History of VAGO
In the Public Interest - 150 years of the Victorian
Auditor-General's Office
The Victorian Auditor-General's Office is one of the few public
sector agencies in Victoria whose history dates back to the
colony's separation from New South Wales in 1851.
In its early years, the Office was embroiled in controversy over
its role in the financial crisis that played a large part in the
events leading to the 1854 Eureka uprising. It experienced further
controversy in the mid-1990s when the legislative powers of the
Auditor-General were significantly changed.
To commemorate the 150th anniversary
of the Victorian Auditor-General's Office,
Dr Peter Yule was engaged to prepare the history of the Office.
Peter is one of Australia's most respected historians, and has
written extensively on both Australian and British history, and his
work is widely published, especially in the field of Victorian
local and economic history.
The book sheds new light on many aspects of the history of
Victoria. It makes fascinating reading for anyone interested in the
development of public accountability in the state, and the
personalities and key events that have characterised the operations
of the Office over the past 150 years.
The book was officially launched by the Hon. Bruce Chamberlain MP,
President of the Legislative Council on 27 May 2002, at a ceremony
at Parliament House, Melbourne. The book is available for purchase
from the Information
Victoria Bookshop.