New Year Audit Committee Public Hearings on Services Australia and the NDIA, Probity and Ethics, and Policy and Program Design

THE Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) is holding public hearings this Thursday and Friday.

These public hearings include:

1. The CEO of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) appearing as part of the procurement at Services Australia and the National Disability Insurance Agency inquiry.
2. The Secretary of the Department of Health is appearing for the inquiry into probity and ethics in the Australian public sector.
3. The first public hearings kicking off the new policy and program design and implementation inquiry.

Chair of the Committee, Julian Hill MP, highlighted the importance of starting the year strongly with the examination of the agencies involved in the current committee inquiries.

“The committee was concerned by evidence received last year in a public hearing with vendor Salesforce regarding procurement at the NDIA arising from the Watt Review," Mr Hill said. "The CEO of the NDIA will appear so the committee can examine issues arising, to the extent possible, while further internal investigations continue.

“The Secretary of the Department of Health will appear to explore issues arising from the Department of Health’s earlier appearance in 2023, and the subsequent hearing with the Australian Government Solicitor.

“The committee will kick-off public hearings in the program and policy design implementation inquiry to investigate serious findings across the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Home Affairs, Treasury, Agriculture, Education and Health and Aged Care to understand the larger issues at play.”

For context, these first public hearings for the policy and program design and implementation inquiry will include:

Thursday

• A roundtable with the ATO, the Department of Home Affairs, and the Department of Treasury will appear to examine the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) report No. 39 of 2022–23 Implementation of the Government Response to the Black Economy Taskforce report.
• The Department of Home Affairs will appear to discuss the ANAO report No. 16 of 2022–23 Management of Migration to Australia—Family Migration Program report.

Friday

• The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry will appear to examine the following reports:​
  • ANAO report No. 6 of 2022–23 Implementation of the Export Control Legislative Framework report; and
  • ANAO report No. 17 of 2022–23 Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s cultural reform report.
• The Department of Education will appear to examine the ANAO report No. 42 of 2022–23 Access and Participation Programs for Regional and Remote Students report.
• The Department of Health and Aged Care will appear to examine the ANAO report No. 10 of 2022–23 Expansion of Telehealth Services report.

Public hearing details

Date:              Thursday 1 February 2024
Time:             1pm–5pm (AEDT)
Venue:           Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

Date:              Friday 2 February 2024
Time:              9.15am–3pm (AEDT)
Venue:           Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

 

ends