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‐ ‐ ‐ ANAO Report No.10 2014–15 Administration of the Biodiversity Fund Program 23 engagement early in the process would have better positioned Environment to assist users to manage this transition.

36. Environment

primarily relied on a case management approach in particular, the review of grant recipient reports to facilitate compliance monitoring. While Environment had developed a compliance strategy relatively early in the program, it is yet to establish a risk‐based compliance monitoring program to provide appropriate assurance in relation to high risk grant recipients’projects’ compliance with their obligations. There is scope for Environment to more effectively target its compliance strategy for the remaining life of Biodiversity Fund program projects, and to ensure that a risk ‐based approach to compliance is implemented in future grants programs. Summary of entity response

37. Environment’s

summary response to the proposed report is provided below, while the full response is provided at Appendix 1. The Department is grateful for the opportunity to respond to the audit report and agrees with the two recommendations in the report. The Department notes that the audit has highlighted some areas for future improvement in the grants administration process, particularly in the articulation and assessment of eligibility requirements and in the full implementation of a risk‐based compliance strategy to support grants management. The Department has updated its internal processes to improve these areas further and thereby give effect to the audit recommendations, both for the ongoing management of the Biodiversity Fund and for other grants programmes. The Department also acknowledges the positive findings in the report in relation to the design and implementation of the programme. ANAO Report No.10 2014–15 Administration of the Biodiversity Fund Program 24 Recommendations Recommendation No. 1 Paragraph 4.34 To strengthen the assessment of applicant eligibility under its grants programs, the ANAO recommends that the Department of the Environment:  provides clear guidance in its grants framework regarding the need to design eligibility criteria for grants programs that are clearly expressed and able to be readily assessed;  emphasises the importance of assessing all eligibility criteria in all grants rounds conducted; and  retains sufficient documentation to evidence eligibility assessments. Environment response: Agreed. Recommendation No. 2 Paragraph 6.63 To strengthen the monitoring of compliance with the terms and conditions of funding, the ANAO recommends that the Department of the Environment implements risk‐based compliance strategies for its grant programs. Environment response: Agreed.