A performance audit of the Department of Defence’s quarterly reports on its acquisitions to inform senior leaders about risks and delivery capability has found the reports to be effective.
For his audit, Defence’s Quarterly Performance Report on Acquisition and Sustainment, Auditor-General, Grant Hehir examined the effectiveness of the reports which provide senior stakeholders in Government and the Department with clear and timely understandings of emerging risks and issues in the delivery of capability to Australian Defence Force end-users.
“The June 2018 Quarterly Performance Report reviewed by the Australian National Audit Office was largely effective,” Mr Hehir said.
He said the report was largely compiled manually using data sourced primarily from Defence’s key information technology systems.
“Quality performance reporting supports the accountable authority and those charged with governance in their oversight of an entity,” he said.
“Regular reporting on performance to senior management also provides incentives for local line management to improve performance.”
Mr Hehir said the Quarterly Performance Report was prepared to facilitate oversight by Defence senior leaders, help identify projects and products that required additional senior leadership attention and escalation and support informed decision making.
“The timeliness of reporting improved in 2018 when compared to average delivery times achieved in 2017,” Mr Hehir said.
“The information reported was mostly accurate.”
He said Defence had sought feedback on the report from recipients and incrementally improved it over the past two years, based on that feedback.
The Auditor-General’s report can be accessed on his website at this PS News link and his 56-page report downloaded at this link.
The audit team was Natalie Whiteley, Clyde Muthukumaraswamy, Jordan Bastoni, Cherise Reed and Sally Ramsey.
