External audits and reviews aid transparency in government, and help Treasury improve its performance.
The following reports of independent reviews were tabled in Parliament during 2021–22.
Auditor-General Report to Parliament
2021 status of Auditor-General’s recommendations (whole-of-government)
Report No 4 2021–22, tabled 17 November 2021
Recommendations
The report provided an update on entities’ self-assessed progress in implementing performance audit recommendations issued between 2015–16 to 2017–18. Queensland Audit Office (QAO) performance audit recommendations for Treasury during this period comprised:
- 7 recommendations on Finalising Unpaid Fines (Report 10: 2017–18)
- 1 recommendation on Strategic Procurement (Report 1: 2016–17)
- 2 recommendations on Government Advertising (Report 16: 2016–17)
- 1 recommendation on Royalties for the Regions (Report 4: 2015–16)
- 1 recommendation on Financial Risk Management Practices at Energex (Report 14: 2015–16).
Treasury’s response
Treasury has fully implemented all recommendations in the 5 reports for the reporting period.
Establishing the Queensland Future Fund
Report No 11 2021–22, tabled 13 December 2021
Recommendations
That Treasury amend the Queensland Future Fund Act 2020 (QFF Act 2020) to require:
- financial statements to be prepared, audited, and made publicly available for each fund created under the QFF Act 2020
- additional information to be included in an annual report for the Queensland Future Fund (QFF) prepared by the Treasurer, including:
- the governance arrangements of the QFF
- the activities and performance of key investments in the fund
- public disclosure of the audited financial information of the fund.
Treasury’s response
The QFF has been audited by QAO as part of Treasury’s financial statements with information provided as per section 7 of the QFF Act 2020. This issue was raised again by QAO in Report No 13 and the response is shown below.
State finances 2021 (whole-of-government)
Report No 13 2021–22, tabled 8 March 2022
Recommendations
That Treasury amends the:
- Financial Accountability Act 2009 to include a statutory timeframe for certifying and tabling in Parliament the consolidated Queensland Government financial statements
- QFF Act 2020 to include a requirement for financial statements to be prepared, audited, and made publicly available for each fund created under the QFF Act 2020.
Treasury’s response
Treasury is committed to ensuring consolidated Queensland Government financial statements are certified by 31 October each year and has agreed with QAO to present further information on the activities of the QFF in the audited section of the Queensland Treasury financial statements.
State entities 2021 (whole-of-government)
Report No 14 2021–22, tabled 11 April 2022
Recommendations
That Treasury, with the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (DPC):
- take certain actions for future government restructures
- update accountability requirements to provide clear and consistent guidance on the exceptional circumstances that are likely to require a minister to extend the tabling of an annual report beyond the legislative deadline
- update accountability requirements to provide clarity and consistency on the minister’s role in relation to annual reports.
That Treasury:
- consider legislative change to specify the maximum number of days between financial statement certification and tabling.
That all entities:
- improve timeliness of financial statements being made publicly available
- ensure implementation of consistent payroll processes
- review appropriateness of financial delegations of controls to prevent unauthorised grant approvals
- review procurement policies and manuals to ensure they give clear guidance for staff when making decisions and what documentation should be maintained to record the process and decisions.
Treasury’s response
In relation to taking actions for future government restructures, this has been addressed by DPC.
Treasury communicated with Directors-General encouraging them for financial year 2021–22 annual reporting to table all departmental and statutory authorities’ and bodies’ annual reports at the earliest opportunity.
Treasury has undertaken to consider, as part of regular quality assurance, reviews of its accountability reference tools, updating accountability requirements to provide clarity and consistency on the minister’s role in relation to annual reports to ensure there is consistency.
Treasury will continue to be available to provide advice to agencies in understanding requirements for extending the tabling of annual reports and provide guidance on the exceptional circumstance that may result in a minister extending the tabling of an annual report beyond the legislative deadline.
Appointment and renewing government boards (whole-of-government)
Report 17 2021–22, tabled 19 May 2022
Recommendations
That DPC, in collaboration with Treasury and relevant departments, develops a whole-of-government (WoG) overarching better practice framework for the appointment process for large boards.
That departments managing recruitment processes for ministers responsible for large government boards implement the WoG framework developed by DPC.
Treasury’s response
Treasury will implement the WoG framework to be developed in collaboration with DPC.
Enhancing government procurement
Report 18 2021–22, tabled 14 June 2022
Recommendations
That Treasury and Queensland Government Procurement (within the Department of Energy and Public Works) monitor and report on how departments are collaborating to achieve WoG procurement outcomes, engage with departments about the costs and benefits of moving to a universal classification system for expenditure, and enhance information and data-sharing to support strategic procurement decision-making.
That departments should use existing WoG procurement arrangements and report when and why they are not using these arrangements.
Treasury’s response
Treasury remains committed to facilitating opportunities to collaborate and share data between Treasury and Queensland Government Procurement (QGP) to improve procurement outcomes across government and will support the implementation of the recommendations lead by QGP.