The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Social Services’ 2020 to 2022 procurement of counselling and support services provided through 1800RESPECT.

The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO’s) complaints and other feedback management systems in supporting service delivery.

You are invited to contribute to the annual audit work program of the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO). Please review the draft potential performance audit topic list and tell us what you think.

The Auditor-General is an independent officer of the Parliament whose role is to support accountability and transparency in the Australian Government sector by providing independent reporting to the Parliament. The Auditor-General’s reports assist the Parliament to hold government entities accountable and to drive improvements in public administration.

The Auditor-General is assisted by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) to conduct a range of audits in Australian Government entities, such as:

• mandated annual financial statements audits, including the audit of the Australian Government’s consolidated financial statements;
• performance audits;
• assurance reviews (including the Defence Major Projects Report and audits by arrangement); and
• audits of the annual performance statements and measures of Commonwealth entities and Commonwealth companies and their subsidiaries.

Contributions must relate to the performance or expenditure of Commonwealth public sector entities. The ANAO does not investigate complaints or disputes, review or provide legal decisions, and does not comment on the merits of government policy and legislation.

You can find information about the ANAO’s approach to the development of the performance audit program and planning criteria in an audit insights on the Auditor-General's annual audit work program.

While your contribution will be considered and handled with care, we will not provide you with feedback on your submission. The confidentiality of your contribution may be protected by law (see section 36 of the Auditor-General Act 1997). In addition, any personal information gathered by the ANAO will be treated in accordance with the ANAO Privacy Policy.

Please send feedback about this draft program to communication@anao.gov.au. Submissions close on 11 April 2025 at 11:59pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time).

This edition of Audit Insights summarises key messages from Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) performance audits about the management of conflicts of interest by Australian Government entities in relation to procurement activity and grants programs.

The audit objective was to assess the extent to which Australian Government agencies ensure that service providers are made aware of the core Australian Public Service (APS) Values and Code of Conduct and these arrangements are monitored.

The objective of the audit was to examine the effectiveness of Defence's management of the procurement of Minor capital equipment for Army capability. In particular, the audit focussed on the identification and approval of capability requirements; the management of Army Minors Program funding and expenditure; and DMO management of procurement processes for Army Minor projects. The audit focused on projects included in the Program as at 1 July 2005. As at that date, 85 projects were listed. Case studies illustrating particular issues in the management of the Program are profiled throughout the report in the relevant section.

The ANAO responded to the emerging sector-wide risks for public administration by developing a strategy for a program of audits examining the delivery of the Australian Government’s COVID-19 pandemic response (COVID-19 audit strategy). The purpose of this information report was to summarise and consolidate the learnings from the audits and reviews conducted by the ANAO under the COVID-19 audit strategy.

On 3 February 2010, Senator Christine Milne wrote to the Auditor General raising concerns about DEWHA's administration of the Green Loans program and requesting a performance audit of the program. Issues raised included: uncapped assessor numbers; problems with the delivery of the program; the quality of assessor training and assessments provided to households; the lack of an audit facility within the program; and equitable access to work under the program.

In light of Senator Milne's request and other concerns in relation to the administration of the program, the Auditor-General agreed on 25 February 2010 to conduct a performance audit of the program. The objective of the audit was to examine key aspects of the establishment and administration of the Green Loans program by DEWHA and the program's transition to DCCEE. Particular emphasis was given to the program's three main elements:

• training, registration and contracting of assessors;
• scheduling, conduct, and reporting of home sustainability assessments, and the associated payments to assessors; and
• provision of green loans to householders, and the associated payments to participating financial institutions.

The audit also examined the extent to which steps had been taken by DEWHA and DCCEE to assess whether the Green Loans program was achieving its objectives.

The audit objective was to report on the administration of the Australia Network tender process and to identify lessons learned from the conduct of the process to inform future procurement activities.

The objective of this audit was to assess and report on the progress being made by Government agencies in achieving better practice in green office procurement and sustainable office management. The scope of the audit included agencies incorporated under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 as well as a sample of bodies incorporated under the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997. Sixty-three agencies were included in an audit survey. Detailed validation was carried out in nine of these agencies.