The Government welcomes the Australian National Audit Office's report into the design of our Growing Regions Program which found the program design was largely effective.
The report released today found the program met the requirements under the Commonwealth Grants Rules, was aligned with the government policy objectives, and involved appropriate stakeholder consultation.
It also found that lessons had been learned from previous grant programs.
The ANAO made two recommendations for future design, including the development of performance targets to assess outcomes and the provision of appropriate advice to government to make informed decisions.
The department has agreed in principle to the recommendations and is committed to continually refining grant administration processes.
The Government welcomes the report's findings and recommendations for improvements that will inform Round 2 of the Program and strengthen our future grants framework.
