This audit would assess the effectiveness of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Quality and Safeguards Commission’s (the NDIS Commission’s) management of the restrictive practices undertaken by NDIS providers to NDIS clients.

Section 9 of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (NDIS Act) defines a restrictive practice as any practice or intervention that restricts the rights or freedom of movement of a person with disability. Under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Restrictive Practices and Behaviour Support) Rules 2018 certain restrictive practices are subject to regulation. The NDIS Commission has regulated restrictive practices under the NDIS since the entity was established in 2018. This includes monitoring the use of regulated restrictive practices and promoting their reduction and elimination.

Across the four quarters of 2022–23, an average of 4,480 participants were subject to unauthorised restrictive practices, and an average of 12,253 participants were subject to regulated restrictive practices.

This audit would assess the effectiveness of the Fraud Fusion Taskforce, to determine how government agencies work together to detect, resolve and prevent fraud and serious organised crime in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and other government programs.

The Fraud Fusion Taskforce is a multi-agency partnership working to disrupt fraud and criminal activity, including serious and organised crime. The Fraud Fusion Taskforce commenced in November 2022, co-led by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and Services Australia, with 21 other government agencies including the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission. In the October 2022–23 Federal Budget $126.3 million was allocated over four years to establish the taskforce. In the 2024–25 Budget additional funding of $23.5 million over two years was provided to Services Australia.

This audit would assess the effectiveness of the design and implementation of the Consumer Data Right (CDR).

The CDR is a secure online system that enables consumers to get value from data that is collected about them through the provision of specific goods and services by consenting to that data being shared with trusted accredited third parties. CDR is an economy-wide reform that will be rolled out sector by sector. The CDR has already been rolled out to banking and energy, with non-bank lending to follow as the third sector. The Treasury, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), and Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) are the key agencies leading the CDR initiative. The Treasury leads policy development and determines which sectors should be included in the CDR, while the ACCC focuses on accreditation and compliance of data recipients, and the OAIC handles privacy and data breach notifications. The Data Standards Body develops the technical standards for how data is shared under the CDR, working closely with the Treasury, ACCC, and OAIC.

This audit would assess the effectiveness of Services Australia’s management of automated decision making. Automation can support timely, efficient and consistent decision making. The Commonwealth Ombudsman’s 2025 Better Practice Guide on Automated Decision-Making and the Australian Government’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ethics Principles provide entities with guidance on key principles for the design, implementation and monitoring of automated decision-making processes.

The Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme report of 7 July 2023 highlighted risks relating to automation, particularly where the automated processes remove any element of human decision-making and limit a citizen’s ability to challenge the decision. The Australian Government accepted the Royal Commission’s recommendation relating to introducing a consistent legal framework for automated decision-making. In the response to the Privacy Act Review Report released on 28 September 2023, the Australian Government agreed to increase the transparency and integrity of decisions made using automated decision-making that uses personal information.

This audit would assess to what extent the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) and its subsidiary Inland Rail Pty Limited has effectively managed its procurement and contracts for Inland Rail.

Inland Rail is a key government infrastructure project. It involves building and operating a freight train line from Brisbane to Melbourne. Construction started in 2018 with sections between Beveridge VIC and Parkes NSW expected to be finished in 2027. Design and approvals works are underway for the Parkes NSW to Ebenezer Qld line. Since 2018, there has been more than $3.8 billion in contracts awarded.

In October 2022, the Australian Government announced an independent review into Inland Rail. This was completed in April 2023 and made 19 recommendations. The government responded to the review in April 2023. One of the independent review’s recommendations was the establishment of a subsidiary of ARTC to deliver the Inland Rail project. Inland Rail Pty Limited (IRPL) was established as a subsidiary of ARTC in July 2023.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the design and implementation of the EEIG program. The focus of the audit was the preparation for, and conduct of, the first funding round of the program.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the delivery of the first and second funding rounds of the Filling the Research Gap program by the Department of Agriculture.

The objective of the audit was to examine the effectiveness of DAFF's implementation and administration of the Securing our Fishing Future structural adjustment package industry and community assistance programs.

The objective of the audit was to examine the effectiveness of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s administration of the Tasmanian Forests Intergovernmental Agreement Contractors Voluntary Exit Grants Program.

The objective of the audit was to assess the awarding of funding under the Supported Accommodation Innovation Fund against the requirements of the Commonwealth’s grants administration framework.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the design and implementation of the Liveable Cities Program, including the assessment and approval of applications.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the design and management of the National Solar Schools Program (NSSP), including demonstrated progress towards achieving the program's objectives.

The objective of the audit was to assess whether the Strategic Projects component of the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program has been effectively designed and administered.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Health and Ageing's support for improved access to integrated GP and primary healthcare services through its administration of the Primary Care Infrastructure Grants (PCIG) program.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the administration of the Smart Grid, Smart City Program, including the establishment, implementation and ongoing management of the program.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of the Environment’s administration of the Strengthening Basin Communities Program.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of DSEWPaC's administration of PIIOP, including the acquisition of water access entitlements and progress towards achieving the program's objectives.

The objective of the audit was to assess whether the Better Regions Program has been effectively designed and administered. The audit scope included examination of all 106 Better Regions projects.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of the Environment’s regulation of proponents’ compliance with Part 9 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

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.

The focus of this audit is the IEP stream of the Jobs Fund. Separate performance audits are underway that are examining the establishment, implementation and administration of the separate components of the Local Jobs stream of the Jobs Fund.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Taxation Office’s administration of the personal services income regime.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the ATO’s administration of DGR endorsements and associated arrangements.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre's (AUSTRAC) arrangements for processing financial intelligence, to assist domestic partner agencies and international counterparts in their operations and investigations.

The objective of the audit was to consider the status of workforce planning by APS agencies against the background of the ANAO's 2001 Better Practice Guide Planning for the Workforce of the Future, in light of there commendations made in the MAC Organisational Renewal 2001 and the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee report Recruitmentand Training in the Australian Public Service 2003. Workforce planning was defined as a continuous process of shaping the workforce to ensure it is capable of delivering organisational objectives now and in the future.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of physical security arrangements in selected Australian Government agencies, including whether applicable Australian Government requirements are being met.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the design and conduct of the funding round for the Building Better Regional Cities Program.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of DIAC's administration of the health requirement of the Migration Act 1958 (the Act). To achieve this objective, the ANAO examined whether DIAC was setting and implementing the health requirement in accordance with the Act, the Migration Regulations 1994 (the Regulations), and DIAC's own guidelines.

The objective of this performance audit was to assess the effectiveness of the conduct of the first National Infrastructure Audit and development of the Infrastructure Priority List.

The objective of the audit was to assess the implementation and effectiveness of the enhanced grants administration requirements relating to the development and approval of new grant guidelines and revision of existing grant guidelines.