Each year, the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) reports to the Parliament on its work. This report outlines the main responsibilities and activities of the JCPAA in 2020-21.
The JCPAA plays an important role in providing oversight and transparency to the work of Commonwealth agencies through its inquiries, through its role in determining the Audit Priorities of the Parliament and in its duty to make recommendations to the Parliament on the Budget estimates for the Australian National Audit Office and the Parliamentary Budget Office.
In the 2020-21 financial year, the JCPAA met 28 times, held nine public hearings, tabled five reports and worked on five further inquiries. The JCPAA considered the Budget estimates for the ANAO and PBO for two Budget cycles and coordinated the Audit Priorities of the Parliament for 2021-22. The Committee maintained this workload despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The JCPAA has continued to work in a collaborative, non-partisan manner, and I thank my colleagues for their dedication to the Committee’s work.