Construction of the Hunter class frigates is part of the Australian Government’s continuous naval shipbuilding program intended to develop sovereign Australian shipbuilding and sustainment. The objective of this audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Department of Defence’s procurement of Hunter class frigates and the achievement of value for money to date.

The authors of this report assert that AUKUS is a generational opportunity for Australia. Its focus on critical Pillar 2 technologies has the potential to bring Australian businesses to the world stage, and lift the nation’s defence industry up to the state-of- the-art in a range of modern capabilities.

The key mechanism to implement the Skills Guarantee is through this Skills Guarantee Procurement Connected Policy (PCP). The Skills Guarantee PCP applies from 1 July 2024 to direct Commonwealth procurements in the construction and information and communication technology (ICT) sectors.

The purpose of this consultation paper is to seek stakeholder feedback and views on issues for government consideration in relation to the regulation of accounting, auditing and consulting firms in Australia.

This final inquiry report reviews the implementation of the 1 July 2022 changes to the Commonwealth Procurement Rules. Eleven specific and practical recommendations are made, aimed at achieving profound change in incentives and behaviours required to address persistent problems and realise the full benefits of government spending through a genuine embrace of small businesses in...