The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the governance board in the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

This edition of audit insights focuses on quality in the public sector. Quality is an important concept that can be applied to all areas of government business. Quality applied through policy, services, regulations and program design and delivery supports community trust in government. A positive approach to quality, implemented through a quality framework that is embedded into the organisational culture at all levels of a government agency, is essential to meeting community and parliamentary expectations.

This Emissions Reduction Plan describes the priorities and actions the Australian National Audit Office is taking to reduce operational emissions and contribute to the APS Net Zero 2030 target.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment’s administration of referrals, assessments and approvals of controlled actions under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

The objective of this audit was to assess whether Human Services has an effective high-level compliance strategy for administered payments made under the Centrelink and Medicare programs. 

The objective of this audit was to assess whether the Department of Home Affairs’ procurement process for the Permissions Capability employed open and effective competition and achieved value for money, consistent with the Commonwealth Procurement Rules.

The objective of this audit was to assess whether the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is effectively preparing for the 2021 Census.

The audit objective was to assess selected entities’ compliance with the four mandatory ICT security strategies in the Australian Government Information Security Manual (ISM).

The objective of the audit was to examine the effectiveness of the Australian Taxation Office’s use of settlements to resolve taxpayer disputes.

The objective of this audit was to assess whether the National Disability Insurance Agency has appropriate controls to ensure supports in participant plans are ‘reasonable and necessary’.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of Geoscience Australia’s 2020 to 2022 procurement of the Southern Positioning Augmentation Network (SouthPAN).

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the design process for the Energy Price Relief Plan.

The objective of this audit was to assess the department’s design, implementation and monitoring of select 2014–15 and 2015–16 Budget measures aimed at achieving $1.2 billion in savings and other benefits.

The audit assessed whether the Streamlining Government Grants Administration Program improved the effective and efficient delivery of grants administration.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the management of threatened species and ecological communities under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

The audit objective was to assess whether the Department of Immigration and Border Protection adopted sound contract management practices for the delivery of garrison support and welfare services for offshore processing centres in Nauru and Manus Island.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the administration of the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) debts and repayments.

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

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 objective of the audit was to assess whether the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has effectively responded to recent unscheduled information technology (IT) system outages.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the administration of the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC).

The objective of the audit was to assess whether the Department of Health and Aged Care has effectively managed the expansion of telehealth services during and post the COVID-19 pandemic.

The objective of this audit was to assess the extent to which entities’ establishment and use of ICT related procurement panels and arrangements supported the achievement of value for money outcomes.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s administration of the National Bushfire Recovery Agency functions including the National Bushfire Recovery Fund.

The objective of this audit was to examine the extent to which Australian Government entities have implemented the Digital Continuity 2020 policy, and how effectively the National Archives of Australia is monitoring, assisting, and encouraging entities to meet the specified targets of the policy.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (Efic).

The objective of this audit was to examine the effectiveness of bilateral agreement arrangements between Services Australia and other entities.

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 the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Taxation Office in achieving revenue commitments established under specific Budget-funded compliance measures.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the National Disability Insurance Agency’s (NDIA’s) management of complaints.

The objective of the audit was to assess the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment’s effectiveness in responding to non-compliance with plant and animal biosecurity requirements.

The objective of the audit was to assess the arrangements established by the Department of Education and Training to monitor the impact of Australian Government school funding.

The objective of the audit was to assess whether the award of funding under the Community Sport Infrastructure Grant Program was informed by an appropriate assessment process and sound advice.

The objective of this audit was to examine whether procurements of office furniture have been consistent with the Commonwealth Procurement Rules and are achieved value for money.

The Auditor-General responded on 16 January 2024 to correspondence from Senator the Hon. Bridget McKenzie dated 22 December 2023, requesting that the Auditor-General to conduct an audit into the Australian Government's $2.2 billion commitment to the Melbourne Suburban Rail Loop Project.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of Australian Skills Quality Authority’s fraud control arrangements as the national regulator of the vocational education and training sector.

The objective of this audit is to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water's (DCCEEW) corporate plan as its primary planning document in accordance with the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.

The objective of the audit was to assess whether the Department of Education and Training established the Apprenticeship Training – alternative delivery pilots program in accordance with the Commonwealth Grants and Rules Guidelines.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Social Services’ (DSS’s) and Services Australia’s management of the accuracy and timeliness of welfare payments.

The audit examined whether the Department of Home Affairs implemented all agreed recommendations from parliamentary committee and Auditor-General reports within the scoped timeframe.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Office of Financial Management’s (AOFM) management of the Australian Government’s debt.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the governance of the Northern Land Council in fulfilling its responsibilities and obligations under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976, Native Title Act 1993 and Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of Industry Innovation and Science Australia's, the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources', and the Australian Taxation Office's administration of the Research and Development Tax Incentive program.

The objective of this audit was to examine the effectiveness of the Department of Home Affairs' administration of the support arrangements designed to ensure that the Cape Class patrol boats are achieving contracted availability and performance requirements.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Social Services’ role in implementing the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children 2010–2022 (the National Plan).

The objective of this audit was to assess whether the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has implemented effective arrangements for the planning and conduct of surveillance activities.

The audit assessed the effectiveness of the rural research and development corporations’ management of probity.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority’s (APVMA’s) implementation of reforms to agvet regulation and the extent to which the authority has achieved operational efficiencies and reduced the cost burden on regulated entities.

The objective of the audit was to examine the effectiveness of Defence’s quarterly performance report as a mechanism to inform senior stakeholders about risks and issues in the delivery of capability to the Australian Defence Force.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the management of conflicts of interest by Aboriginal Hostels Limited (AHL), Aboriginal Investment NT and Outback Stores.

The audit objective is to examine the effectiveness of measures taken to strengthen the protection of Australia’s missions and staff overseas.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Education’s design and implementation of programs and initiatives to improve the access and participation of regional and remote students to higher education.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Health’s administration of the Community Health and Hospitals Program.

The objective of the audit was to examine whether strategic water procurements by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment were conducted consistent with government policy, were supported by appropriate program design, were planned and executed appropriately, and achieved value for money.

The objective of the audit was to assess whether the award of funding under the Regional Jobs and Investment Packages program was informed by appropriate departmental advice and that processes complied with the grants administration framework.

The objective of this audit is to assess whether the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts effectively managed the approval and administration of the Australian Government’s $2.2 billion funding commitment towards Suburban Rail Loop East.

The objective of the audit was to assess the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources' establishment and administration of the Farm Finance and Drought Concessional Loans programs.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the arrangements established by the Department of the Environment for the funding and management of the Nimmie-Caira System Enhanced Environmental Water Delivery Project.

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.

This annual report documents the performance of the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) in the financial year ended 30 June 2024. The report addresses all applicable obligations under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013; the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014; the Auditor-General Act 1997; the performance measures set out in the outcome and programs framework in the ANAO’s Portfolio Budget Statements 2023–24 and in the ANAO Corporate Plan 2023–24; and annual reporting requirements set out in other relevant legislation.