List of recommendations

2.44The Committee recommends that the Australian National Audit Office and Department of Defence put forward amendments to the Major Projects Report Guidelines that ensure lessons are reinstated to the PDSSs and clarity is provided on the nature and scope of lessons to be included so the intent of this section of the Guidelines is fulfilled.

2.153The Committee recommends that Defence provides an annual update to the Committee on the implementation of its improved governance and assurance process as it applies to acquisitions, including progress on embedding this across all projects, and detail on the procedure for scope change decision escalation.

2.187The Committee recommends the Department of Defence examines and provides to the Committee in the Major Projects Report 2025–26, an assessment of the full project costs for each project, including fundamental inputs to capability: organisation, command and management, personnel, collective training, major systems, facilities and training areas, supplies, support, and industry.

2.188The Committee recommends the ANAO and Department of Defence examine and provide to the Committee in the draft 2025–26 Major Projects Report Guidelines, options for including in the MPR, in an easily accessible format, a high-level summary of modifications to scope, schedule and budget for ‘in-year’ and ‘life-to-date’ of each project. This would allow for the easy identification of project variations, scope changes, and real cost increases. It would include an explanation of: the source of funding for scope changes, whether scope was transferred to other projects/phases, the extent of real budget increases and how they have been met, and whether timeframes were extended.