Central governmentAgencyExists today
Australian National Audit Office
ANAO
1 January 1998 – present
Previously Audit Office (1902–1998).
Supports the Auditor-General, an independent officer of the Parliament, in auditing the financial statements of Commonwealth entities and conducting performance audits and assurance reviews for the Parliament.
Names over time
- Audit Office1902–1998
- Australian National Audit Office1998–present
How it came into existence
Established on 1 January 1998 under the Auditor-General Act 1997, which replaced the Audit Act 1901. It continued the staff and functions of the Audit Office, which had already used the name Australian National Audit Office.
- Financial statement audits
- Performance audits
- Reports to the Parliament
Continued under the Auditor-General Act 1997, which repealed the Audit Act 1901.
Legislation: Auditor-General Act 1997
Changes during its life
- Audit and evaluation of Indigenous programs and funded organisations
Main functions
- Financial statement audits of Commonwealth entities
- Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements
- Performance audits
- Assurance reviews, including Defence major projects
- Reports to the Parliament
Where it sits
In the portfolio of Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
- Type of body
- Non-corporate Commonwealth entity
- Portfolio
- Prime Minister and Cabinet
- Accountable authority
- Auditor-General – Auditor-General Act 1997 section 38(3)(b)
- ABN
- 33 020 645 631
Lineage
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Sources
Primary sources
- List of Commonwealth entities and companies under the PGPA Act, 1 July 2026 (Department of Finance)
- Australian Government Organisations Register (Department of Finance, data.gov.au) (listed from 11 December 2014 to the latest release (30 June 2026))