Appendix 3: Approach and method used for our surveys

Stakeholder survey

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

An independent consultant surveys a sample of stakeholders from half of Parliament’s select committees, a selection of central agencies, and other representative groups.

Our questions cover stakeholders’ perceptions of the impact 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 the Office 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

We use an independent firm to conduct an annual client satisfaction survey of public entities, which are all audited by the Auditor-General. A random sample of public entities is surveyed to gauge the level of satisfaction with audit services and to identify areas where improvement is needed.

In previous years, the survey has been limited to a sample of public entities audited by Audit New Zealand. In 2007/08, we extended the sample to also cover public entities audited on the Auditor-General’s behalf by private sector auditors.

Representatives of a sample of these public entities are invited to take part in a telephone interview to comment about their audit service provider in areas such as:

• core audit ability;
• staff knowledge;
• the way audit service providers’ staff work with public 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 public entities prepared to adopt NZ IFRS; and
• the overall degree of satisfaction with the service received.

Stakeholders are asked to respond to a series of qualitative, open questions, and then to rate the Office in a number of areas on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being strongly disagree or very dissatisfied and 10 being strongly agree or very satisfied.