The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) has conducted a performance audit of the Department of Home Affairs’ management of the Civil Maritime Surveillance Services Contract, finding it had not been effective.
In his report Management of the Civil Maritime Surveillance Services Contract, Auditor-General, Grant Hehir said the Contract had been for fixed wing aerial surveillance to prevent people smuggling and other maritime threats.
Mr Hehir said it had a value of $1,187 million when it was entered into in 2006 and was to run for 12 years which was later extended to 14 years.
“Variations to the Contract have increased its estimated cost by more than 29 per cent to $1,541 million,” Mr Hehir said.
“The current contracted annual rate of effort is 15,000 flying hours, to be achieved by 28 qualified aircrew undertaking no more than 2,500 missions each year,” he said.
“Home Affairs has not received the required quantum of surveillance services and the aircrew requirements have not been met.”
Mr Hehir said 64 per cent of missions had been fully completed, with 25 per cent partially completed and 11 per cent either cancelled or aborted.
“The number of aircrew on average each month had been 33 per cent below that contracted,” he said.
He said that as a result the ANAO concluded the Department’s management of the Contract had not been effective.
Mr Hehir made four recommendations to the Department for future civil maritime surveillance contracts aimed at developing a stronger framework for the next contract, and improved contract management practices.
The Department agreed to all four.
The 88-page audit Report can be accessed at this PS News link or online at this link.
The audit team was Michelle Mant, Sean Neubeck, Jocelyn Watts, Joshua Carruthers, Kasia Rymkiewicz-Hill and Brian Boyd.
