Part A

PART A: GOVERNMENT IN AUSTRALIA AND THE STATE OF THE FINANCES

• 1 – What is this audit about and why is it needed now?

  • 1.1 Introduction

  • 1.2 Outlook for spending

  • 1.3 The fiscal strategy and outlook

  • 1.4 Spending and fiscal pressures within the Federation

  • 1.5 Principles of Good Government

• 2 – The role of government

  • 2.1 What do Australians expect their governments to do?

  • 2.2 What should governments do?

• 3 – What do governments do in Australia today?

  • 3.1 What do governments do and who does what?

  • 3.2 The operation of the Federation

  • 3.3 The current Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations

  • 3.4 How does the Commonwealth provide and fund its services?

• 4 – The state of the Commonwealth’s finances

  • 4.1 Overview of the Commonwealth’s finances

  • 4.2 The state of the balance sheet

  • 4.3 Fiscal projections

  • 4.4 Restoring the nation’s finances