Mr Ian McPhee - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the 20th Commonwealth Auditors-General Conference

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented to the Australian Society of CPAs, Canberra

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.

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented to the Institute of Internal Auditors, Annual Directors' Forum, Canberra

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the House of Representatives Occasional Seminar Series

The main objectives of the audit were to assess the management and administration of the payment of accounts function in the Commonwealth and to identify, develop and report better practice to promote overall improvements in public administration.

Mr P.J. Barrett (AM) - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the 25th National Conference of Association of Risk and Insurance Managers of Australasia Limited

The audit's main objectives were to:

• examine the guidance on the use of confidentiality clauses in contracts and agencies' use of such clauses;
• develop criteria to assist agencies in determining what information in a contract is confidential; and
• assess the effectiveness of the existing accountability and disclosure arrangements for Commonwealth contracts.

The audit examined the design, management and reporting of performance information for the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) which is administered by the Commonwealth Departments of Environment and Heritage, and Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. The objective of the audit was to examine and report on the performance information used to support the administration of $1.5 billion in Commonwealth financial assistance; and compliance with legislative requirements for performance monitoring and reporting.

The overall objective of the survey was to assess key aspects of fraud control arrangements in place across the APS against Commonwealth Law Enforcement Board (CLEB) guidelines. This assessment aimed to provide assurance to Parliament that agencies had a suitable framework in place to assist in effectively preventing and dealing with fraud and to indicate to APS agencies any areas for improvement identified in the survey.