How a ‘hard close’ audit can improve quality and bring more of our work forward

In 2024, the Queensland Audit Office (QAO) undertook a ‘hard close’ financial audit with some of our clients.

How does the tone at the top influence a risk culture?

The risk culture of an organisation is influenced by the style and behaviours of those responsible for its leadership.

Machinery of government (MoG) changes occur when the government restructures the functions that government departments administer.

Our performance audits are carefully planned to focus on the topics that matter to the Queensland community, and to help public sector entities to deliver better public services. 

Fraud and corruption risks are pervasive to all organisations, regardless of whether they operate in the public or private sector, or are for-profit or not-for-profit. 

Most organisations appreciate the importance of data and analysis to effective, evidence-based decision making.

I’m proud to be an auditor. And I am very proud to be an auditor working in the public sector. It is a rewarding career, filled with a great variety of clients and trusted relationships built across many years. 

We select audit topics that matter most to Queensland. Our planning approach helps identify the risks and opportunities facing public service delivery, and we align our audit topics in response.

Financial loss is something entities clearly work hard to avoid, but if it does happen, entities can learn from their experiences and allow us to share common insights and advice with others.

As we finalise the audit of our clients’ financial statements, we will be communicating any misstatements the teams identify with them.

This blog post gives our audit clients some information about how we record material misstatements.