Page 2226 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 28 August 2007
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of-government level, whether it is for travelling arrangements or leave management or rec leave and sick leave. They are not focussed on one department but focused on whole-of-government and agencies tend not to pay attention.
It should be noted that this report studied audit recommendations that had been agreed by the government, so there really is no excuse for a failure to implement them. These are quite damning findings. They show that the government agencies are agreeing to recommendations and then just letting them sit on the shelf, hoping that this is enough to pacify the general public.
The Auditor-General’s reports are, however, an important source of recommendations for government business. We have seen a number of important reports in this term of the Assembly, including a report investigating the failures of Rhodium Asset Solutions and a report highlighting problems in vocational education and training, which I will talk about in a little more detail later in this debate.
We have also seen a report on the development application approval process and a report on court administration in the ACT. It would be a shame to see this kind of important work compromised by an increasing burden being placed on auditors to report on irrelevancies. It would also be a shame to see these problems continue where agencies fail to implement the recommendations that come out of these reports.
In conclusion, let me just say that there are some warning signs here that the government is loading the Auditor-General’s office with additional work at a time when it is having staffing problems or challenges in recruiting staff that already put pressure on its capacity. The government has shown itself to be somewhat sloppy in implementing the recommendations of the Auditor-General. This must be addressed if this office is to continue to play the important role this Assembly and the people of Canberra expect of it.
From our experience we certainly do not see any other problems arising in this area. Let me just say that, although I am no longer chairman of the PAC, in the almost three years that I held that role I had been impressed by the calibre of the work, the professionalism and the quite impartial approach taken by the Auditor-General and her staff. The challenges that are identified from their evidence I really do believe ought to be addressed. I do not think they should be dismissed lightly. I urge the territory government to keep a closer watch on those matters.
MR STEFANIAK (Ginninderra—Leader of the Opposition) (5.17): The website for the ACT Auditor-General states:
The ACT Legislative Assembly and the ACT community rely on the Office to provide independent assurance on whether public money is being efficiently and effectively spent and whether financial and performance reports for the Territory and its agencies present a credible, true and fair view of their performance.
The Auditor-General does this through promoting public accountability, auditing annual financial statements, conducting performance audits and reporting audit results to the Assembly. By undertaking those activities, the Auditor-General’s Office seeks
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