Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented to the Central Agency Broker Seminar - Towards a Best Practice Australian Public Service - Hobart

The audit objective was to form an opinion on the effectiveness of the NHMRC's grant administration. To meet this objective the NHMRC was assessed against four criteria:

• the NHMRC's governance arrangements provide appropriate accountability that it is meeting its objectives and obligations to Government (Chapter 2);
• there are strategic and systematic processes for developing and implementing grant programs (Chapter 3);
• the NHMRC manages grants post-award effectively, and complies with legislative requirements and program directives (Chapters 4 and 5); and
• the NHMRC monitors and evaluates its business to demonstrate that outcomes are being met (Chapter 6).

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority's probity management.

The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Department of Health and Family Services had managed its coordinating role and implemented its responsibilities under the National Rural Health Strategy efficiently and effectively.

The objective of the audit was to assess the establishment of the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority and the effectiveness of its regulatory function.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the governance board in the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

The audit objective was to examine entity compliance with regulatory requirements for the establishment and ongoing management of special appropriations.

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 audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Attorney-General’s Department’s design of the Data Retention Industry Grants program, including performance monitoring, reporting, evaluation and assurance arrangements.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s management of initiatives to supply low aromatic fuel to Indigenous communities.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (Efic).

The objective of this audit was to examine the effectiveness of the governance arrangements for the Special Broadcasting Service Corporation (SBS).

The objective of the audit was to examine the effectiveness of the integration of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of the Environment and Energy's design and implementation of the Reef Trust.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of the government response to the Black Economy Taskforce report.

The audit examined the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations' implementation and subsequent management of the Indigenous Employment Policy. The audit sought to determine whether, in relation to the Indigenous Employment Policy, the department had:

• developed appropriate planning processes and performance measures;
• monitored and reported performance results;
• implemented appropriate evaluation and review mechanisms;
• conducted effective marketing and promotion; and
• identified enhancements and addressed performance issues.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Communications and the Arts’ assessment and selection of base stations for funding under the first round of the Mobile Black Spot Programme.

The audit objectives were to report on the implementation status of the parliamentary resolutions and other actions arising out of the six recommendations made in the final PSC Report, Review by the Parliamentary Service Commissioner of Aspects of the Administration of the Parliament. The audit also broadly examined the impact of implementation of the parliamentary resolutions on aspects of: the level of services provided to the Parliament generally following amalgamation of the three former parliamentary departments into the Department of Parliamentary Services; and accommodation space within Parliament House. The designated audit agency was the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS).

The objective of the audit was to examine the effectiveness of the Department of Social Services' (DSS) administration of the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS), with a focus on the assessment of applications, and management of reserved allocations.

The objective of this audit was to examine the effectiveness of the design and implementation of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s (PM&C’s) evaluation framework for the Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS), in achieving its purpose to ensure that evaluation is high quality, ethical, inclusive and focused on improving outcomes for Indigenous Australians.

The objective of the audit is to assess the effectiveness of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s implementation of food security initiatives for remote Indigenous communities.

The objective of this audit was to examine the effectiveness of the Australian Federal Police in managing employee mental health.

The objective of the audit was to assess whether the property management function, including the management of leases, was being performed efficiently and was providing an effective level of support for the delivery of the organisation's services (outputs). The audit evaluated property management policies and practices across the following dimensions:

• planning and control;
• business processes and practices; and
• information and performance management.

Within each of these areas, a series of desirable proceses and controls (described as the evaluation criteria) were developed to assist in the assessment of each organisation's performance.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of administration of physical security in the revised Protective Security Policy Framework.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Employment and the Department of Education and Training's administration of the Shared Services Centre to achieve efficiencies and deliver value to its customers.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the administration of the Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme by the Department of Defence and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

The objective of the audit was to assess the Australian Taxation Office's effectiveness in meeting its revenue and resourcing commitments for the Tax Avoidance Taskforce.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the department’s regulation of appliance and equipment energy efficiency standards.

The objective of this audit was to examine whether Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) is effectively meeting the requirements of the Statutory Funding Agreement (SFA).

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of Indigenous Business Australia’s management and implementation of the Indigenous Home Ownership Program.