Special Features of the Auditor General's Audits

Primary Purposes

•  To evaluate the efficiency, economy, legality and effectiveness with which Central and Local Government Agencies and other public bodies carry out their financial management programme responsibilities.

•  In addition it is the Auditor General's duty to draw the attention of the House through the medium of his reports to every matter coming to his notice in the course of these examinations which in his judgement should be brought to the attention of the House. He is not debarred from doing so by the fact that the accounts themselves may be in order, that no obvious irregularity has occurred and that such matters do not fall specifically within the particular year under review.

Objectives

A fundamental objective of our audit work is to bring about improvements in the management and conduct of government's financial activities and programmes. This can be achieved by evaluating performance and providing information on such questions as to whether -

• •  internal controls are adequate
• •  waste and inefficient use of public money can be eliminated;
• •  programmes are achieving their objectives;
• •  there are other ways of accomplishing programme objectives at lower costs;
• •  funds are being spent legally; and
• •  the accounting and financial reporting systems are adequate.

In carrying out our audit work, particular emphasis is placed on operations or activities suspected or found to require improvements or correction and on the means of accomplishing this. We want not only to stimulate corrective action but to promote the avoidance of future occurrences of problems we encounter.

Auditing standards promulgated by the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions are complied with in conducting the audit activities and reference made to International Standards on Auditing where necessary. In keeping with these standards, we seek to determine the nature of the inadequacies identified, whether isolated or recurring, to ensure that appropriate recommendations are made as to how they may be corrected.

This approach to our auditing and reporting results in greater concentration on the basic problems that permit instances of waste, inefficiency or ineffectiveness. It also results in emphasizing the improvements which need to be made in management policies and methods.