The Australian National Audit Office recently audited fraud control arrangements in the Australian Skills Quality Authority and the Auditor-General's report was tabled in Parliament on Wednesday 30 October 2024. The audit provided an independent assessment of the effectiveness of ASQA's fraud control arrangement along with recommendations and opportunities to improve.
ASQA Chief Executive Officer, Saxon Rice, said she welcomed the Auditor-General's report into fraud control arrangements.
"ASQA places a high value on review and improvement and welcomes the role that the ANAO plays in providing independent insights supporting performance improvement".
"ASQA is already taking action to improve clarity of roles and responsibilities, and document our processes for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of fraud controls across prevention and detection to ensure that our internal controls are fit for purpose to protect the entity from these risk" Ms Rice said.
"Giving consideration to the audit findings, ASQA will now finalise our Fraud and Corruption Policy and Plan 2024-2026 under the revised Commonwealth Fraud and Corruption Control Framework, which came into effect during this audit in July 2024." Ms Rice said.
ASQA's regulatory functions go beyond protecting public resources from fraud and corruption and are focused on protection of vulnerable students and taking action against non-genuine providers, and to scrutinise those who are in the business of managing or operating RTOs.
"ASQA will continue to engage with the sector and across government to improve the legislation we administer, tighten loopholes and strengthen provisions that target fraudulent activity. Our Integrity Unit is getting results, targeting threats to the integrity of VET and disrupting illegal behaviour and the exploitation of vulnerable students" Ms Rice said.
A copy of the report is available on the ANAO's website.
