September
Minister claims ‘not appropriate’ to hand over rail loop documents
Danny Pearson says it wouldn’t have been right to give SRL documents to the federal government during an audit.
- Gus McCubbing
- Opinion
- Rail
Victorian Labor gets into spin mode on delayed rail-loop details
Victorian minister Danny Pearson’s reasons to justify the failure to hand over information about the Suburban Rail Loop East project for more than two years just don’t add up.
- Ronald Mizen
Labor was warned Suburban Rail Loop ‘not a reasonable investment’
Bureaucrats shared advice with Labor that showed the business case for Victoria’s $35 billion Suburban Rail Loop did not stack up.
- Ronald Mizen
March
PwC and the ‘asbestos mulch’ still scoring government contracts
Despite being subjected to a full-scale government review, PwC recently won a fat audit contract with the NBN.
- Mark Di Stefano
February
At least 150 ATO staff implicated in TikTok GST fraud
At least 150 Tax Office officials have been investigated over a far-reaching GST fraud, with some sacked and others facing criminal investigations.
- Tom McIlroy
Federal auditor to probe Labor’s $2.2b Suburban Rail Loop commitment
The auditor-general will examine whether the approval of Commonwealth funding for the $125 billion project was “informed by appropriate departmental advice”.
- Gus McCubbing
August 2023
- Opinion
- Consulting
The public service still needs consultants – but far fewer of them
The use of external contractors has gone too far, but reform shouldn’t wind back the clock for answers. The challenge is to get the balance right.
- Andrew Podger
July 2023
- Exclusive
- Big four accountants
Big four get name-and-shame reprieve on audit quality
The corporate watchdog has scrapped its annual report card on the big four accounting firms’ audit quality.
- Ronald Mizen
June 2023
Audit finds Morrison government’s health grants breached federal rules
Health minister Mark Butler said a new auditor-general’s report was scathing, detailing ‘waste, rorts and captain’s picks’ in the $2 billion program.
- Tom McIlroy
February 2023
Gallagher’s bid to slash $3b consultant spend in doubt
The British government’s internal consultancy hub, which the Albanese government hoped to copy in a bid to cut spending, has been closed.
- Updated
- Tom Burton
January 2023
Commonwealth IT buyers ‘lambs to the slaughter’
Federal government procurement lags the private sector by decades, with poor data practices, lack of supply management and antiquated systems stymying reforms.
- Tom Burton
September 2022
New inquiry to scrutinise Morrison-era grant programs
The Coalition’s controversial $660 million commuter car parks program is one of the six funds that will face fresh scrutiny as part of the Labor-led inquiry.
- Michael Read
August 2022
Coalition bungled COVID vaccine rollout planning: review
A major audit has found the Morrison government left plans for the vaccine rollout until too late and did not co-ordinate properly with state governments.
- Tom McIlroy
ATO agrees to improve help for accounting professionals
The Tax Office has agreed to consult with accountants and business activity statement agents on improving a key help line for industry.
- Tom McIlroy
June 2022
- Exclusive
- Entrepreneur
Department apologises to tender applicants after scathing audit
The auditing body slammed the contracts now worth $163 million as “deficient”, “not open” and “fell short of the ethical requirements” for Commonwealth tenders.
- Max Mason