Confidentiality in government contracts: senate order for departmental and agency contracts (calendar year 2011 compliance)

Abstract

This audit assessed the appropriateness of the use and reporting of confidentiality provisions in Australian Government contracts for 2011. Key findings Agencies reported 39,223 contracts (totalling $156.5 billion) in their 2011 contract listings, 2391 of which were reported as containing confidentiality provisions. The Australian National Audit Office examined 132 of the 2391 contracts from the four audited agencies. 42 of the 132 contracts (32 per cent) did not contain specific confidentiality provisions and 39 contracts (29 per cent) were assessed as including specific confidentiality provisions that were not justified having regard to the Confidentiality Test. These 81 contracts were incorrectly listed in the Senate Order as containing confidentiality provisions. Of the 51 contracts (39 per cent) in the audit sample that were correctly listed as containing confidentiality provisions, 34 (26 per cent of the total contracts examined) also reported the correct type(s) of, and reason(s) for, confidentiality