Audit Committee Public Hearings: Hunter Class Frigates, Defence Major Projects and Commonwealth Financial Statements

THE Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) will hold public hearings on Friday, May 19, for its inquiries into the Major Projects Reports and Hunter Class Frigates, and the Commonwealth Financial Statements 2021-22. 

The JCPAA will welcome representatives from the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO), the Department of Defence and the Department of Finance to discuss issues arising from and related to the 2020-21 and 2021-22 Major Projects Report and Defence’s procurement of the Hunter Class Frigates.

The committee will also be considering the scope and guidelines of the Major Projects Report to ensure that it continues to support transparency in reporting Defence acquisitions.

“The Auditor-General’s report on Defence’s procurement of the Hunter Class Frigates is deeply concerning. Given the seriousness of the concerns the Committee initiated this inquiry less than 24 hours after the tabling of the report and has scheduled initial public hearings for Friday 19 May.” said Committee Chair, Julian Hill MP.

The JCPAA will also continue its program of public hearings for its inquiry into Commonwealth Financial Statements with evidence from the Attorney-General’s Department, the Australian Signal Directorate and the ANAO on cyber security arrangements and controls.

Mr Hill noted that safeguarding Australian Government information from cyber threats is a continuing and critical issue of concern across the public sector and was an area of interest to the ANAO during its recent financial statements audit.

“The committee is keen to explore ANAO’s findings relating to the implementation of the Protective Security Policy Framework to support cyber resilience in Commonwealth entities” Mr Hill said.

Public hearing details

Date: Friday 19 May 2023
Time: 9.30am – 3pm
Venue: Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra (9.30am-12.45pm)
Committee Room 1S5, Parliament House, Canberra (1.30pm-3pm)

Further information about the inquiries is available on the Committee website.

 

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