Controller function

28 September 2021: This update explains recent events in Parliament’s authorising of public expenditure and our work in monitoring Government spending and providing assurance to Parliament and the public.

2 August 2021: Each year, the Government passes a Bill that updates the Budget for spending that wasn’t included in the initial Budget. This Bill is usually passed in June, and this year it increased the 2020/21 Budget by $20.1 billion.

30 March 2021: Most government spending for the first six months of 2020/21 has been properly authorised and was within the law. However, one of the Covid-19 initiatives has led to unappropriated spending in 2019/20 and 2020/21.

10 February 2021: We are continuing to pay special attention to spending on the Government's Covid-19 response.

17 September 2020: While carrying out our Controller work this year, we have been giving special attention to the Covid-19 spending. In this Update, we report on what has been approved, and what the Government has spent, on the Covid-19 response for the year ended 30 June 2020.

27 July 2020: We have examined the Government’s financial records for spending approved and incurred for the 11 months ended 31 May 2020. From what we have seen, the Covid-19 spending has been correctly approved.

11 June 2020: We have examined the Government’s financial records for spending approved and expenses incurred against these approvals for the 10 months ended 30 April 2020. From what we have seen, the Covid-19 spending approvals have been managed appropriately. We report on one area where spending has been incurred without the correct approvals.

12 May 2020: We have examined the Government's financial records for expenditure approved and expenses incurred during March 2020. From what we have seen, the Covid-19 expenditure has been approved correctly. We have not identified any expenditure incurred during March without Parliament and Cabinet approvals.

9 April 2020: There will be an unprecedented amount of public money spent over the coming months as the Government responds to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. We will monitor the Covid-19 spending and will report to the public and Parliament about how the Government is accounting for it.

4 March 2020: Most government spending for the first six months of 2019/20 has been properly authorised and was within the law. However, we have confirmed three instances that were not properly authorised.

Central government: Results of the 2018/19 audits.

28 November 2019: Most government spending for the second six months of 2018/19 was properly authorised and within the law. However, we have confirmed several instances that were not properly authorised.

1 April 2019: Most government spending for the first six months of 2018/19 has been properly authorised and is within the law. However, we have confirmed two instances that were not properly authorised.

Central government: Results of the 2017/18 audits

A transcript for a video about the Controller function.