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The objective of the audit was to assess the Personnel Management Key Solution Project's planning and approval processes and its contract and project management. The audit addresses the scope of the delivered system, the expectations of end-users, and the system's ability to meet their capability requirements.
The audit objective was to assess the Department of Employment’s management of the effectiveness and quality of employment services delivered by Job Services Australia providers.
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The objective of the audit was to examine the effectiveness and efficiency of the administrative arrangements for the establishment and operation of the Green Corps program. Green Corps is a voluntary program for young Australians between 17 and 20 years old to receive accredited training in a range of skills such as bush regeneration and habitat protection. The program is delivered through a contractual arrangement. It was introduced in 1996 with a program allocation of $41.7 million over three years. The focus of the audit was on the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affair's administration of the program, including the management of the contract.
The follow-up audit assessed the extent to which the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Department of Health and Ageing (Health), and Medicare Australia had implemented the six recommendations from Audit Report No.47 2001–02, Administration of the 30 Per Cent Private Health Insurance Rebate. The audit also looked at: the implementation of some of the major suggestions for improvement in the original audit; and the current validity of some of the positive major findings from that audit. The audit found that the ATO, Health and Medicare Australia have acted upon the recommendations contained in Audit Report No.47 2001–02 and, overall, the administration of the Rebate is currently being undertaken effectively.
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.
The objective of the audit was to assess and report on the administration of the Act by the department in terms of protecting and conserving threatened species and threatened ecological communities in Australia.
Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the Joint Launch by the ANAO, the Department of Industry, Science and Tourism and the Management Advisory Board
The objective of the audit was to assess the implementation and administration of the movement limit and the Slot Management Scheme at Sydney Airport.
The scope of the audit included the development and administration of the SADM Act. The scope also included the development and administration of the relevant legislative instruments and determinations, particularly those which put in place the monitoring and compliance frameworks that support the legislation.
Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the Launch of MAB/MIAC Report 22: Guidelines for Managing Risk in the Australian Public Service, Canberra
Annual Performance Reporting, No 11 2003-04 The audit reviewed the 2001-02 annual reports of the departments of : Communications, Technology and the Arts; Education, Science and Training; Employment and Workplace Relations; Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs and the Australian Customs Service. The objectives of this audit were to determine whether agencies had: established a sound annual reporting performance information framework; developed arrangements to ensure performance information is accurate and coherent; and appropriately analysed performance information in their annual reports.
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.
Medicare is Australia's universal health insurance scheme. Underpinning Medicare is one of Australia's largest and more complex computer databases the Medicare enrolment database. At the end of 2004 the Medicare enrolment database contained information on over 24 million individuals. This audit examines the quality of data stored on that database and how the Health Insurance Commission (HIC) manages the data.
This cross-portfolio audit reviewed the management of Internet security across ten Commonwealth agencies, with the objective of forming an opinion on the adequacy of Internet security management within the selected agencies. The audit pursued two strands - a review of the management systems employed within agencies including the adequacy of risk assessments, security policies and plans, day to day management and business continuity planning in connection with the agencies' Internet presence, and physical testing of the security arrangements of selected Internet sites. Staff from the Defence Signals Directorate were appointed under the Auditor-General Act 1997 to perform the site testing.
The examined the $1 billion Federation Fund program, which was established by the Government to mark the Centenary of Federation. The objectives of the examination were to assess the:
- extent to which the administration of the FCHP program complied with better practice in the assessment of applications, especially in relation to the transparency and rigour of the decision-making process;
- equity of the geographic spread of grants to States and electorates; and
- process for the announcement of the results of grant applications.
This audit followed up the ANAO's 1999 performance audit report on the Commonwealth's planning and response mechanisms to deal with exotic and new endemic pest and emergencies in the animal and plant sectors (Audit Report No 9 1999-2000 Managing Pest and Disease Emergencies). The previous audit made nine recommendations to improve planning and response strategies for emergencies; better coordination; diagnostic support; and appropriate monitoring and surveillance. The objective of the follow-up audit was to assess AFFA's implementation of the recommendations, and whether implementation of these recommendations, or appropriate alternative measures, has improved the Commonwealth's planning and response strategies for pest and disease emergencies. The ANAO also observed and assessed relevant parts of the September 2002 foot and mouth disease simulation, Exercise Minotaur.
The objective of the audit was to review AusAID's management of funding to Non-Government Organisations, to assess whether:
- the objectives of overseas development programs to be delivered by NGOs were clearly established;
- funding mechanisms for the delivery of aid programs by NGOs were clearly defined, consistently applied, and in compliance with the law; and
- whether AusAID could provide assurances that NGOs delivering development projects using Commonwealth monies are accountable for: proper expenditure of Commonwealth monies; the achievement of stated objectives; and the achievement of value for money.
The ANAO examined AusAID documentation on overseas development programs delivered by NGOs, looking particularly for clear objectives, performance measures, and evaluation mechanisms. Three levels of documentation were examined:
- government programs;
- grants schemes; and
- individual projects.
The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Health and Ageing and the Australian National Preventive Health Agency in fulfilling the Commonwealth’s role in implementing the Council of Australian Government’s National Partnership Agreement on Preventive Health, to achieve the Agreement’s objectives, outcomes and outputs, including supporting all Australians to reduce their risk of chronic disease.
The audit reviewed the management of the first round of Job Network contracts, which focused on Job Matching, Job Search Training and Intensive Assistance. The objective of the audit was to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business's management of the first round of employment services contracts. A key part of this examination was to assess the Department's level of confidence that the program was meeting government objectives based on performance and management information.
Robust internal budgeting processes are an essential part of effective financial management and are critical in the successful implementation of the accrual-based, outputs and outcomes framework. Effective internal budgeting should be closely intergrated with business planning processes and require a comprehensive and collaborative approach, involving input from throughout the organisation.
The scope of the audit covered Centrelink's emergency management framework and community recovery assistance operations in general, with a specific focus on the 2009 North Queensland floods and Victorian bushfires. FaHCSIA's role during those disaster events was also considered as it played a key role in establishing the policy parameters of the services Centrelink delivered and addressing issues arising from policy implementation.
The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of Department of Infrastructure and Transport’s and the Attorney‐General’s Department’s management of the Aviation and Maritime Security Identification Card (ASIC and MSIC) schemes.
The audit reviewed the retention of military personnel that are managed by the Australian Defence Force which comprises the three Services. The objective of the audit was to review the management of personnel retention within the ADF with a view to evaluating the measures Defence has in place to monitor and control the flow of trained personnel from the Services
Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business Leadership Development Program
Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented to the PAA National Conference - Reshaping the Old: Charting the New - Public Management in the 1990s - Melbourne
The audit examined the review of decisions on veterans' disability compensation. The audit objective was to examine the management of internal review by the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) and external review by the Veterans' Review Board (VRB) of decisions by the Repatriation Commission on veterans' claims for disability compensation.
The ANAO undertook an audit of the framework and systems that Industry, Science and Resources had in place to prevent, control, monitor, detect and investigate fraud. The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of these arrangements in relation to departmental administrative functions and program operations.
The main objectives of the audit were to assess the management and administration of protective security across Commonwealth agencies and to identify, recommend and report better practice in security management. Particular attention was paid to:
- compliance with Government policy, standards and guidelines;
- the role of management in protective security; and
- the operation of security systems and practices.
The audit criteria and procedures to assess the management and administration of the individual organisations examined were largely based on the overall control framework of an organisation and the guidance provided in the current Commonwealth Protective Security Manual.
The objectives of the audit were to provide assurance that Artbank was effectively meeting its charter of: acquiring art by contemporary artists; expanding the number of public places that Artbank's collection is rented and displayed; and managing its collection and rental scheme. The audit also examined Artbank's governance arrangements, and its programmes for marketing, client development, performance management, budgeting, debt management and also sought client feedback on Artbank's operations via a survey.
The objectives for the audit of the third tranche sale of Telstra shares were to:
- assess the extent to which the Government's sale objectives were achieved, including maximising overall value for money;
- assess the effectiveness of the management of the sale; and
- identify principles of sound administrative practice to facilitate potential improvements in any future asset sales.
The Service Chiefs of Navy, Army and Air Force are accountable to the Chief of the Defence Force for the way that equipment is used by their Service. They are also accountable for the safety, fitness for service and environmental compliance of the equipment. The audit report deals with the way that the Service Chiefs are assured of the safety and suitability for service of the Australian Defence Force's (ADF's) ordnance systems. Ordnance systems include munitions such as missiles, shells and mines, and the auxiliary material necessary to aim, launch and guide munitions.