Reports by the Auditor-General, a parliamentary committee or the Commonwealth Ombudsman
The Australian National Audit Office audited the department’s 2013–14 financial statements and provided an unqualified audit report.
During the reporting year, the Clerk made submissions to:
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the House of Commons Governance Committee on the inquiry into the governance of the
House of Commons
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the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee on the inquiry into the
Acts and Instruments (Framework Reform) Bill 2014
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the Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee on the inquiry into the
Parliamentary Service Amendment Bill 2014
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the House Standing Committee on Procedure on the inquiry into the role and operations of
the Federation Chamber
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the Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee on the inquiry into the
proposed Parliament House security upgrade works
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the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit on the inquiry into the development of
the Commonwealth Performance Framework.
The department continued to support the Standing Committee on Appropriations and Administration in its consideration of the department’s funding requirements. The Clerk and other departmental staff provided the committee with information on the department’s budget position and attended the committee’s meetings to enable the committee to discharge its responsibilities under Standing Order 222A. On 14 May 2015, the committee tabled Report No. 8: Annual report 2013–14 and Report No. 9: Budget estimates 2015–16.
In the annual report, the committee noted that it had met three times during the period covered by the report and concluded that it has played a positive and responsible role in assessing the department’s funding requirements and bringing them to the attention of the government. In the budget estimates report, echoing previous reports, the committee commended the department’s careful financial management over many years, and indicated that it will continue to monitor closely the department’s financial position into the future.
No investigations by the Commonwealth Ombudsman in 2014–15 involved the department.