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Canberra Today 13°/15° | Saturday, March 30, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Late on Friday afternoon the Auditor-General announces the audit program

Dr Maxine Cooper

ACT Auditor-General Maxine Cooper has announced the performance audit topics that comprise the Performance Audit Program 2016-17 and Potential Audits to Commence over 2017-18 to 2018-19.

“Selecting which topics should be the subject of a performance audit is a very important and difficult decision. There are always many candidates,” Maxine said.

“Seven performance audits are usually tabled each year. There are numerous topic areas and it is important that the diverse range of ACT Government activities and agencies are covered.

“Topics are chosen after considerable consultation and a strategic analysis. We will continue to focus on high risks to the Territory and plan audits over a three year period.

The following audits are currently underway:

  • Management and Administration of Credit Cards by ACT Government Entities. This audit is examining the effectiveness of the management and administration of credit cards by ACT Government entities.
  • Public Housing Renewal under the Asset Recycling Initiative. This audit is considering the effectiveness of the management of the program of public housing renewal under the Asset Recycling Initiative. This includes consideration of the identification of the properties for disposal, the acquisition of replacement dwellings and the relocation of affected public housing tenants.
  • Land Development Agency Purchase of Selected Land and Businesses. This audit is examining the effectiveness of purchases by the Land Development Agency in accordance with relevant legislation, policies, procedures or any other requirements.

The following audits are proposed to commence in 2015-16:

  • WorkSafe ACT Oversight of Demolition of Loose-fill Asbestos Contaminated Houses. This audit is is in the planning stage and is likely to exmaine the effectiveness of WorkSafe ACT’s planning for, and implementation of, its workplace health and safety regulatory responsibilities for the demolition of houses contaminated by loose-fill asbestos.
  • Conduct of the 2016 ACT Legislative Assembly Election. This audit is in the planning stage and is likely to examine the effectiveness of Elections ACT’s preparation for, and management of, the conduct of the 2016 ACT Legislative Assembly Election.
  • Performance Information in ACT Schools. This audit could examine Education Directorate and individual schools’ effectiveness in achieving value for money by harnessing PIPS and NAPLAN data to target interventions and provide additional support to schools, students and student cohorts who are not meeting minimum standards, those who are performing at very high achievement levels, and those for whom learning has significantly slowed over time.
  • Mental Health Services and Support. This audit could assess the effectiveness and efficiency of arrangements for delivering mental health services, including the arrangements for coordination and referral between services, including community services; and customer outcomes by comparison with other jurisdictions, including waiting times, referral rates, justice and policing outcomes, and clinical outcomes.
  • Management and Maintenance of Selected Infrastructure Assets. This audit could examine the management and maintenance of selected infrastructure assets, including the effectiveness of: planning over the entire asset management cycle; policies that aim to reduce the impact of infrastructure asset use on the environment; delivery of maintenance for existing assets; contracting arrangements for asset maintenance; and evaluation methods for maintenance.
  • Procurement of the Light Rail Project. This audit could examine the effectives of the procurement activities associated with the project, including expressions of interest sought from interested parties and formal bids requested from shortlisted consortia.
  • The Loose-fill Asbestos Insulation Eradication Scheme: Personal Support, Buy-back and Demolition activities. This audit could examine the effectiveness of the Asbestos Response Taskforce’s management of the personal support, buy-back and demolition phases of the Scheme. A particular focus of the audit could be the Asbestos Response Taskforce’s engagement with the community, specifically affected homeowners, in undertaking its activities to buy back and demolish affected properties.
  • Management of Arts, Cultural and Heritage Facilities. This audit could examine the management of different arts, cultural and heritage facilities by ACT Government entities and agencies.
  • The ACT Capital Framework. This audit could examine the implementation of the Capital Framework, including its effectiveness in aiding capital works project decision-making. The audit could also compare outcomes under the Capital Framework to those under older delivery models such as Construction Only or Project Management Agreements, and examine whether the anticipated financial and other benefits of the Capital Framework are being achieved.

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