Central agencies’ coordination of the state budget

Tabled Report 3: 2024–25

Tabled date

2024-09-27

Report year

2024-25

Economic development State finances Whole of government

Entities audited

• Department of the Premier and Cabinet
• Queensland Treasury

Recommendations

1. QAO's text Addressed to: Queensland Treasury

   strengthens the security of its revenue projection models by implementing enhanced data integrity controls to reduce the potential for inappropriate access or errors.

2. QAO's text Addressed to: Queensland Treasury

   strengthens its assistance to agencies by providing detailed guidance materials on the financial information to support their budget submissions, including costing methodologies, staffing needs, and consultation.

3. QAO's text Addressed to: Queensland Treasury, the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, and agencies

   engage early in the submission development phase to facilitate a thorough review and timely feedback, with agencies adhering to lodgement timelines.

4. QAO's text Addressed to: Queensland Treasury and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet

   evaluate if stand-alone submissions that are made outside of the main budget can use the BudgetPlus system for preparing funding proposals.

5. QAO's text Addressed to: Queensland Treasury

   provides clarity to the Cabinet Budget Review Committee on whether costings have been reviewed and agreed upon in submissions

6. QAO's text Addressed to: Queensland Treasury

   enhances the budget submission review process by implementing standard operating procedures that include

   • clarifying how it agrees financial information with agencies
   • describing the activities Treasury Analysts need to perform when reviewing submissions, including objectives, financial information, staffing needs, and consultation
   • standardising the recording of review activities and documents in its information management system

7. QAO's text Addressed to: Queensland Treasury

   implements government-endorsed savings reviews, conducts and coordinates other targeted reviews, and uses independent program evaluations to identify opportunities for more efficient and effective service delivery.

8. QAO's text Addressed to: Queensland Treasury

   clarifies its strategic objectives, especially its current objective to improve outcomes and agency performance.

Authoritative report — Queensland Audit Office

Report PDF on QAO