Following that process, we developed a Corporate Plan that sets out our objectives, action strategies, performance measures and targets to guide our work over the 3 year period July 2001 to June 2004. Collectively, these objectives reflect our commitment to professional excellence in the provision of independent assurance to the Parliament on the management of public resources, and in the conduct of audit activities. As part of the planning process, we have put in place several output targets that are aimed at bringing about continuous improvement in the efficiency and timeliness of our audit practices, e.g. all reports to Parliament to be completed within planned timelines, and all opinions on financial statements to be issued within 4 weeks of receipt of statements from agencies. We also aim to be highly effective in our professional relationships with key stakeholders such as the Parliament s Public Accounts and Estimates Committee and audited agencies. The audit comments on how well Victoria is planning to tackle salinity in the future.
Salinity continues to be a significant environmental issue in Victoria s irrigated areas.
Audits of the management of major injury claims by the Victorian WorkCover Authority and the Transport Accident Commission are also underway and reports are expected to be tabled in the 2001 Spring Session of Parliament. In line with this approach, a public tender was advertised in January for a contractor to undertake a component of the claims management audit within the Transport Accident Commission. The views of the public and interest groups provide an important input to our performance audit work. These views are often sought through a public advertisement as was recently the case with the Management of salinity audit which was the subject of a public submission process during March. While the quality of financial reports prepared by Victorian Government departments has improved considerably over recent years, further improvement is possible to enhance the consistency of disclosures and presentation which would improve the transparency and comparability of these reports.