Wednesday, 2 August 2023

Public Accounts and Estimates Committee

Report on the Appointment of a Person to Conduct the Financial Audit of the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office

Paul HAMER (Box Hill) (10:23): I too rise to speak on the Report on the Appointment of a Person to Conduct the Financial Audit of the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office, which is a report that was passed through the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee, of which I am a member. I note a number of other members in the house here who are also on that committee and thank them for their service, particularly the member for Yan Yean. I think the member for Point Cook has recently stepped out of the chamber. Can I also acknowledge the chair, the member for Laverton, and the member for Gippsland South, the other member of the Assembly who is on that committee.

The committee has been particularly busy in the last two months, not only looking at reviewing the budget in some detail but also fulfilling its many other functions, including the review of the Auditor-General’s work plan, which, as has been described by the member for Lowan, is quite extensive and will explore a number of really important items in the coming year to ensure that the expenditure of government money is going in the right direction and is proving worthwhile. But it is important that the Auditor-General’s work also has a role in that audit itself. It is not only important, but it is also a requirement of the Audit Act 1994. The recommendation of the report is that, in accordance with section 79 of the Audit Act, the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly appoint Mr Kenneth Weldin of PKF Melbourne Audit & Assurance for a period of 12 months to undertake this audit. This is a continuation of PKF’s former role – they have been previously appointed for a number of years to undertake this important work – and that will no doubt continue to make sure that the work that the Auditor-General does and the continuation of their work has the appropriate financial oversight. It is important that we get all of that correct.

In terms of the Auditor-General’s work in general, there are obviously many different reports and accounts that are currently going through Parliament. I do want to again thank the committee and the secretariat for our current inquiry, which is reviewing the Auditor-General’s reports 99 and 213, which relate to gambling and alcohol, the subject of a current inquiry –

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! If the member could please keep to the committee report that we are discussing, not current inquiries.

Paul HAMER: Thank you, Deputy Speaker. As I was saying, the focus of this report is the appointment of a financial auditor, Mr Kenneth Weldin. His specific role will be to conduct an audit of VAGO’s financial statements for the 2023–24 financial year and review and provide an audit opinion on VAGO’s performance standard, with that report to come to Parliament in the second half of 2024 – so obviously once the completion of the 2023–24 financial year has been done.