Report 11: 2019-20

Opinion on Ministerial Notification – Report 11: 2019-20

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Ministerial decision not to provide information to Parliament

Introduction

This report deals with a decision by the Minister for Police, the Hon Michelle Roberts MLA, not to provide Parliament with information about operating hours and costs, and maintenance costs for rotary wing aircraft in use by the Western Australia Police Force (WA Police Force).

It also deals with a section 82 notice from the Minister for Health, the Hon Roger Cook MLA, where an opinion was not required in relation to information the Minister’s office supplied about the visit of Dr James Downar to Western Australia.

Section 82 of the Financial Management Act 2006 requires a Minister who decides that it is reasonable and appropriate not to provide certain information to Parliament, to give written notice of the decision to both Houses of Parliament and the Auditor General within 14 days of the decision.

Section 24 of the Auditor General Act 2006 requires the Auditor General to provide an opinion to Parliament as to whether the Minister’s decision was reasonable and appropriate.

What we did

The Audit Practice Statement on our website sets out the process we follow to arrive at our section 82 opinions, including:

  • a review of entity documents
  • a review of any advice provided to the relevant Minister by entities, the State Solicitor’s Office or other legal advisers
  • interviews with key entity persons including discussions about our draft findings and the Auditor General’s opinion.

Our procedures are designed to provide sufficient appropriate evidence to support an independent view to Parliament on the reasonableness and appropriateness of the Minister’s decision.

We have not performed an audit, however, our procedures follow the key principles in the Australian Auditing and Assurance Standards.

 
Page last updated: October 30, 2019

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