The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Health's strategies for managing a communicable disease emergency.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the management of cyber risks by the Department of the Treasury, National Archives of Australia and Geoscience Australia.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of the Treasury’s design and delivery of the Housing Australia Future Fund.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s management of the Australian Government’s Register of Lobbyists.

The objective of this audit was to examine the design and conduct of the award of funding under the Community Development Grants Program (CDGP).

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Taxation Office’s management of small business collectable debt.

The objective of the audit was to examine the effectiveness of governance and integrity arrangements for the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF). 

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation’s (ARPC) management of the Terrorism Reinsurance Scheme.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of the revised export control legislative framework by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

The objective of this audit was to examine the effectiveness of the Department of Defence's administration of contractual obligations relating to the Defence Industry Security Program.

The objective of this audit was to assess whether the Department of Veterans’ Affairs is efficiently delivering services to veterans and their dependents.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the National Recovery and Resilience Agency's administration of the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

The objective of this audit was to assess whether IP Australia’s use of artificial intelligence in the patent rights process is effective.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission’s (ACNC’s) regulation of charities.

The objective of this audit was to examine the effectiveness of the Department of Home Affairs’ management of its public communications and media activities.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s (AMSA) management of the Aids to Navigation maintenance procurement.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the administration of the commuter car park projects within the Urban Congestion Fund.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Education, Skills and Employment in managing the integrity of payments to employment service providers.

The objective of the audit was to examine whether WSA Co Limited’s procurement framework and procurement activities are achieving value for money.

The audit objective was to assess whether the Department of Employment effectively designed and monitors the progress of the jobactive program.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Home Affairs’ administration and regulation of critical infrastructure protection policy.

The audit reviewed the Australian Maritime Safety Authority's management of the navigation aids network, which is an important factor in shipping safety. The objectives of the audit were to determine whether AMSA's management of the network provides for the strategic needs of marine navigation in Australian waters, and whether AMSA's management was efficient and effective. The audit focused on AMSA's strategic planning, the management of revenue and expenditure to support the network, its contract management practices, and its accountability and performance reporting arrangements.

The objective of the audit was to examine the effectiveness of the implementation of frameworks to support ethical behaviours within the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority’s management of Commonwealth fisheries.

The objective of the audit was to assess FSANZ's administration of its food standard functions, as specified in the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act, 1991 (last amended 2007).
Particular emphasis was given to whether:

• FSANZ's performance management and reporting provided effective support and ensures accountability;
• FSANZ effectively administered its food standard development and variation function, including its stakeholder management; and
• FSANZ effectively monitored the implementation of its standards and coordinates relevant jurisdictions to address market failures.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Health’s implementation of the National Ice Action Strategy (NIAS).

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the coordination arrangements of key Australian Government entities operating in Torres Strait.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of selected Commonwealth entities’ management of Senior Executive Service conflict of interest requirements.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of Army's management of the move of 1st Brigade to Darwin. The audit criteria directly related to implementation of the project. These criteria addressed planning as well as identification and management of longer-term risks to the success of the project.

The objective of the audit was to examine the extent to which the Department of Human Services (Human Services) has implemented the recommendations made by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) in Auditor-General Report No. 37 of 2014–15 Management of Smart Centres’ Centrelink Telephone Services; as well as Human Services’ performance against call wait time and call blocking metrics.

Grants Scheme in Audit Report No.33 of 1993-94. The major recommendations in that report related to:

• improved quality of claims and control measures;
• optimisation of management planning and control;
• rationalisation of the strategic planning structure;
• improved responsiveness of the scheme; and
• improved accountability to Parliament.

The objective of this follow-up audit was to form an opinion on Austrade's progress with implementing the recommendations of Audit Report No.33 of 1993-94.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the management of underperformance in the Australian Public Service (APS) and identify opportunities for improvement.

The audit objective was to examine the efficiency of the Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions' (CDPP's) case management.

The audit objective was to examine whether the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) implemented a selection of agreed Auditor-General recommendations.

The purpose of the audit was to examine the efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of the Therapeutic Goods Administration's performance in evaluating and approving prescription drugs for public use. In particular the audit focused on analysing elements of the regulatory process associated with the evaluation of prescription drugs. In this context the audit reviewed the administrative operations performed within the Department's Drug Safety and Evaluation Branch, the Australian Drug Evaluation Committee and the Business and Services Branch of the TGA, rather than any processes preceding or succeeding those activities.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Federal Police's management of its use of force regime.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Finance’s and selected entities’ implementation of the Australian Government’s campaign advertising framework.

The objective of this audit was to assess whether the Australian Maritime Safety Authority is effectively managing the Search and Rescue Aircraft contract.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Defence's (Defence) management of advertising campaigns for Australian Defence Force recruitment.

The objective of the audit was to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the National Registration Authority's strategic and operational management, particularly the assessment and registration activities. The audit criteria took into account the scope for the application of risk management principles which are integral to strategic and operational management.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Defence’s design process and implementation to date of the Defence Export Strategy.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Communications and the Arts’ contract management of selected telephone universal service obligations.

The audit objective was to examine whether the selected entities have implemented a selection of agreed parliamentary committee and Auditor-General recommendations.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership’s (AITSL) administration of national standards and frameworks.

On 12 July 2016 the ANAO held the ANAO CFO Forum - The Interim Results of the 2015–16 Financial Statement Audits. The forum was a follow-on from our first held in February, and as we approach year-end provided an opportunity to discuss ways to facilitate working together on achieving a timely and efficient financial statement preparation and audit process in 2015–16 and beyond.

The objective of the audit was to assess whether Services Australia has effective arrangements to comply with domestic and international travel requirements.

The audit reviewed management of the Commonwealth's role in preparing for, and managing, pest and disease emergencies requiring a rapid response. The audit focused on the role of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry -Australia (AFFA), which is the Commonwealth Department with primary portfolio responsibility for coordinating the national and international response to an emergency. The audit did not address preventative measures such as quarantine and border controls; controlled release of exotic diseases or pests; or emergencies associated with previously known endemic diseases, food safety or chemical residue issues.

The audit objective was to assess whether the Department of Home Affairs is effectively managing the Civil Maritime Surveillance Services contract.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO) management of transfer pricing for related party debt.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of Defence’s administration of allowances and entitlements paid to its Australian Public Service (APS) employees.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of the My Health Record system under the opt-out model.

The purpose of the Australian National Audit Office is to support accountability and transparency in the Australian Government sector through independent reporting to the Parliament, and thereby contribute to improved public sector performance.

The ANAO adopts a range of communication practices to strengthen the impact of its work and facilitate the sharing of audit insights. Communication practices had included the publication of better practice guides on aspects of Commonwealth administration, for the information of Australian Government entities.

The independent Review of Whole-of-Government Internal Regulation recommended that the ANAO take the opportunity to review whether there is a continuing need to develop and maintain separate guidance, where regulators and policy owners have developed or are developing policy guidance material. The ANAO consulted the Australian Parliament and public sector entities, including audit committees within these entities, about the future of better practice guides. The feedback received was that where another entity has produced, or will produce, a similar resource and has committed to continue to do so, the ANAO could add more value by monitoring the effectiveness of this resource. On this basis, the ANAO decided to discontinue and cease distribution of a range of better practice guides from 1 July 2017. Refer to our previously published message from July 2017 (below) for more information about the guides that were removed at this time.

It was also determined in July 2017 that the ANAO would retain three guides and withdraw three guides following a transition period:

Since July 2017, the ANAO has continued to work with policy owners as they have developed or revised their guidance material in relation to the six remaining guides.

In April 2018 we sought feedback from the accountable authorities of policy-owning entities on our intention to withdraw the six remaining guides. All relevant entities supported the removal of the guides, although the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet raised that the outcome of the work being conducted by the APS Reform Committee may lead to new guidance which supersedes the Successful Implementation of Policy Initiatives guide.

In May 2018 the Auditor-General wrote to the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) seeking the Committee’s feedback on the proposal to withdraw the remaining better practice guides. The Committee advised:

the JCPAA has no overall objection to the withdrawal of the Better Practice Guides from the ANAO website. We note the ANAO’s commitment to continue to monitor the effectiveness of the replacement guidance material, as appropriate, under its audit program. We further appreciate that the ANAO’s Audit Insights now provide information on audit issues and examples of good practice, as identified through financial statement and performance audit work, by way of shared learnings for all Commonwealth entities.

Considering the feedback from the JCPAA and policy-owning entities’ support, the remaining guides have now been removed from the ANAO website:

• Successful Implementation of Policy Initiatives
• Public Sector Audit Committees
• Public Sector Governance
• Public Sector Financial Statements
• Developing and Managing Contracts
• Administering Regulation

In 2017-18 the ANAO developed audit insights, a new product which identifies and discusses common recurring issues, shortcomings and good practice examples, identified through our financial statement and performance audit work. The objective of audit insights is consistent with the objective of better practice guides: improved public sector administration.

The ANAO will continue to monitor the effectiveness of guidance material, as appropriate, under our audit program.

If you require access to the withdrawn better practice guides listed above, you can find them through the National Library of Australia’s Australian Government Web Archive.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Social Services’ arrangements for managing Disability Employment Services provider agreements.

The audit objective was to assess whether Department of Health and Aged Care effectively developed and monitored suicide prevention measures.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the management of Machinery of Government (MoG) changes by the selected Australian Government entities.

The objective of this audit was to examine whether the Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) is being effectively administered, with the appropriate management of risks.

The objective of the audit was to examine the effectiveness and appropriateness of the Department of Defence's management of its public communications and media activities.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the National Indigenous Australians Agency’s administration of funding for remote housing in the Northern Territory.

The objective of the audit was to assess whether the Australian Taxation Office has effective arrangements in place to support the adoption of Artificial Intelligence.

The objective of this audit is to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Finance’s and selected entities’ implementation of the Australian Government’s campaign advertising framework.