Physical Security Arrangements in Commonwealth Agencies, No.23 2002-2003 Protective security involves the total concept of information, personnel, physical, information technology and telecommunications security. The Commonwealth's Protective Security policy is outlined in the Protective Security Manual (PSM). It provides specific guidance to agencies on the protection of the Commonwealth's assets, personnel and clients from potential security threats. This audit evaluated the protective security policies and practices of seven Commonwealth agencies to determine whether they had established an appropriate physical security control framework based on the principles outlined in Part E of the Commonwealth's Protective Security Manual. The ANAO also examined whether agencies had considered the risks of, and developed an appropriate policy statement on, the physical security arrangements for employees who work from home.

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented t the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants Annual Research Lecture - Canberra

The objective of this audit was to determine whether Australian Government entities were implementing effective strategies to support increased Indigenous employment.

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the Forum of Commonwealth Agencies Seminar, Sydney, NSW

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, addressed the Senior Executive Leadership 20. Canberra.

The audit covered major program elements within the Department of Primary Industries and Energy and Environment Australia that are managed:

• directly by DPIE or Environment Australia;
• through the One-Stop-Shop project assessment process administered by the States/Territories; or
• by non-government organisations.

The purpose of the audit was to examine and benchmark the administrative processes established for these programs. The primary focus of the audit was to draw on the best elements of past practice (particularly in relation to programs involving the One-Stop-Shop) and highlight any shortcomings so that the risks to program effectiveness and accountability could be addressed in the implementation of the Natural Heritage Trust.

The objective of the audit was to assess Customs and Border Protection’s use of risk management to assist in the processing of sea and air cargo imports.

The audit is a follow-up to Audit Report 12, 1995-96 Risk Management by Commonwealth Consumer Product Safety Regulators. The objectives of this follow-up audit were to determine the extent to which ANZFA had implemented the agreed recommendations contained in the 1995 Audit Report, and to determine the effectiveness of the implemented recommendations in improving food safety regulation.

The focus of this audit was to ascertain how the Family Court had spent Justice Statement monies and to form an opinion on the current and projected financial position of the Court. The ANAO undertook the review of the Family Court in a two-stage process. The first stage, the findings of which appear in this report, to allow consideration in the Budget context, was undertaken as a project audit and had the objective of addressing the issues of immediate concern to the Attorney-General.

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented to the Queensland Commonwealth Regional Heads Forum 15th Annual Government Business Conference

The objective of the follow-up audit was to assess the extent to which Airservices Australia, and where relevant, the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government (DITRDLG), have implemented the four ANAO recommendations contained in the previous audit report.

The audit assessed whether Centrelink effectively manages customer debt, excluding debt relating to Family Tax Benefit, consistently across its network, ensuring integrity of payments made on behalf of the Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS). The audit assessed five components of Centrelink's debt management processes, including administration, prevention, identification, raising and recovery.

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented to the International Consortium on Governmental Financial Management - Washington

The objectives of the audit were to:

• assist OGIT in the timely identification and correction of any deficiencies in the evaluation process;
• provide advice to the Parliament, the Government and other interested parties on the probity of the evaluation process; and
• test for adherence to legislative and other specified requirements, such as in industry development.

The objective of the audit was to form an opinion on ATSIC's management of the Municipal Services component of the Community Housing and Infrastructure Program (CHIP). The audit examined how effectively ATSIC specifies and implements its role, the adequacy with which it identifies relative needs for support from the program among Indigenous communities, and how it leverages improved outcomes from other potential funding sources.

The objectives of the audit were to assist the Department in the timely identification of any deficiencies in the evaluation of responses from suppliers and options for addressing the deficiencies. The objectives were to:

• test the Department's adherence to Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines for open and effective competition and to legislative and other Government specified requirements; and
• provide a report to the Parliament, the Government and other interested parties on the probity of the evaluation process.

The scope of the audit was restricted to considering the processes employed by the Department in the selection of hearing devices for use under the voucher scheme.

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 audit reviewed the corporate governance framework of the Australian Electoral Commisson (AEC). The objective of the audit was to review whether the AEC's corporate governance framework was sound.

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 assess the effectiveness of Customs and Border Protection’s arrangements for managing the safe and secure storage and disposal of detained goods.

This follow-up Audit reviewed the Department of Health and Ageing's implementation of the recommendations of Audit Report No. 36, 1999-2000, Home and Community Care. The objective of the follow-up audit was to assess the extent to which the Department had implemented the nine recommendations of Audit Report No. 36, 1999-2000. The audit examined areas relating to funding, guidance, fees, coordination with other aged and disability care programs, acquittals, accountability and data requirements, and records management.

Mr Mr Ian McPhee - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the Leadership Development Network Breakfast Seminar

The audit reviewed the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department of Health and Ageing's (Health's) planning and conduct of the review undertaken to determine the recommendation to the Government on whether or not to exercise the extension option available to the Commonwealth under the Plasma Fractionation Agreement with CSL Limited. The audit was undertaken in response to a recommendation of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit.

Mr Ian McPhee - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the Canberra Evaluation Forum

In January 2000, the ANAO published a Better Practice Guide (BPG) Business Continuity Management, Keeping the wheels in motion (the Guide). The Guide established that the objective of Business Continuity Management (BCM) is to ensure the uninterrupted availability of all key business resources required to support essential (or critical) business activities. This is achieved by organisations building resilience (controls and redundancy) into business operations to prevent, or minimise, the likelihood of business continuity risks occuring and, also, developing plans that minimise the impact should they occur. The primary objective of this audit was to examine BCM arrangements across four Commonwealth organisations, to assess whether their existing BCM frameworks ( or frameworks under development) exhibit the principles espoused in the Guide. At the Commonwealth - wide level, the ANAO considered the continuing relevance of the principles presented in the Guide.

The audit objective was to assess whether Australian Government agencies were effectively controlling the use of credit cards for official purposes.

The objectives of the follow-up audit were to assess DFAT's implementation of the six recommendations made by the ANAO in the previous audit. It also sought to determine whether implementation of these recommendations, or alternative action, had improved DFAT's administration of consular services. The audit focused on management processes and supporting systems for the delivery of consular services. It also reviewed DFAT's implementation of recommendations of the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee that were outstanding from the previous audit.

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the Government in Excellence Summit 2000 - Reinventing Government - A Manifesto for Achieving Excellence and Managing for Results; Singapore

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the AFP’s administration of the Fighting Terrorism at its Source (FTAS) initiative and related measures.

The objective of the audit was to ascertain and report to Parliament on the Australian Taxation Office's administration of the Fringe Benefits Tax and to identify opportunities for improvement. The ANAO identified five key issues relevant to the effective administration of FBT:

• knowledge of the taxpayer base;
• education of taxpayers;
• client service - advice handling;
• other enforcement activities - audits and reviews; and
• the systems required to support the administration of FBT, including staff skills and training information systems.