Major milestone for accountability agency
3 August 2026
With Victoria recently marking 175 years since separating from New South Wales, one of its oldest public institutions has reached the same milestone.
The Victorian Auditor-General’s Office (VAGO) has celebrated 175 years of public sector audit with an exhibition at Parliament House, tracing its evolution from a colonial financial inspector to one of the state’s key integrity institutions.
Victoria's first Auditor-General was appointed in 1851, five years before the first Victorian Parliament was officially opened. For generations, Auditors-General and their staff have scrutinised government spending, examined the performance of public programs and provided independent assurance that public money is being managed responsibly on behalf of Victorians.
The history of the Auditor-General's office mirrors Victoria’s democratic development. As governments grew and public services expanded, independent auditing became a crucial mechanism for transparency and accountability, helping ensure those entrusted with public resources could be held to account.
‘It assists members of parliament in understanding how government programs and services are performing, and it often sparks the conversations, debates and the reforms that lead to better public policy and stronger legislation,’ Speaker Maree Edwards said at the exhibition launch.
Public sector auditing provides transparency by explaining how decisions are made, how money is being spent, and whether outcomes are being achieved.
‘At a time when misinformation and disinformation can undermine confidence in public institutions, independent scrutiny helps strengthen public faith in the systems that support our democracy,’ Ms Edwards said.
‘Transparency creates confidence. Accountability creates legitimacy. And together, they help ensure that governments remain focused on delivering outcomes for the diverse communities they serve.’
She congratulated Victorian Auditor-General Andrew Greaves and the staff of VAGO for their dedication and professionalism.
In his remarks, Mr Greaves noted that public sector auditing has fundamentally changed over the past 175 years.
‘We started off really just checking the books and making sure that the money was spent, was duly authorised and was spent on the right things,’ he said.
Since performance auditing was added to the role, it’s now also about checking ‘how well that money is spent’, Mr Greaves said.
He indicated that referrals of matters to VAGO from parliamentarians and the public had increased in recent years.
‘We've taken a lot of those referrals on board and they have translated into audits that have been done or are currently in our annual plan,’ Mr Greaves said.
‘So we'll keep striving to serve Parliament.’