Senator Robert Ray asked the Minister for Family and Community Services, upon notice, on 23 June 1999:

With reference to the Australian National Audit Office, audit report no. 22 of 1997-98, Audits of the financial statements of Commonwealth entities for 1996-97: Summary of results and outcomes, which made a range of recommendations relevant to aspects of the former Department of Social Security's activities and Centrelink, particularly in relation to the exposure to accidental and deliberate denial of service and unauthorised changes to customers' circumstances:

(1) What has been the progress, to date, in the implementation of those recommendations.

(2) If those recommendations have not been implemented; why not.

Senator Newman (Family and Community Services; Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women) —The answer to the honourable senator's question is as follows:

(1) Centrelink has made significant progress in addressing cross-portfolio recommendations and the social security specific internal control matters the report mentions. Four issues remain to be finalised. These relate to business continuity and disaster recovery, access control and security and income support systems. Updating of the business continuity plan has been centralised and is being actively pursued as part of Year 2000 preparation. Outstanding access security issues are being dealt with through a full review of Access Control Facility access rights. Legislation is being prepared to address the matter of the Secretary's delegations in the income support systems. Also, Centrelink's governance structure has been strengthened with the appointment of a Chief Information Officer and Chief Finance Officer and enhancement of its management information and quality frameworks capacity and in Information Systems, Financial and Performance auditing.

(2) The recommendations and underlying matters have many elements and, while substantial progress has been made, finalisation will continue throughout 1999-2000. Progress with all ANAO recommendations is actively managed by the Audit Committee of the Board of Centrelink and considered at each of its quarterly meetings. As part of this, the ANAO assesses progress reports of all outstanding recommendations affecting Centrelink before their consideration by the Audit Committee of the Board.