Revenue certification

Why this is important

Revenue certification is the process the government uses to assess how much it should 'pay' departments for delivering goods, services and assets – known as 'outputs' – to the community. 

Twice each year, departments submit an invoice to the Treasurer requesting access to parliamentary appropriations or 'payment'. The Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF) assesses each invoice to confirm if that department has delivered the outputs they intended to. At the end of the financial year DTF advises the Treasurer to release part or all of the department's payment. 

Revenue certification aims to ensure that departments are using public money to achieve agreed outcomes. Despite this, the public sees little of this process and the fundamental role it plays in making sure government departments deliver the services and infrastructure they plan to. 

It is important to understand if DTF is managing the revenue certification process in an evidence-based and impartial way.

What we plan to examine

We plan to examine if the Department of Treasury and Finance manages the revenue certification process to ensure that departments are using public money to achieve their agreed outcomes.

Who we plan to examine

Department of Treasury and Finance