• National Audit Office of Australia

Read the full text

09 February 2012Improving government service provision is an important factor in achieving social and economic benefits, especially within Indigenous communities.

A common feature of government service delivery, both within Australia and internationally, is the use of third party providers, many of whom are not‐for‐profit organisations, to deliver services on behalf of government departments. This can be associated with the greater role and expectations of government in funding services (since the 1970s), combined with the greater reliance on competitive mechanisms for driving efficiency and productivity. With this being the case, attention is increasingly being paid to the role of this sector and how the government can better support the sector to work towards mutual outcomes.