This Research Paper explains how the Commonwealth determines the level and distribution of financial assistance it provides to local government and examines some key issues in the provision of assistance.

Australia's domestic security agency, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), is responsible for collecting and analysing intelligence of relevance to Australia's national security, and advising Government accordingly. As specified in the ASIO Act 1979, ASIO's investigations are restricted to only those activities involving espionage, sabotage, politically motivated violence, the promotion of communal violence, foreign interference...

The objective of the audit was to determine the extent to which ATSIC's grant management practices meet identified better practice standards. This audit concentrated on Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) grants and regional council discretionary funding, representing approximately 84% of regional council grant funding.