Public Accounts and Estimates Committee
Inquiry into Victorian Auditor General's Office Reports
Completed
This inquiry was
completed in the 57th parliament.
For more information on this inquiry, contact the Committees office:
Phone: (03) 8682 2800
Email: cso@parliament.vic.gov.au
Terms of reference
The terms of reference are instructions which explain what a committee has been asked to do, what topics it should focus on, and how its members will work together to achieve its shared goals.
An important aspect of the Committee’s work is to follow up on matters raised by the Auditor-General in various reports to the Parliament. The Auditor-General’s reports draw Parliament’s attention to financial concerns or issues relating to any public sector agency. The Committee can follow up these matters by virtue of its powers to hold public hearings and take evidence. In this way, matters raised by the Auditor-General are put under the microscope for the benefit of the Parliament and the community.
Under its functions and powers set out in sections 14 and 33 of the Parliamentary Committees Act 2003, the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee has been following up audit reports tabled in Parliament by the Auditor-General every six months. The Committee prioritises these reports using various criteria including consideration of seriousness of impacts or implications of audit findings, public interest, risks, social impacts, criticality and unresolved disputes, materiality and opportunities to enhance accountability.
The Committee has resolved to retain a broad scope for its terms of reference, that is, to review any aspects of the findings and recommendations contained within those reports.