidelines developed by Centrelink, and whether Centrelink employed appropriate mechanisms to help ensure such compliance. In particular, the ANAO sought evidence with respect to: payment at the right rate, from the right date, to the right person with the right product, for new claims assessed during the audit sample period (that is, in accordance with the working definition of accuracy within Centrelink); the accuracy of Centrelink?s own reporting on compliance, as reported to FaCS under the BPA; and the application of appropriate mechanisms to help ensure such compliance.

The objective of the audit was to examine the effectiveness of Services Australia’s arrangements for the management of contractors.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the administration of the mandatory minimum requirements for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in major government procurements in achieving policy objectives. 

This annual report documents the performance of the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) in the financial year ended 30 June 2023. The report addresses all applicable obligations under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013; the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014; the Auditor-General Act 1997; the performance measures set out in the outcome and programs framework in the ANAO’s Portfolio Budget Statements 2022–23 and in the ANAO Corporate Plan 2022–23; and annual reporting requirements set out in other relevant legislation.

The objective of the audit was to assess whether Customs has implemented effective measures to control IUU fishing in the Southern Ocean. The audit examined Customs' management and coordination of enforcement operations in the Southern Ocean, with particular emphasis on:

• the approach to assessing and reporting SOMPR program performance, and whether outcomes are being met;
• coordination with other stakeholder agencies to meet program outcomes;
• the operational planning framework, management of human and physical resources and contract management; and
• the management of the deployment and operation of program maritime assets.

The objective of this audit was to assess whether the Productivity Commission is effectively managing the use of corporate credit cards for official purposes in accordance with legislative and entity requirements.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the establishment of the Workforce Australia Services panel.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Phoenix Taskforce to combat illegal phoenix activities.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the management of conflicts of interest by Aboriginal Hostels Limited (AHL), Aboriginal Investment NT and Outback Stores.

The objective of this audit was to evaluate whether selected Australian Government agencies were effectively managing security risks arising from the use of contractors. To address this objective, the audit evaluated relevant policies and practices in the audited agencies against a series of minimum requirements in the management of security issues in procurement and contracting activity. These minimum requirements were developed from the guidance and standards contained in the PSM and also from the ANAO's previous protective security audits.

The audit focused on two broad types of contracting arrangements: contracting of security functions; and contracting of any service or business function that requires, or which has the potential to require, contractors to access sensitive or security classified information.

The following Australian Government agencies were involved in this audit:

• Australian Customs Service (Customs);
• Commonwealth Superannuation Administration (ComSuper);
• Department of Finance and Administration (Finance); and
• Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

In addition, the Attorney-General's Department, which is responsible for the maintenance of the PSM and for providing advice on contemporary protective security policies and practices, was consulted during the audit.

The objective of the audit was to assess whether the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet effectively manages the Regional Network.

The audit objective was to examine Defence’s administration of Materiel Sustainment Agreements (MSAs) and the contribution made by MSAs to the effective sustainment of specialist military equipment.

The objective of the audit was to assess the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service's administration of the Tariff Concession System.

The audit objective was to examine whether the selected entities have implemented a selection of agreed parliamentary committee and Auditor-General recommendations.

The audit objective was to assess whether the Department of Defence's (Defence's) arrangements for the operation and maintenance of the Mulwala and Benalla facilities beyond June 2020 were established through appropriate processes and in accordance with the Commonwealth Procurement Rules (CPRs).

The objective of this audit was to assess whether the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is effectively preparing for the 2021 Census.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the administration of the commuter car park projects within the Urban Congestion Fund.

This page presents status updates about the ANAO's progress in addressing the areas of improvement and recommendations arising from the New Zealand Office of Auditor-General’s peer reviews.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the design process and monitoring arrangements for the National Innovation and Science Agenda by the relevant entities.

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented to the Australian Taxation Office Staff Conference, Canberra

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s overseas crisis management and response arrangements in meeting the government’s objectives for returning Australians from overseas in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the management of international travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Increased transparency and accountability on progress with major Defence equipment acquisitions has been a focus of parliamentary interest for some time. Beginning in 2007–08, an annual program has been established in conjunction with the Department of Defence to enable the ANAO to review and report to the Parliament on the status of major Defence acquisition projects, as set out in the Major Projects Report. The review includes information relating to the cost, schedule and progress towards delivery of required capability of individual projects as at 30 June each year, and is undertaken at the request of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation’s (ARPC) management of the Terrorism Reinsurance Scheme.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency’s (TEQSA’s) regulation of higher education.