Page 4420 - Week 10 - Thursday, 23 September 2010
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
That the report be noted.
I am pleased to present report No 11 of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Review of Auditor-General’s Report No 8 of 2009: 2008-09 Financial Audits. It has been the annual practice of the ACT Auditor-General to provide reports such as this one for the 2008-09 financial year, containing independent written opinions on the results of the ACT Audit Office’s audits of financial reports and the audits and reviews of statements of performance, covering the territory and its agencies. PAC is of the opinion, and I believe in fact the entire Assembly is of the opinion, that an independent opinion is essential to ensure an appropriate level of accountability to the ACT Legislative Assembly and the ACT community for public finances and performance.
The audit report also provides an overview of the audit office’s assessment of the quality and timeliness of reporting by agencies and the progress by agencies in addressing previously reported findings. Independent audit opinions as provided in the Auditor-General’s annual report on financial audits form an integral part of the effective system of accountability for the stewardship of public funds, how these funds are spent and the quality of the decision making that underpins the spending.
Overall, the findings of the audit report in relation to financial reporting were generally favourable, although some reservations were expressed with regard to accounting treatments and/or the lack of or incomplete reporting measures as identified in statements of performance. I would particularly like to note recommendation 4:
The Committee recommends that the ACT Government ensure that the performance measures included in statements of performance for all its reporting entities are: (i) clearly and concisely defined, (ii) accurately reported, and (iii) supported by sufficient evidence and/or accompanied by sufficient explanatory information to enable the performance of the department or agency to be understood.
This is an area that the Greens have been talking about for, I do not know, the last 12 years, for a long time—accountability for any degree of reasonable, effective management of the ACT government and the public service behind it. We need good performance measures so that we can actually see not just what is going in, not just how much money we are spending on things, but what we actually get out of it, what the performance of the public service and the government is. I strongly endorse the Auditor-General’s comments on this.
The other recommendation I thought I would briefly highlight, given the motion yesterday, is recommendation 11:
The Committee recommends that ACT Government agencies ensure that their information systems operate as intended, are accurately and appropriately used, and that the information contained within them is valid, complete, and secure for the purpose of supporting agency operations and requirements.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video