Over the past few months, QAO has been undergoing significant change as we position our business for the future and harness the opportunities facing us.

We’ve been working on how we can deliver more integrated services and flexibility for our clients. And how we can multi-skill our staff, so we have the best people, systems, and tools in place for future success.

To do this, we have conducted strategic workforce planning, and developed a transformational business strategy, a part of which is a new operating model.

This new model enables us to move away from delivering our services via separate ‘divisions’, to delivery as one organisation.

We’re calling our overall tenet for this new way of working ‘Think and Act OneQAO.’ For our clients and stakeholders, it means you’ll see us as one team, delivering you the insights from our audit work.

Operating as one team means we’ll give our clients a more seamless QAO service, and importantly, ensure our services are meeting their needs.

You will see us form and reform teams per engagement or per project. We’ll no longer have a static, hierarchical structure.

QAO’s services will be led by five Assistant Auditors-General (AAGs). One of the AAGs will lead our parliamentary services and engagement. Three AAGs will lead our audit client services for: departments and whole of government; local government and the regions; and government owned corporations and statutory bodies. Our fifth AAG will lead our audit practice arm.

We believe that more integrated service delivery will help us build our clients’ trust in us, so they are more open to hearing our recommendations. In 2018–19, QAO made over 1,000 recommendations to its clients around service improvements! We want to build effective relationships, so our clients are more likely to take our advice.

We’re in the early days of implementing our new way of working. Some major changes include an organisational restructure, harmonising staff roles, further developing our shared resourcing approach, updating our methodologies, systems changes, and refreshing our values. An important part of the change is working better together internally, including with our contingent workforce. Our contracted audit service providers are a key part of our service delivery.

It’s a lot of work over the next year, but success will mean our staff will grow their skill sets like never before. It means our clients are valuing our services—where they actively seek our advice.

Success will mean that QAO makes a difference and delivers on its vision of better public services. Can’t argue with that!