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

The audit objective was to examine the selected entities’ effectiveness in implementing entity-wide fraud control arrangements, including compliance with the requirements of the 2011 Commonwealth Fraud Control Guidelines (2011 Guidelines), and the overall administration of the fraud control framework by the Attorney-General’s Department.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Research Council’s (ARC’s) administration of the National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP).

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Research Council’s (ARC) management of corporate credit cards.

The Performance Audit Services Group (PASG) volume of the ANAO Audit Manual applies to the performance audit activity performed by PASG in collaboration with the Systems Assurance and Data Analytics (SADA) group. Relevant policies and guidance from the PASG volume are also applied to assurance reviews performed by PASG. Policies and guidance in the PASG volume address the planning, execution and reporting stages of the performance audit process.

The objective of this audit was to examine whether the Australian Postal Corporation (Australia Post) is meetings its Community Service and International obligations efficiently and the effectiveness of Commonwealth shareholders in monitoring value for money.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian National University’s governance and control framework.

The objective of this audit was to assess whether the Productivity Commission is effectively managing the use of corporate credit cards for official purposes in accordance with legislative and entity requirements.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Taxation Office’s arrangements for identifying and reducing the income tax gap for individuals not in business.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the administration of procurement initiatives to support opportunities for Indigenous Australians.

The objective of this audit was to assess whether the National Library of Australia and National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) have implemented effective collection management practices.

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 is to assess the effectiveness of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s implementation of food security initiatives for remote Indigenous communities.

The objectives of the audit were to:

• assess the effectiveness of the ongoing administration of the Australian Government’s campaign advertising framework; and
• assess the effectiveness of the selected entities’ administration in developing advertising campaigns and implementing key processes against the requirements of the campaign advertising framework applying at the time, and relevant legal and government policy requirements.

The audit objective was to examine whether selected entities in the Health and Education portfolios implemented the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit and other parliamentary inquiry report recommendations and agreed ANAO performance audit recommendations.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the design of the Growing Regions Program.

The objective of the audit was to assess whether selected entities had appropriately justified the use of limited tender procurement and whether processes adopted met the requirements of the Commonwealth Procurement Rules.

The audit’s objective was to determine if the Bureau of Meteorology’s processes support the delivery of effective extreme weather services.

The objective of the audit was to examine whether selected entities implemented agreed ANAO performance audit, the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit, and other parliamentary committee 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.

The objective of this audit was to examine the effectiveness of the Attorney-General’s Department’s implementation of the recommendations from Auditor-General Report No.27 of 2017–18, Management of the Australian Government’s Register of Lobbyists.

The audit objective was to examine the effectiveness of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s regulation of permits and approvals, including its implementation of recommendations from Auditor-General Report No.3 of 2015–16 Regulation of Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Permits and Approvals.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications’ design and implementation of measures to support the aviation sector in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

The objective of the audit was to examine whether the National Capital Authority’s procurement activities are complying with the Commonwealth Procurement Rules and demonstrating the achievement of value for money.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the governance board in the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Efficiency through Contestability Programme in supporting entities to improve the efficient delivery of government functions.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman’s exercise of its regulatory functions.

The objective of this audit was to assess whether selected regulatory entities effectively apply the cost recovery principles of the Australian Government’s cost recovery framework. The selected regulatory entities were the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, and the Department of Health (Therapeutic Goods Administration).

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the design and award of funding for Round 6 of the Mobile Black Spot Program.

The audit objective was to assess the Australian Taxation Office’s effectiveness in managing complaints.

The objective of the audit was to assess whether Defence Housing Australia administers its functions efficiently and effectively, and in accordance with the Government Business Enterprise guidelines.

The Auditor-General responded on 13 September 2021 to correspondence from Senator the Hon Eric Abetz dated 17 August 2021, requesting that the Auditor-General conduct an investigation to examine the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's (ABC's) payment of the damages and legal costs of one of its employees in a private defamation proceeding. 

The Auditor-General provided a follow-up response to Senator the Hon Eric Abetz on 15 October 2021. 

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Trade Commission’s administration of the Export Market Development Grants scheme, in providing incentives to small and medium Australian enterprises for the development of export markets.

The objective of the audit was to examine the effectiveness of Industry’s administration of the Ethanol Production Grants Program, including relevant advice on policy development.

The ANAO’s performance audit program is one of the main assurance functions of the Auditor-General. The purpose of this information report was to provide analysis of 2023–24 performance audits.

The objective of this audit was to examine whether the Department of Finance (Finance) has implemented a selection of agreed parliamentary committee and Auditor-General recommendations.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the governance of the Northern Land Council 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 the governance board in Hearing Australia.

The objective of this review was to determine whether the establishment and early implementation of the Fair Entitlements Guarantee Recovery Program by the Department of Jobs and Small Business has provided a sound basis for achieving value for money.

The objective of the audit was to examine the effectiveness of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ arrangements for the management of contractors.

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

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of Indigenous Business Australia’s (IBA's) management of its business support and investment activities.

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 the effectiveness of the Director of National Parks’ management of Australia’s six Commonwealth national parks.

The ANAO provided an article to the March 2023 edition of the PASAI newsletter on the development of a methodology for auditing ethics. The article was titled SAI Australia develops methodology for auditing ethics.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Social Services' fraud control arrangements.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of Australian Financial Security Authority’s (AFSA) management of conflicts of interest.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of the Environment and Energy's design and implementation of the Reef Trust.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of controls being implemented and/or developed by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to ensure National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) access decisions are consistent with legislative and other requirements.

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of entities’ implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 1982.

The audit objective was to assess Defence’s implementation of the five recommendations in  ANAO Report No.19 2014-15 Management of the Disposal of Specialist Military Equipment and the related recommendation in JCPAA  Report 449 Review of Auditor-General's Reports Nos. 1-23 (2014-15).

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the design and establishment of the Regional Investment Corporation.

The objective of the audit was to assess whether select Australian Government entities are effectively managing and controlling the use of Commonwealth credit and other transaction cards for official purposes in accordance with legislative and policy requirements.

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 was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Education, Skills and Employment’s arrangements in administering wage subsidies linked to employment programs.

The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's fraud control arrangements.

Welcome to the second edition of the ANAO’s quarterly Audit Matters newsletter. The purpose of Audit Matters is to provide updates on the ANAO’s work and provide insights on what we are seeing in the Australian Government sector.

Audit Matters complements the range of reports we table in the Parliament as well as our insights products and events and seminars. I hope you find it useful and please forward it on to your colleagues, and encourage them to sign-up for future editions.

It’s no secret that a federal election is due to happen. No doubt your minds will turn to your entities’ preparedness for this event now or in the near future. At the time the election is called, I’ll write out to entities to help people understand how the ANAO operates during an election period.

Rona Mellor PSM, Deputy Auditor-General