External scrutiny

Parliamentary questioning, the scrutiny of the Auditor-General, a framework of interwoven primary and secondary legislation and the judicial review of administrative decisions, together inform public-sector decision making. They provide the governance context within which values need to be turned from rhetoric into reality.

Peter Shergold at the launch of Public Sector Governance in Australia Canberra, 5 August 2004

The legal actions, including matters before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, that affected the Prime Minister and the department during 2004–05 are dealt with in the report on performance for Output 4.3.

The department participated in the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s own motion investigation into the quality of freedom of information (FOI) processing by Australian Government agencies. The investigation involved a review of selected agencies’ FOI guidelines and analysis of a sample of their FOI case files. The Ombudsman is expected to report on his investigation during 2005–06.

The department participated in the ANAO’s cross-agency audit on the Senate Order on contracts, the outcome of which is yet to be finalised, and the ANAO’s performance audit of legal services arrangements in the APS. The department also participated in the ANAO’s cross-portfolio performance audit of the management and reporting of expenditure on consultants, the report of which is scheduled to be tabled in the Autumn 2006 sittings of parliament.

During the 2004–05 financial year, the department finalised its participation in the ANAO’s business support process audit entitled Superannuation Payments for Independent Contractors Working for the Australian Government. This report was tabled on 28 October 2004.

The department participated in the ANAO’s annual audit of financial controls and financial statements.