Legislative Council Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2) 51 2 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Answers to Questions Answers to Questions Auditor-General's Report AUDITOR-GENERAL'S REPORT The Hon. R.I. LUCAS Legislative Council AUDITOR-GENERAL'S REPORT In reply to the Hon. R.I. LUCAS (15 November 2006). The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY Legislative Council Minister for Police, Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning AUDITOR-GENERAL'S REPORT The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Police, Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning): SAPOL is a large agency and is party to many agreements with outside entities. SAPOL constantly undertakes to centrally record and evidence all agreements entered into across the agency. SAPOL's 'contracts register' policy was approved in July 2003. SAPOL's policy is based on Treasurer's Instruction 27 (now withdrawn and replaced by DPC Circular 27). The policy states: SAPOL's Procurement and Contract Management Services Branch (PCMS) shall hold the original of all SAPOL contracts for: Consultancies with a value greater than $9,900 (including GST); and Goods and services with a value greater than $55,000 (including GST). Contract documents include all formal agreements, memorandums of understanding, inter-agency agreements, supplementary deeds, variations, and extensions to existing contracts. In December 2004, PCMS compiled a contract register which adheres to this policy. PCMS use an acquisitions database to record and manage all contracts and tenders with a value greater than $50,000 and consultancies greater than $9,900. Since the report of the Auditor-General for 2005, the acquisitions database is periodically audited against the contracts register to ensure commonality of data. The most recent audits were carried out in May 2005, September 2005 and July 2006. A 100 per cent reconciliation was found on all occasions. It is noteworthy that of the contracts illustrated by the report of the Auditor-General for 2005 as not being present in SAPOL's contract register: The contract for helicopters is administered by Department of Justice; 'Crime Stoppers' is an incorporated body, that is, a separate legal entity from SAPOL governed by an independent Board; and PCMS has no knowledge of the existence of any contract between CrimTrac and SAPOL.