1. Evolving Oversight - The Australian Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit
Shane Armstrong
Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit

2. Contents Introduction New oversight activities
Reports of the Committee
Other Australian jurisdictions
Conclusions

3. Introduction Committee’s centenary year Committee role has evolved
Monitoring receipts and expenditure
Oversight of the Auditor-General
New oversight roles have developed
Primarily driven by inquiries
Also given by Government
Varied role of Auditor-General in these hearings

4. New oversight activities
Annual Public Hearing with Commissioner of Taxation
Arisen out of Committee inquiry
Purpose
Format
Defence Materiel Organisation Major Projects Report
Annual item, but an evolving process
Public sector governance and administration
Driven by Committee
Originally private
Latest hearing involving fourth arm of government bodies
Parliamentary Budget Office
Oversight conferred by Government through legislation
Based on oversight of Auditor-General
Other oversight roles

5. Reports of the Committee
Don’t tell the full story of what a Committee does
Best publicly available indication
Categorised into:
Inquiries
Administrative
Audit Reports
Bills
Auditor-General
Oversight
Findings

6. Other Australian jurisdictions
No comparable increase in other jurisdictions
Reasons
Other oversight Committees
Use of Select Committees
Powers under the Public Accounts and Audit Committee Act 1953 (Cth)

7. Conclusions
Clear trend, accounting for a consistent amount of JCPAA output (approx. 30 per cent over the last 3 Parliaments)
May not continue to be the case
No comparable trend in other jurisdictions
However, no loss of accountability
JCPAA’s oversight role, while remaining true to the Act has evolved