Government agencies face a real and credible threat to their physical security, and the safety of their client-facing staff. Unauthorised access to government buildings could cause significant disruption to orderly operation of services while antisocial behaviour puts staff health and safety at risk.
The audit focused on physical security as it relates to protective security, which also includes information and personnel security.
The 2017–18 Annual Financial Report of the State of Victoria (AFR) informs Parliament and the citizens of Victoria about the financial transactions and position of the state. It was tabled in Parliament by the Treasurer on 20 September 2018.
Each year, we issue an audit opinion on the AFR to provide independent assurance to Parliament on the finances of the state.
Ordered to be published
VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT PRINTER June 2018
PP No 398, Session 2014–18
Dear Presiding Officers
During the audit, we conducted detailed testing of a selection of agencies, and projects reported on the ICT Dashboard. Figure C1 shows the ICT project reporting requirements for PR under version 1.0 of the ICT Reporting Standard. We undertook detailed testing using version 1.0 of the ICT Reporting Standard.
Figure C1
ICT PR requirements, under version 1.0 of the ICT Reporting Standard
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To assess the accuracy and completeness of the ICT Dashboard we examined source data from projects reported by four of the agencies involved in this audit:
We tested the information published on the ICT Dashboard for 18 ICT projects, and asked these agencies to provide source data or documentation to verify their published data.
Figure B1 shows a summary of the results from our detailed audit testing.
Figure B1
Results of agency testing
We have consulted with DHHS, DPC, DTF, MW and PTV, and we considered their views when reaching our audit conclusions.
As required by section 16(3) of the Audit Act 1994, we gave a draft copy of this report to those agencies and asked for their submissions and comments.
Responsibility for the accuracy, fairness and balance of those comments rests solely with the agency head.
Responses were received as follows:
In Victoria's devolved financial accountability system, responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of data rests with the board or accountable officer of each entity, and is certified through the entity's governance process, rather than by DPC or DTF.
This part of the report discusses the results of our testing of the data reported on the ICT Dashboard by the agencies involved in this audit.
The ICT Dashboard launched in March 2016 and, since then, there have been eight quarters of data reported. From the potential 184 FMA agencies required to report on the ICT Dashboard, 84 have reported 439 ICT projects.
The ICT Reporting Standard requires applicable agencies to report data on the ICT Dashboard for projects worth over $1 million. The ICT Reporting Standard's key objectives are to:
ICT is integral to how governments manage information and deliver programs and services.
Our April 2015 Digital Dashboard Phase 1 report found that, in general, government agencies' financial and management processes did not enable the comprehensive reporting of actual ICT expenditure across the public sector. During that audit, many agencies found it difficult to provide basic information on their ICT spend and projects.
Information and communications technology (ICT) is integral to how governments manage information and deliver programs and services. ICT projects need to be diligently monitored and successfully implemented, so that services to the government, public sector and community can be efficient and effective.
Comprehensive reporting on ICT expenditure and projects is important to improve transparency and provide assurance that public sector agencies have used public resources in an efficient, effective and economic way.