The objective of this audit was to determine the progress made by the AEC in implementing the ANAO's recommendations, taking into account any changed circumstances, or new administrative issues, affecting implementation of those recommendations.

This is the third audit report undertaken by the ANAO in response to a request made by the Senate in the Senate Order for Departmental and Agency Contracts, which requires all Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (FMA Act) agencies to place on the Internet, lists of contracts of $100 000 and more by the tenth day of the Spring and Autumn sittings of Parliament. It relates to the audit of the contract information to be listed on the Internet by the tenth day of the Autumn 2002 sitting. The audit involved a desktop review of all FMA Act agencies' Internet listings; and a detailed review in six selected agencies, of the process for making the Internet listings, and the policies and practices for determining and identifying whether contracts contained either confidential provisions and other requirements of confidentiality.

The audit examined whether the Department of Health and Ageing had the performance information necessary to administer the Australian Health Care Agreements. A strong focus of the audit was accountability for performance given the significant size of Commonwealth financial assistance, more than $29.6 billion over 5 years, provided to the States and Territories for the provision of health care services.

The examined the $1 billion Federation Fund program, which was established by the Government to mark the Centenary of Federation. The objectives of the examination were to assess the:

• extent to which the administration of the FCHP program complied with better practice in the assessment of applications, especially in relation to the transparency and rigour of the decision-making process;
• equity of the geographic spread of grants to States and electorates; and
• process for the announcement of the results of grant applications.

The audit reviewed the accountability framework and performance information of the Australian Sports Commission (ASC). The objective of the audit was to form an opinion on the efficiency and effectiveness of the ASC: accountability arrangements, focussing on key stakeholders such as the Minister and the Parliament; and management information systems, focussing on performance information, in particular key performance indicators; and its use in resource allocation decision-making.

Mr Ian McPhee - Deputy Auditor-General, presented at the CPA Australia Seminar

The objective of the audit was to assess and report on the administration of the Act by the department in terms of protecting and conserving threatened species and threatened ecological communities in Australia.

Mr Mr Ian McPhee - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the Global Working Group of Auditors-General, Stockholm, Sweden

Mr Ian McPhee - Auditor-General for Australia, presented at the Australian Corporate Lawyers Association (ACT Division) Conference

The audit reviewed the administration of referrals, assessments and approvals processes under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The objective of the audit was to examine and report on the quality and timeliness of environmental assessments and approvals under the Act, as well as on Environment Australia's activities to ensure compliance with the Act.