An investigation into a program at the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) designed to ensure the Bureau can effectively deliver data to its clients has found it to be lacking.
In his report, Statistical Business Transformation Program — Managing Risk, Auditor-General, Grant Hehir said the Statistical Business Transformation Program had been introduced to address the risk of statistical system failure which could result in the ABS being unable to deliver quality, relevant and timely data to its customers.
“The 2016 Australian Census of Population and Housing highlighted the need for the ABS to have a strong risk management framework,” Mr Hehir said.
“The ABS enterprise-level risk management framework is not fully effective.”
He said the Program was intended to replace a large number of disparate systems and processes in the Bureau, reduce the risk of system failure, increase efficiency and improve access to data.
“The Program represents a significant investment of public resources and there are major risks involved with such a large and complex program of work,” Mr Hehir said.
He said the audit found that the ABS’s risk management arrangements were effective except for the requirement to monitor and assess risk treatments and take corrective action.
“The ABS has established an enterprise-level risk management framework that partly meets the minimum requirements set out in the Commonwealth Risk Management Policy,” Mr Hehir said.
“The framework has not been fully embedded into business processes and procedures.”
He said ABS had not always met the requirement to monitor the effectiveness of treatments and take action where responses did not meet expectations.
“However, the ABS had taken steps to improve risk management capability within the program.”
The Auditor-General made three recommendations to which the Bureau agreed.
The 52-page audit report can be accessed at this PS News link and the audit team was Jennifer Myles, Veronica Clement-Jones and Deborah Jackson.
