Browse our range of reports and publications including performance and financial statement audit reports, assurance review reports, information reports and annual reports.
To improve educational outcomes for Indigenous Australians, two main forms of assistance administered by the Commonwealth, namely the Indigenous Education Strategic Initiatives Programme (IESIP) and the Indigenous Education Direct Assistance programmes (IEDA), are currently available. The objective of the audit was to assess whether the department had efficiently and effectively managed the development and implementation of the IESIP agreements for the 2001 to 2004 quadrennium.
The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of DEEWR‘s administration of the initial phases of the NP ECE. The high-level criteria used to make this assessment were the appropriateness of DEEWR‘s:
- establishment of a sound foundation for implementation, including implementation plans, monitoring arrangements and an Indigenous strategy for universal access; and
- ongoing monitoring and support activities, including assessing progress reports, making payments, maintaining relationships, improving data quality and public reporting.
The audit objective was to assess whether the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has effectively established and implemented the Indigenous Advancement Strategy to achieve the outcomes desired by government.
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The ANAO conducted separate audits of the Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS) Children and Schooling program and the Safety and Wellbeing program, the findings and conclusions of which are presented in this report. The objective of the audits was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s and the National Indigenous Australians Agency’s administration of the IAS Children and Schooling and the Safety and Wellbeing programs.
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The objective of the audit was to assess whether the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) supports good governance in Indigenous corporations consistent with the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (CATSI).
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The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of FaHCSIA's management of the Fixing Houses for Better Health program since 2005.
The audit reviewed the two elements of the program for which FaHCSIA is responsible: management of the service delivery arrangements and overall performance monitoring and reporting. Following the development of the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing, which introduced new approaches to the delivery of Indigenous programs, FaHCSIA made changes to FHBH for the 2009–11 phase. The audit has focused on both the 2005–09 and the 2009–11 phases. This provided coverage of the program's normal operations as well enabling the audit to consider the modifications made to the program for the
2009–11 phase.
Against this background, the audit considered whether:
- program management arrangements had been established that were suitable for the size, nature and objectives of the FHBH program;
- service delivery arrangements were designed to support the achievement of the program's objectives and FaHCSIA's management of the program; and
- FaHCSIA used robust systems to monitor achievement of the program objectives.
The ANAO also considered whether there was any experience from the department's management of FHBH that could be broadly applied to FaHCSIA's management of the National Partnership Agreement.
The audit examined ATSIS' implementation of recommendations from Audit Report No.39, 1998-1999 National Aboriginal Health Strategy - Delivery of Housing and Infrastructure to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities (the previous audit). In addition to assessing ATSIS' progress in implementing the recommendations of the previous audit, this follow-up audit examined ATSIS' performance reporting of the NAHS program, and concluded that the current level of aggregation of performance reporting makes it difficult to identify the particular contribution that the NAHS Program makes in improving services to Indigenous communities.
The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority's administration of community awareness, professional education and donor family support activities intended to increase organ an
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The objective of this audit was to assess the extent to which the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (Agriculture) has addressed the recommendations from ANAO Audit Report No. 46 of 2011–12, Administration of the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy (NAQS).
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The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s management of initiatives to supply low aromatic fuel to Indigenous communities.
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The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the management of the MSS for the delivery of Centrelink services. The management of the MSS was assessed against the following criteria:
- there are effective planning arrangements to identify and address the evolving needs of DCALB customers;
- service delivery arrangements meet the current needs of DCALB customers; and
- there are effective performance monitoring and reporting arrangements which are used to improve service delivery.
Around 20 per cent of the people receiving Centrelink services are identified as being from a diverse cultural and linguistic background (DCALB). DHS’ Multicultural Servicing Strategy (MSS) sets out the approach for delivering Centrelink services to DCALB customers. The MSS has four main components — Language Services, the Multicultural Services Officer program, Stakeholder Engagement Strategies and Employee Support Tools and Strategies.
The ANAO prepares two reports annually that provide insights at a point in time to the financial statements risks, governance arrangements and internal control frameworks of Commonwealth entities, drawing on information collected during our audits.
This report is the first of the two reports and focuses on the results of the interim financial statements audits, including an assessment of entities’ key internal controls, supporting the 2023–24 financial statements audits. This report examines 27 entities, including all: departments of state; the Department of Parliamentary Services; and other Commonwealth entities that significantly contribute to the revenues, expenses, assets and liabilities within the 2022–23 Australian Government Consolidated Financial Statements (CFS). The National Indigenous Australians Agency is also included in this report given the role it plays working across government with indigenous communities and stakeholders.
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The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Health’s implementation of the National Ice Action Strategy (NIAS).
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The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of procedures and processes used by DEST and the ATO to record HECS–HELP student loans. To achieve this, the ANAO assessed the performance of DEST and the ATO against three criteria as follows:
- DEST monitored student contributions set by higher education providers for consistency with Australian Government policy;
- DEST paid HECS–HELP advance payments to higher education providers based on sound estimates, and recorded, reconciled and reported these payments; and
- the ATO has established procedures and processes to correctly record HECS–HELP loans against student tax records.
The ANAO prepares two reports annually that provide insights at a point in time to the financial statements risks, governance arrangements and internal control frameworks of Commonwealth entities, drawing on information collected during our audits.
This report is the first of the two reports and focuses on the results of the interim financial statements audits, including an assessment of entities’ key internal controls, supporting the 2024–25 financial statements audits. This report examines 27 of the largest Australian Government entities, including all: departments of state; the Department of Parliamentary Services; and other Commonwealth entities that significantly contribute to the revenues, expenses, assets and liabilities within the 2023–24 Australian Government Consolidated Financial Statements (CFS). The National Indigenous Australians Agency is also included in this report given the role it plays working across government with indigenous communities and stakeholders.
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The audit assessed FaHCSIA's management of AACAP and how the department monitors the contribution the program is making to the improvement of primary and environmental health, and living conditions, in remote Indigenous communities.
The audit examined program delivery under the 2006–2009 MoU, as well as the planning for the 2010 project under the variation to the 2006–2009 MoU. As part of the audit the ANAO considered:
- program strategy and implementation including the roles and responsibilities of the major stakeholders, community selection and scope of works (Chapter 2);
- the financial management of the program and the changing role of the Contracted Program Manager (Chapter 3); and
- performance measures, including FaHCSIA's performance reporting framework, and approach to monitoring and reporting performance against the stated program objectives (Chapter 4).
The audit focused on AACAP in so far as it relates to Indigenous community outcomes. It did not consider the program from the perspective of the Australian Defence Force capability building.
The Objective of the audit was to assess the administrative effectiveness of GPET's management of the general practice training programs, AGPT and PGPPP, the latter being a responsibility that GPET assumed in 2010.
The objective of the audit was to assess the administrative effectiveness of FaHCSIA's and IBA's management of the HOIL program. In particular, the audit examined the administrative design of the program, its implementation and progress in achieving the expected results.
Annual Performance Reporting, No 11 2003-04 The audit reviewed the 2001-02 annual reports of the departments of : Communications, Technology and the Arts; Education, Science and Training; Employment and Workplace Relations; Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs and the Australian Customs Service. The objectives of this audit were to determine whether agencies had: established a sound annual reporting performance information framework; developed arrangements to ensure performance information is accurate and coherent; and appropriately analysed performance information in their annual reports.
The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education’s (DIISRTE’s) administration of the Education Investment Fund grants program.
(DIISRTE was the department that had responsibility for the administration of the EIF grants program during the course of the audit. The recommendations and suggestions for improvement are, however, directed to the Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education because this department now has responsibility for the administration of the program).
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The objective of the audit were to assess the extent to which agencies' performance management systems, strategies and plans are consistent with the strategic framework set out in the Managment Advisory Committee Report; provide assurance that the administration of performance managment is being implemented efficiently and effectively in accordance with better practice principles; provide assurance that performance linked remuneration reported in anual reports complies with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Requirements for Annual Reports; and quantify the cost of performance linked remuneration, both performance bonuses and performance linked advancements (salary increments), across the APS.
The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of FaHCSIA‘s performance of its lead agency role in coordinating whole-of-government commitments to closing the gap in Indigenous disadvantage.
The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Health's design, implementation and administration of primary healthcare under the Indigenous Australians' Health Program (IAHP).
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The objective of this audit was to determine whether Australian Government entities were implementing effective strategies to support increased Indigenous employment.
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The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) Corporate Plan is the ANAO’s key strategic planning document. It guides our operating environment and sets out how we will deliver on our purpose.
The Quality Assurance Framework and Plan complements the Corporate Plan. The ANAO Quality Assurance Framework is the system of quality control that the ANAO has established to provide the Auditor-General with reasonable assurance that the ANAO complies with the ANAO standards and applicable legal and regulatory requirements and reports issued by the ANAO are appropriate in the circumstances.
This Audit Quality Report demonstrates the ANAO assessment of the implementation and operating effectiveness of the elements of the ANAO Quality Assurance Framework. The report provides transparency in respect of the processes, policies, and procedures that support each element of the ANAO Quality Assurance Framework, and reports audit quality indicators measuring ANAO performance against target benchmarks.
This report also includes the achievement of the quality assurance strategy and deliverables set out in the Quality Assurance Framework and Plan 2020–21.
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The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the administration of the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) debts and repayments.
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The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations’ management of the Australian Government’s contribution to the Covenant. The scope of the audit is the Australian Government’s role in the initial establishment of the Covenant and its ongoing contribution through other employment programs.
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The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of DEEWR’s and FaHCSIA’s administration of the Australian Government’s responsibilities under Element 1 of the National Partnership Agreement on Indigenous Economic Participation (including the NT Jobs Package).
The objective of the audit was to assess the extent to which FaHCSIA, DEEWR and DoHA seek to reduce service delivery risks posed by capacity constraints in Indigenous organisations.
The audit objective was to assess the extent to which DEEWR and FaHCSIA have effectively managed the planning and consultation phases for the IBF program and the IBHP program. The audit scope included consideration of the issues likely to affect the ongoing operation and sustainability of the facilities.
The objective of this audit was to examine the effectiveness of the design and early implementation of the National Soil Strategy and the supporting National Soil Action Plan.
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The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of risk management, data monitoring and public reporting arrangements associated with the Australian Government's funding of public hospital services under the 2011 National Health Reform Agreement (NHRA).
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The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s administration of the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy. The ANAO examined whether the department had established effective:
- administrative and governance arrangements to support NAQS;
- processes for identifying biosecurity risks and conducting scientific activities to address identified risks;
- arrangements for managing the quarantine aspects of Torres Strait border movements; and
- public awareness activities that reflect identified biosecurity risks and support the program’s objectives.
The audit objective was to assess how four key departments: Education, Science and Training (DEST); Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR); Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA); and Health and Ageing (DoHA) are implementing the Government's policy objective for Indigenous service delivery.
The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the administration of procurement initiatives to support opportunities for Indigenous Australians.
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The objective of the audit was to examine the investment of public funds by selected entities, including: compliance with relevant legislation, delegations and instructions; the value for money of investment strategies; and reporting of investment activities. Six entities were selected for audit, comprising three FMA Act agencies and three Commonwealth authorities. The six entities had aggregrate investments of $1.64 billion as at 30 June 2004 and realised investment earnings of some $80.4 million during 2003/04.
The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of DEEWR’s administration of FWEIP. The three high level criteria that were used to make this assessment were the appropriateness of DEEWR’s:
- program planning and design;
- selection and engagement of providers; and
- program monitoring, reporting and evaluation.
The objective of this audit was to examine the effectiveness of the National Indigenous Australians Agency’s management of provider fraud and non-compliance risks.
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The objective of the audit was to examine the effectiveness of the Department of Health and Ageing’s administration of New Directions. In this respect the ANAO considered whether:
- planning processes were developed to support the program’s objectives and rationale;
- implementation arrangements were clearly defined and aligned to the objectives of the program; and
- robust performance management arrangements had been established and were in use by the department.
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.
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The audit reviewed the National Aboriginal Health Strategy (NAHS) component of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission's (ATSIC) Community Housing Infrastructure Program (CHIP). A major NAHS objective is to improve environmental health in indigenous communities through the construction and housing and the provision of water, sewerage and related systems. The objective of the performance audit was to form an opinion on ATSIC's management of the National Aboriginal Health Strategy program in providing housing and related infrastructure to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and to identify areas where program administration could be improved.
This annual report documents the performance of the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) in the financial year ended on 30 June 2019. 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 2018–19 and the ANAO Corporate Plan 2018–19, and annual reporting requirements set out in other relevant legislation.
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The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Indigenous Land Corporation’s administration of the Land Acquisition Program.
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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.
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The audit examined the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations' implementation and subsequent management of the Indigenous Employment Policy. The audit sought to determine whether, in relation to the Indigenous Employment Policy, the department had:
- developed appropriate planning processes and performance measures;
- monitored and reported performance results;
- implemented appropriate evaluation and review mechanisms;
- conducted effective marketing and promotion; and
- identified enhancements and addressed performance issues.
The objective of this audit was to examine the effectiveness of the design and implementation of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s (PM&C’s) evaluation framework for the Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS), in achieving its purpose to ensure that evaluation is high quality, ethical, inclusive and focused on improving outcomes for Indigenous Australians.
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The objective of the audit was to assess the compliance by selected Australian Public Service entities with legislation and other relevant requirements relating to staff leave.
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This annual report documents the performance of the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) in the financial year ending on 30 June 2018. The report addresses all applicable obligations under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act); the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014 (PGPA Rule); the Auditor-General Act 1997; the performance measures set out in the outcome and programs framework in the ANAO’s 2017–18 Portfolio Budget Statements (PBS) and the ANAO 2017–18 Corporate Plan and annual reporting requirements set out in other relevant legislation.
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This annual report documents the performance of the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) in the financial year ended 30 June 2021. 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 2020–21 and the ANAO Corporate Plan 2020–21; and annual reporting requirements set out in other relevant legislation.
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The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of monitoring arrangements (by the Accreditation Agency) and compliance activities (by DoHA) put in place to achieve residential aged care homes’ compliance with the Accreditation Standards and their other, related, responsibilities under the Act and its associated instruments.
The ANAO’s assessment considered whether:
— a sector-wide compliance strategy was in place and aligned with effective monitoring and compliance activities at the operational level;
— there was a clear articulation of the separat but complementary roles and responsibilities of DoHA and the Accreditation Agency; and
— performance information gathered by both agencies to support public reporting and business improvements was useful and enabled comparison of performance over time.
This annual report documents the performance of the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) in the financial year ended 30 June 2020. 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 2019–20 and the ANAO Corporate Plan 2019–20; and annual reporting requirements set out in other relevant legislation.
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The objective of the audit was to assess the selected entities’ progress in implementing the corporate planning requirements under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and related PGPA Rule 2014.
This audit assessed corporate plans for the 2016–17 reporting period, and complements the report published in August 2016 which assessed corporate plans for the 2015–16 reporting period.
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This annual report documents the performance of the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) in the financial year ending on 30 June 2017. The report addresses all applicable obligations under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act); the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014 (PGPA Rule); the Auditor-General Act 1997; the performance measures set out in the outcome and programs framework in the ANAO’s 2016–17 Portfolio Budget Statements (PBS) and the ANAO 2016–20 Corporate Plan and annual reporting requirements set out in other relevant legislation.
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The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of Australian Government-funded aged care services delivered to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
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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.
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.
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The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) publishes two reports annually addressing the outcomes of the financial statement audits of Australian government entities and the Consolidated Financial Statements (CFS) of the Australian Government to provide Parliament an independent examination of the financial accounting and reporting of public sector entities. This report focuses on the results of the interim audit phase, including an assessment of entities’ key internal controls, of the 2016–17 financial statements audits of 25 entities including all departments of state and a number of major Australian government entities.
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The fifteenth Commonwealth Auditor-General of Australia, Grant Hehir, has prepared a mid-term report reflecting on his first five years in the role. The report presents a description and analysis of the role and impact of audit, as well as analysis of the financial audit and performance audit work of the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO). The report concludes with coverage of ANAO continuous improvement activities across audit quality, better communication, transparency, efficiency and workforce capability.
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The objective of the audit was to form an opinion on the adequacy of the Indigenous Land Corporation's (ILC's) operations and performance in: assisting Aboriginal persons and Torres Strait Islanders to acquire land; and assisting Aboriginal persons and Torres Strait Islanders to manage indigenous-held land; so as to provide economic, environmental, social or cultural benefits for Aboriginal persons and Torres Strait Islanders.
The objective of the audit was to determine whether DEST has effective governance practices for its IT and e- Business; has adequate systems in place to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of its IT and e-Business; implements and maintains appropriate quality standards within its IT and e-Business systems; and implements proper controls, including risk management, to achieve maximum benefits from its IT and e- Business. The audit examined education and training services provided, or managed, by DEST via IT or the Internet.