Public hearing on public sector performance

THE AUSTRALIAN Parliament’s Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit will discuss performance planning and reporting with Commonwealth agencies at a public hearing this Wednesday.

The hearing forms part of the Committee’s inquiry into the Commonwealth performance framework, based on recent Auditor-General reports. The framework, established under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act), requires Commonwealth agencies to produce Corporate Plans, Portfolio Budget Statements and Annual Reports, including Annual Performance Statements.

Committee Chair, Senator Dean Smith, said that improving the Commonwealth performance framework has been a long-term focus of the Committee.

“The new framework requires agencies to implement more meaningful performance information and report more consistently throughout the performance cycle, to strengthen accountability to the Parliament and the public.”

“The Committee will hear from agencies on how they have implemented new corporate planning requirements, and from the Department of Finance on the support and guidance it provides in this area. The Committee will also hear from the Australian Taxation Office and the Department of Education and Training on whether they have implemented appropriate performance information for the Higher Education Loan Program,” Senator Smith said.

The JCPAA is the Parliament’s joint public administration committee. The Committee scrutinises the governance, performance and accountability of Commonwealth agencies, and has the power to inquire into all expenditure of Commonwealth money.

Further information about the inquiry can be accessed via the Committee’s website.

Public hearing details: Wednesday 23 November 2016, Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

9:00am: 
ANAO Report 6: Corporate Planning in the Australia Public Sector
Australian National Audit Office, Australian War Memorial, Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation and Department of Finance

9:45am:
ANAO Report 31: Administration of Higher Education Loan Program Debt and Repayments
Australian National Audit Office, Australian Taxation Office, and Department of Education and Training

The hearing will be webcast at aph.gov.au/live

 

Interested members of the public may wish to track the committee via the website. 

ends