The auditing process the service – delivery relationship is a close working relationship between the NTAGO and the private sector Authorised Auditors. NTAGO staff work collaboratively with the Auditor-General to undertake planning, prepare guidelines for individual audit assignments, provide information and technical support, manage the contracts with the Authorised Auditors and conduct a small number of audits. “in-house” The majority of field audit work is undertaken by the Authorised Auditors and they prepare the necessary working papers, draft reports, opinions and management letters for review by the Auditor-General and his staff. The responsibility for the content of correspondence to Agency managers and for reports submitted to the Legislative Assembly rests solely with the Auditor-General. The heavy reliance upon private sector firms recognises the difficulties in recruiting appropriately qualified and experienced public sector auditors in a small jurisdiction and in providing suitable opportunities for career development. However, the approach adopted does allow the Office to take advantage of the significant pool of private sector audit experience that is available. For 2011/12 the expense incurred by the Office in having private firms provide audit services amounted to $2.9 million from Authorised Auditors. This figure is comparative to the previous year cost of $2.9 million for the 2010/11 period. The relationship between the number of hours acquired from Authorised Auditors and the cost incurred by the NTAGO is affected by several factors. For example, the relative weighting between partners, managers and audit seniors can vary between audits, depending upon the nature and complexity of the audit in question. At the same time, the types of audits undertaken will also affect the mix of audit skills employed. For example financial, information technology or specialist insurance auditors may be used depending upon the nature of the audit and this, in turn, affects that average hourly cost of any particular audit.
The auditing process – the service delivery relationship is a close working relationship between the NTAGO and the private sector Authorised Auditors. NTAGO staff work collaboratively with the Auditor-General to undertake planning, prepare guidelines for individual audit assignments, provide information and technical support, manage the contracts with the Authorised Auditors and conduct a small number of “in-house” audits. The majority of field audit work is undertaken by the Authorised Auditors and they prepare the necessary working papers, draft reports, opinions and management letters for review by the Auditor-General and his staff. The responsibility for the content of correspondence to Agency managers and for reports submitted to the Legislative Assembly rests solely with the Auditor-General. The heavy reliance upon private sector firms recognises the difficulties in recruiting appropriately qualified and experienced public sector auditors in a small jurisdiction and in providing suitable opportunities for career development. However, the approach adopted does allow the Office to take advantage of the significant pool of private sector audit experience that is available. For 2011/12 the expense incurred by the Office in having private firms provide audit services amounted to $2.9 million from Authorised Auditors. This figure is comparative to the previous year cost of $2.9 million for the 2010/11 period. The relationship between the number of hours acquired from Authorised Auditors and the cost incurred by the NTAGO is affected by several factors. For example, the relative weighting between partners, managers and audit seniors can vary between audits, depending upon the nature and complexity of the audit in question. At the same time, the types of audits undertaken will also affect the mix of audit skills employed. For example financial, information technology or specialist insurance auditors may be used depending upon the nature of the audit and this, in turn, affects that average hourly cost of any particular audit.
Annual_Report_2011-12_AuditorGeneral.docx