Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit
List of recommendations
The Accountability Framework
Recommendation 1
That the Ombudsman Act 1976 be amended to extend the jurisdiction
of the Ombudsman to include all government contractors.
Recommendation 2
That all CEOs under the Financial Management and Accountability
Act 1997 should, whenever claiming commercial-in-confidence, issue
a certificate stating which parts of a contract and why these parts
are to be withheld.
Recommendation 3
That all agencies must establish and maintain an effective contract
register.
Recommendation 4
That the Auditor-General conduct a review, as part of an existing
or potential performance audit, of agency performance in complying
with the reporting requirements of the Gazette Publishing System (GAPs).
Recommendation 5
The Committee reaffirms the need for the Auditor-General to have access to contractors' premises as previously stated by the Committee in Recommendation Five of Report 368 which stated:
n The Committee recommends that the Minister for Finance make legislative provision, either through amendment of the Auditor-General Act or the Finance Minister's Orders, to enable the Auditor-General to access the premises of a contractor for the purpose of inspecting and copying documentation and records directly related to a Commonwealth contract, and to inspect any Commonwealth assets held on the premises of the contractor, where such access is, in the opinion of the Auditor-General, required to assist in the performance of an Auditor-General function.