Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, Occasional Paper

The objective of the audit was to assess the arrangements for oversighting the Action Plan and whether the Plan's new measures have been administered effectively to deliver the intended results.

HMAS Cerberus is a Navy base situated south-east of Melbourne, Victoria. As a major Navy training establishment, it conducts initial recruit training, and specialist category training in areas such as communications and engineering. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) Schools of Catering and Physical Training are situated there, as is a major health centre for operational and training needs. The health centre and other facilities at HMAS Cerberus were re-developed several years ago. In August 2001, the then Minister for Defence announced that, in response to continuing concern over facilities management at HMAS Cerberus, he had asked the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) to conduct an independent investigation. The ANAO agreed to review these matters. The objective of the audit was to examine facilities management issues at HMAS Cerberus with a view to clarifying those of concern and ensuring that lessons would be learned from them to assist Defence facilities management generally.

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the IPAA ACT Division, Half day seminar

Major capital equipment contributes importantly to the capabilities of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to achieve the Defence mission, that is, the defence of Australia and its national interests. The Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) is the relatively new Defence organisation responsible for the acquisition and through-life support of Defence equipment and systems. DMO's stated purpose is to equip and sustain the ADF. In 2001-02, it will spend $2.9 billion on progressing some 270 major capital equipment acquisition projects. This preliminary study for the audit focused on DMO reporting on the status of major equipment acquisition projects.

The overall objective of the audit was to assess CrimTrac's progress in achieving the key deliverables it was established to provide, given that the agency had been in operation for some three years. The Australian Government provided $50 million for the implementation of CrimTrac, with an expectation that significant progress would be made within the first three years. The audit further examined whether CrimTrac had progressed the key deliverables efficiently and effectively, and whether the data either held by CrimTrac, or accessed through CrimTrac, for matching purposes is secure.

Mr Mr Ian McPhee, AO PSM - Auditor-General for Australia, presented an Australian Country Paper at the 6th ASOSAI Symposium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Tax Office’s administration of the LCT, including aspects of the tax administered by Customs on behalf of the Tax Office.

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) established a task force in 1996 to develop a greater understanding of the factors involved and to devise a coordinated approach in dealing with the cash economy. The objective of the performance audit was to report to Parliament on the ATO's progress in addressing the cash economy, including its monitoring and reporting of outcomes. The audit focused on the ATO's implementation of its Cash Economy Task Force recommendations in the light of the tax reform that has taken place over the last two years.

In the current audit, the objectives were to provide assurance to the Parliament on the adequacy of the measures and plans instituted by Defence to ensure that the combat aircrew workforce meets military preparedness requirements in the future, and to identify possible areas for improvement.

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

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of CSIRO’s development and administration of selected National Research Flagships. In assessing CSIRO’s performance, the ANAO examined whether:

• mechanisms were in place to develop and implement the Flagships, within the context of the broader CSIRO change program;
• governance arrangements for Flagships incorporated sound oversight, planning and reporting arrangements; and
• periodic review activities were used to assess and improve the operation of the Flagships.

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the Committee for Economic Development of Australia, Sydney, 30 Sept

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the Defence and Strategic Studies Course, Australian Defence College, Canberra

The objectives of the audit were to determine the administrative changes made by the Australian Tourist Commission (ATC) to implement the recommendations of recent administrative reviews and to identify how well the ATC is meeting its statutory objectives. The criteria used in conducting the audit included administrative improvements resulting from the ATC's response to recent reviews and the extent to which strategies and performance information address its statutory objectives.

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at a Seminar on 'Financial Management and Electronic Government' Kuala Lumpur

The audit reviewed the Amphibious Transport Ship Project, involving the acquisition and modification of two second-hand US Navy ships . The objective of the audit was to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of Defence's management of the project, focusing on the capability development process, costs and schedule issues, contract issues, the management of project risks and project review processes.

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.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of Customs and Border Protection's performance in managing and coordinating enforcement operations against illegal foreign fishing in Australia's northern waters. The audit focused on Customs and Border Protection's role within the whole of government policy coordination framework; the effectiveness of its intelligence support for operational planning and policy and strategy development; its performance in planning, prioritising and administering effective enforcement operations; and its performance in measuring and reporting on the effectiveness of the program.

The objective of the audit was to assess the Australian Taxation Office's approach to client service and the provision of particular client services to Individuals Non-Business clients. The INB business line deals primarily with the tax affairs of individual taxpayers. Audit criteria were developed which examined the ATO's:

• commitment to client service and understanding of client needs and expectations;
• client service strategy and delivery of client services and products; and
• measurement and achievement of service quality and client satisfaction.

The objective of this audit was to assess Army's progress in addressing the issues previously identified in Defence reviews and ANAO audits as affecting the Army Reserve's capability; and Identify the extent that the Army Reserve is capable of contributing to contemporary Australian Defence Force capability requirements through fulfilling its assigned roles and tasks.

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the Attorney-General's Luncheon

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Torres Strait Regional Authority’s administration of its program and service delivery functions.

The audit reviewed six budget-funded agencies (Australian Customs Service, Australian Taxation Office, Centrelink, Department of Defence, Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs, and Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs) and two off-budget entities (Airservices Australia and Reserve Bank of Australia). The ANAO also examined the Office for Government Online's (OGO, formerly the Office of Government Information Technology, or OGIT) whole-of-government coordination of the Commonwealth's Year 2000 efforts.

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the 18th Commonwealth Auditors-General Conference, Malaysia

The audit is a follow-up of ANAO Audit Report No.33 of 1997-98, which assessed the effectiveness and efficiency of the Commonwealth's management of the Great Barrier Reef and made seven recommendations for improvement. The objective of the follow-up audit was to assess the extent to which the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, which is responsible for advising the Commonwealth on the care and developement of the Marine Park, has implemented the recommendations of the earlier audit.

The audit reviewed the implementation of the purchaser/provider arrangements between the Department of Health and Aged Care and Centrelink. The objective of the audit was to determine the administrative effectiveness of the implementation of the service delivery arrangements between Centrelink and the Department by examining project planning for, and management of, the implementation, and the establishment of on-going purchaser/provider arrangements.

The Government introduced the Defence Reform Program (DRP) in 1997 to enable Defence's resources to be focused more efficiently and effectively on its core functions. The objective of the audit was to assess Defence's management and implementation of DRP and the extent to which it achieved savings for reinvestment in the operational capabilities of the ADF.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of DEEWR's administration of Job Network outcome payments.