Appendix 3: Approach and method used for our surveys

Annual Plan 2008/09.

Stakeholder Survey

We use our stakeholder feedback survey to measure how Parliament and other key stakeholders’ perceive the quality, relevance, and usefulness of our reports and advice.

Using an independent consultant, we survey a sample of stakeholders made up of 50% of select committees, a selection of central agencies, and other representative groups.

Our questions cover stakeholders’ perceptions of the effect and effectiveness of our work, as well as their satisfaction with the quality, relevance, and usefulness of specific reports and types of advice.

Stakeholders are asked to respond to a series of qualitative open questions and then to rate us in a number of areas on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being strongly disagree or very dissatisfied and 5 being strongly agree or very satisfied.

Client Survey

The Auditor-General uses an independent firm to conduct an annual client satisfaction survey of the entities for which he is the auditor (that is, all public entities). The firm surveys a random sample of public entities as a means of measuring the level of satisfaction and identifying areas where we need to improve our audit services.

In previous years, survey work has been limited to a sample of those public entities audited by Audit New Zealand. In 2007/08, we extended the sample to cover public entities audited by private sector accounting firms.

Representatives of a sample of these entities are invited to participate in a telephone interview to provide comment on:

  • audit service providers’ core audit ability;
  • audit service providers’ staff knowledge;
  • the way audit service providers’ staff work with entities, including governing bodies and audit committees where relevant;
  • the value that audit service providers add and the usefulness of the advice given;
  • the performance and contribution that audit service providers made as entities prepared to adopt NZ IFRS; and
  • the overall degree of satisfaction with the service received from audit service providers.
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