Service 4: Carry out inquiries into matters of public interest

What went well

What didn’t go to plan

We achieved our timeliness targets for our Category 1 and Category 2 inquiry work. We maintained the amount of work we were able to complete in a year of disruption from Covid-19. Our work on issues such as tourism funding, emergency housing grants, Covid-related procurement in the health sector, and the management of conflicts of interest in procurement processes contributed to the promotion of good practice in the public sector.

We did not achieve our timeliness target for our Category 3 work (one piece of work was completed outside the agreed time frame).

This service is funded through the appropriation Statutory Auditor Function MCA, Performance Audits and Inquiries Category and the amount appropriated for the category in the Main Estimates for 2021/22 was $11.875 million.

Inquiries can arise from our audit or other work, requests from members of Parliament or a public organisation, or concerns raised by the public. We receive a considerable number of inquiry requests every year. Although we carefully consider all issues raised with us, not all will result in a full inquiry.

We decide whether issues warrant our investigation when matters of concern arise. The process we use involves three categories:

• Category 1: Triage/initial view – we consider new potential inquiry work (either requested or self-initiated) and form an initial view about whether to proceed with further work. We expect to do this within four weeks.
• Category 2: Assessment – having decided under Category 1 to do more work, we carry out work to understand the facts and form a view on those facts (including whether we conclude our work at this point or carry out a major inquiry). We expect to conclude this work within six months of the issue starting in Category 1.
• Category 3: Major inquiries – we carry out an in-depth investigation of the issues and prepare a detailed report on that investigation. We expect to complete major inquiries within an agreed time frame.

The Auditor-General also administers the Local Authorities (Members' Interests) Act 1968, which regulates pecuniary interest matters in local government.

Inquiries

Quantity measures

Indicator: Number of requests for inquiry received (including protected disclosures)
Target: Not applicable

Year	Result
2021/22	49
2020/21	64
2019/20	48
2018/19	New measure for 2019/20

Indicator: Number of protected disclosures received (a subset of the number above)
Target: Not applicable

Year	Result
2021/22	4
2020/21	9
2019/20	6
2018/19	New measure for 2019/20

Indicator: Number of pieces of inquiry work (other than major inquiries) concluded during the year
Target: Not applicable

Year	Result
2021/22	56
2020/21	62
2019/20	42
2018/19	New measure for 2019/20

Indicator: Number of major inquiries concluded during the year
Target: Not applicable

Year	Result
2021/22	3
2020/21	4
2019/20	2
2018/19	New measure for 2019/20

Timeliness measures

This year, we did not achieve our timeliness targets for our three inquiry categories, with one inquiry not meeting our target. We balance the obligations of fairness and natural justice and the number and complexity of the issues we consider with being timely.

Indicator: Percentage of requests for inquiries or self-initiated issues that are considered and a view is reached within four weeks
Target: 90%

Year	Result
2021/22	96%
2020/21	94%
2019/20	100%
2018/19	New measure for 2019/20

Indicator: Percentage of pieces of inquiry work (except major inquiries) that are concluded within six months
Target: At least 90%

Year	Result
2021/22	94%
2020/21*	90%
2019/20	81%
2018/19	New measure for 2019/20

* Revised performance standard for 2020/21.

We concluded 48 pieces of inquiry work in this category within six months.

Indicator: Percentage of major inquiries that are concluded and their findings reported within the expected time period
Target: At least 75%

Year	Result
2021/22	66%
2020/21	75%
2019/20	50%
2018/19	New measure for 2019/20

We completed two out of three major inquiries within the expected period.

Quality measures

Indicator: Percentage of inquiries that meet the Auditor-General’s process and reporting quality criteria (as determined by quality assurance review)
Target: 100%

Year	Result
2021/22	Not assessed, as not a quality assurance review year
2020/21	100%
2019/20*	Not assessed, as not a quality assurance review year
2018/19	New measure for 2019/20

* New measure for 2019/20.

Local Authorities (Members’ Interests) Act 1968

The Auditor-General administers the Local Authorities (Members’ Interests) Act 1968, which regulates pecuniary interest matters in local government. This year, we received 23 requests to approve contracts under the Act.

We measure our timeliness for those requests from the time when we have all the information we need to carry out our work. This year, we completed 100% of requests to approve contracts within our target of 21 days.

Quantity measures

Indicator: Number of Local Authorities (Members’ Interests) Act 1968 approval requests received
Target: Not applicable

Year	Result
2021/22	23
2020/21*	33
2019/20**	96
2018/19	New measure for 2019/20

* Revised measure for 2020/21.

** New measure for 2019/20.

We revised this measure for 2020/21 to reflect requests to approve contracts only. The basis for measurement in 2019/20 was all enquiries received.

Timeliness measures

Indicator: Percentage of requests under the Local Authorities (Members’ Interests) Act 1968 for approval of contracts that are responded to within the expected time period
Target: At least 90%

Year	Result
2021/22	100%
2020/21	88%
2019/20	93%
2018/19	Revised measure for 2019/20