A performance audit into how effectively the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) supported the return of overseas Australians affected by the COVID-19 pandemic has found that DFAT did not meet key Government objectives for returning citizens from overseas.
In his report Overseas Crisis Management and Response: The Effectiveness of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Management of the Return of Overseas Australians in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Auditor-General Grant Hehir said that although the Department did not meet all objectives, it did adapt its crisis management arrangements and establish a new program of activity to provide assistance to a large number of overseas Australians affected by COVID-19.
“DFAT’s underlying crisis management structures and capabilities require strengthening to ensure it is prepared to respond to future major and complex crises,” Mr Hehir said.
“DFAT’s preparedness to manage complex crises before the onset of the pandemic was partly effective,” he said.
“While crisis management arrangements align with whole-of-Government requirements, DFAT lacks a defined crisis management framework and mature preparedness policies.”
Mr Hehir said there was scope to strengthen crisis management planning, capability development and assurance processes over DFAT’s crisis management capability.
He said DFAT applied its crisis management arrangements to support the return of Australians and adapted them to deliver a new program of flights and financial assistance.
“The pandemic has highlighted weaknesses in responding to standard and complex, and large-scale crises,” he said.
“While policy advice to the Government was largely appropriate, DFAT’s reporting to Government on its return of Australians could not be verified by the Australian National Audit Office.
Mr Hehir made nine recommendations related to planning, governance, policies and procedures, procurement, workforce management, complaints handling, the use of data, and records management.
The Auditor-General’s Report can be accessed at this PS News link and a 106-page printable version at this link.
The audit team was Judy Lachele, Michael Commens, Dr Cristiana Linthwaite-Gibbins, Dale Todd and Alex Wilkinson.
