Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India

The audit reviewed the management of trust monies in five Commonwealth organisations. The objectives of the audit were to:

• assess whether selected Commonwealth organisations were managing trust monies in accordance with legal and administrative requirements and better practice principles;
• identify better practices in the management of trust monies; and
• recommend improvements in the controls and practices relating to the management of trust monies.

Simulators are devices that provide personnel with training and practice by reproducing the behaviour of operational equipment. Defence records indicate that since 1960 the Defence Organisation has spent about $1 billion on acquiring simulators for training purposes. Over the next five years Defence proposes to spend a further $1.1 billion on simulation. The objective of the audit was to assess whether Defence had developed appropriate policies to provide guidance to personnel in the acquisition and use of aerospace simulators and the effectiveness of its procedures in achieving best value for the Commonwealth in relation to aerospace simulators.

This report focuses on the results of the interim financial statements audits, including an assessment of entities’ key internal controls, supporting the 2019–20 financial statements audits. This report examines 24 entities, including all departments of state and a number of major Australian government entities. The entities included in the report are selected on the basis of their contribution to the income, expenses, assets and liabilities of the 2018–19 Consolidated Financial Statements (CFS). Significant and moderate findings arising from the interim audits are reported to the responsible Minister(s), and all findings are reported to those charged with governance of each entity.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s management of the biosecurity workforce.

The audit objective was to examine whether the Department of Defence provides an efficient and effective security vetting service for Australian Government entities through the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency.

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

The audit objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs administration of the Repatriation Transport Scheme.

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.