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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 6 Hansard (22 June) . . Page.. 1716 ..

The Member' attention is drawn to the Auditor-General' Report No. 8

(1994), entitled "Financial Audits with Years Ending to 30 June 1994."

In this report (p40), the Auditor-General found that "none of the officers

involved with preparation of the 1993-94 ACT Treasury financial statements

have accounting qualifications. Treasury engaged a firm of private accountants

to assist with preparation of these statements." In that year, Treasury's

accounts were qualified by the Auditor-General, Treasury failed to reconcile

its bank accounts, and the Treasury financial statements were the most

untimely of all departmental financial statements.

In contrast, since 1995-96, Treasury's (the Office of Financial Management's)

accounts (as well as every other ACT Government agency's) have not been

qualified by the Auditor-General. As well, there are now 13 officers with

accounting qualifications within OFM and CMD, a dramatic improvement

over the situation inherited by this government.

  1. Qualified accountants in the ACTPS have specialities in public sector and

    2. private sector financial accounting, management accounting, project

    accounting, taxation, and audit.

  2. Some training protocols are determined by discussion and agreement between

    3. Managers and staff as part of a performance management scheme or as part of

    a personal development scheme, study leave is available and relevant course

    fees may be reimbursed, staff are encouraged and assisted to attend seminars

    and conferences, and some in-house training is provided.

  3. Approximately $148,700 was spent on training staff in financial management.

  4. Some training was provided in-house, and some by external consultancies.

Consultants engaged were the Australian Securities Institute, Australian

Financial Markets Association, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Westpac

Banking Corporation, Price Waterhouse, Canberra Institute of Technology,

University of Canberra, and the Australian Society of Certified Practicing

Accountants.

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