Office of the Controller and Auditor-General
OAG
Summary
The Controller and Auditor-General is appointed by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the House of Representatives, serving a single non-renewable 7-year term. The OAG is an Officer of Parliament and audits all public entities including government departments, Crown entities, State-owned enterprises, and local authorities. The Auditor-General has statutory powers to require production of documents and to examine persons on oath, conferring full subpoena and compel-testimony authority. Removal requires an address of the House of Representatives for stated cause. Budget is set as a legislative line item. Reports are presented to Parliament and made public without pre-publication review.
Independence Scorecard
| Appointment | Legislative appointment |
|---|---|
| Term length | 7 years |
| Removal standard | For cause only |
| Budget independence | Legislative line item |
| Subpoena power | Yes |
| Compel testimony | Yes |
| Records access | Full access |
| Public reports required | Yes |
| Pre-publication review | None — reports published directly |
Statute
- Name
- Public Audit Act 2001 (2001 No 10)
- Citation
- 2001 No 10
- Full text
- Full text of law →
Jurisdiction scope
All public entities as defined in the Public Audit Act 2001, including central government departments, Crown entities, State-owned enterprises, local authorities, and other publicly funded bodies