This audit assessed the extent to which the Department of the Treasury and the Australian Taxation Office have improved the management of tax expenditure estimates. Overall conclusion Tax expenditures are revenues a government forgoes in pursuit of its policy objectives, including its medium-term fiscal strategy. Tax expenditures have been an important part of the Australian...

This audit assessed the effectiveness of the Tax Practitioners Board’s implementation and administration of the regulatory arrangements for tax practitioners under the Tax Agent Services Act 2009. Overall conclusion Taxpayers make extensive use of the services offered by tax practitioners. In 2011–12, tax practitioners lodged over 70 per cent of individual income tax returns and...

This audit assessed the awarding of funding for the construction of the Adelaide Desalination Plant (ADP) against the requirements of the Commonwealth's grants administration framework. Overall conclusion: Against the background of a review of grants administration commissioned by the Government10 that had expressed concerns that the administration of grant programs had been vulnerable to political...

This audit assessed the effectiveness of the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) administration of the veterans' children education schemes. Overall conclusion The Veterans’ Children Education Scheme and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme (the Schemes) provide assistance to the young dependants of Australian Defence Force (ADF) members who have died or...

This report presents the results of a key perfomance indicator (KPI) audit pilot project, which was designed to assess the status of the Australian Government performance measurement and reporting framework. The report concludes that it is time for greater attention, investment and resourcing to be given to the quality and integrity of KPIs used by...