Committee Details

COMMITTEE'S CONSIDERATION

In its Report No. 34, 57th Parliament - Annual Report 2021-22, tabled on 17 October 2022, the committee reported on its consideration of a number of Auditor-General's reports referred to it, including Auditor-General Report 3: 2020-21 - Queensland Government response to COVID-19. The committee did not resolve to hold further inquiries into these audit reports and made no recommendations to the Legislative Assembly.

Overview

Role of the Auditor-General

The role of the Auditor-General is to provide Parliament with independent assurance of public sector accountability and performance. This is achieved through reporting to Parliament on the results of its financial and performance audits.

About the Auditor-General Report

The Auditor-General’s report to Parliament 3: 2020-21—Queensland Government response to COVID-19 is a topic overview report summarising the various measures announced by the Queensland Government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic over the period from 25 January 2020 to 21 August 2020, and the total cost of those measures to government. The QAO emphasises that the report does not assess the effectiveness or value for money of the response measures, but rather provides an informational overview which may inform future auditing activities, including helping to identify areas of potential audit focus.

The report focusses on response measures across four response areas – health care, support for individuals, support for businesses, and public safety. The QAO identifies that as at 21 August 2020, the Queensland Government had announced over $7 billion in response measures across these areas, representing 2% of gross state product. This is in addition to $314 billion in response measures announced by the Australian Government.

The QAO also notes that further measures announced by the Queensland Government subsequent to the period examined, but prior to reporting on 22 September 2020 (on 7 September 2020), have taken the total cost to the government of response measures across the four areas to more than $8 billion.

In respect of the various initiatives detailed in the report, the QAO calls for central agencies to ensure they are considering the following three key questions as part of their governance role for the Queensland Government’s COVID-19:

• What are the objectives of each response measure and how will their effectiveness be measured?
• What are the uptake rates of the response measures and how does this compare with what was expected when the initiatives were announced?
• What are the actual costs of delivering the response measures?

These key questions may also be considered by the QAO in future audits or analysis of measures engaged in the state government’s COVID-19 response. 

Referral to Committee 

Standing Order 194B provides that the Committee of the Legislative Assembly shall as soon as practicable after a report of the Auditor-General is tabled in the Assembly refer that report to the relevant portfolio committee(s) for consideration. 

The committee is responsible under section 94 of the Parliament of Queensland Act 2001 for assessing the integrity, economy, efficiency and effectiveness of government financial management by examining government financial documents and considering reports of the Auditor-General.

The Committee of the Legislative Assembly referred this Auditor-General report to the committee on 3 December 2020.