Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, address to the ACT Chapter of the Australasian Institute of Risk Management

The ANAO examined the performance information in the 2000-01 Portfolio Budget Statements (PBS) for a mix of ten small and large agencies. The objective of the audit was to assess the appropriateness of the performance information in the selected PBS, the reporting of performance information in annual reports and agency arrangements to identify and collect this information.

The objective of the audit was to review AUSTEL and the Spectrum Management Agency's approaches to service delivery against recognised good practice and to identify opportunities for the new Australian Communications Authority to adopt the relevant features of these approaches in its service delivery.

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

The objectives of the audit were to provide assurance to Parliament concerning the adequacy of Commonwealth security planning and preparations for the Games and to identify areas for improvement early enough for any corrective action to be taken.

The audit was conducted in response to a November 2000 resolution of the Senate that the Auditor-General examine all expenditures and entitlements accruing to Parliamentarians in 1999-2000. The objectives of the audit were to:

• provide assurance to the Parliament regarding the administration by Finance, the chamber departments and the portfolio departments of all expenditures and entitlements accruing to Parliamentarians, including Ministers, in 1999-2000;
• assess the administrative and control structures governing expenditures and entitlements accruing to Parliamentarians and Ministers in 1999-2000; and
• identify opportunities to improve the current framework.

This benchmarking study across 14 agencies examined how line managers plan for and manage their staff and how the human resource (HR) function supports them to do that. People management was categorised into nine, practice areas, to enable comparisons between the participating agencies. The study also assessed each people management practice area against four criteria: quality, HR integration, effectiveness & efficiency and business contribution.

The Senate Order of 20 June 2001, required all FMA agencies to list contracts over $100 000 on the Internet. FMA agencies were to indicate, amongst other things, whether the contracts contained provisions requiring the parties to maintain confidentiality of any of its provisions or whether any provisions of the contract were regarded by the parties as confidential. The Senate Order also requested the ANAO to conduct an examination of a number of such contracts, and indicate whether any inappropriate use of confidentiality provisions was detected in that examination. The Government agreed that agencies would comply with the spirit of the Order because it was committed to transparency of Commonwealth contracts. The Government also indicated that agencies' compliance with the Order would be progressive as agencies refine arrangements and processes to meet the requirements

The audit reviewed the Australian Customs Service (Customs) fraud control arrangements. The audit objective was to assess whether Customs has implemented appropriate fraud control arrangements consistent with the Commonwealth's Fraud Control Guidelines and the administrative effectiveness of these arrangements.

Mr Ian McPhee - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the National Archives of Australia Seminar, Parliament House, Canberra

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

The Department of the Treasury (Treasury) manages Australia's relations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and various development banks, including those belonging to the World Bank Group. The audit examined Treasury's management of these obligations. In view of the size of Australia's investments and obligations, the audit focussed on financial management issues.

The overall objective of the survey was to assess key aspects of fraud control arrangements in place across the APS against Commonwealth Law Enforcement Board (CLEB) guidelines. This assessment aimed to provide assurance to Parliament that agencies had a suitable framework in place to assist in effectively preventing and dealing with fraud and to indicate to APS agencies any areas for improvement identified in the survey.

The objective of the audit was to assess the extent to which agencies have arrangements to establish and use multi-use lists to support value for money, efficiency and effectiveness in procurement.

The audit reviewed the process of engaging consultants in four Commonwealth agencies. The objective of the audit was to provide assurance to Parliament that Commonwealth agencies comply with relevant procurement policies and procedures that have been developed to ensure value for money in government procurement.

The overall objective of this audit was to assess the management of the physical protection of Australian missions and staff overseas. The high-level criteria for the audit are set out at Appendix 1 of the report.

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 audit examined some key aspects of HRD in relation to Centrelink's Customer Service Officers (CSOs). The objective of the audit was to determine whether Centrelink had appropriate systems and strategies in place to ensure that its CSOs had access to the skills and knowledge necessary to meet expected levels of performance and customer service.

The main objectives of the audit were to assess the management and administration of the payment of accounts function in the Commonwealth and to identify, develop and report better practice to promote overall improvements in public administration.

Mr Ian McPhee - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the Queensland Regional Heads Forum

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia - Speaking Notes used for presentation to the Australian Bureau of Statistics SES and Middle Management Group

Mr Ian McPhee. Auditor-General for Australia, presented to the Heads of Cultural Organisations Meeting

The audit objective was to form an opinion on the Department of Veterans' Affairs administration of its activities to maintain and enhance the health and independence of veterans and war widows in their homes and in the community.

Mr Ian McPhee, PSM - Auditor-General for Australia, presented to the Department of Parliamentary Services

The audit reviewed fraud control arrangements in the Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. The objective of this audit was to establish whether the Department had developed a sound fraud control framework by examining the arrangements for: · policy and planning; · performance assessment; · quality assurance; and · training and awareness raising.

Mr Ian McPhee - Auditor-General for Australia, address to the Risk Management Institution of Australasia -ACT Chapter Conference 'Building on Experience'

The audit reviewed the sale of DASFLEET, a business unit of the Department of Administrative Services, which provided passenger and general commercial vehicle leasing, rental and fleet management and maintenance services. The objectives of the audit were to review the efficiency and effectiveness of the management of the sale.

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the Challenges and Opportunities Seminar, Conducted by the Department of Finance, Canberra

Mr Ian McPhee - Auditor-General for Australia, presented to the CPA Australia

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.