Auditor General Heather Thomas has released a new report reviewing the travel, meal, and hospitality expenses of ministers, along with how these expenses are disclosed to the public.
A spokesperson said, “The review focused on whether ministries have fit- for- purpose frameworks in place to manage and publicly disclose these expenses through the government’s travel webpage. A rotational approach was used so that all ministries will be reviewed over a two-year cycle.”
“While the disclosure of ministerial travel expenses is not mandated by law, publishing this information demonstrates respect for public funds, fiscal responsibility, and accountability,” said Auditor General Thomas. “Transparency in the use of government resources – particularly for travel – is best practice, and the Public have the Right to Know.”
A spokesperson added, “The Auditor General determined that, while voluntary disclosure is commendable, some areas for improvement are required.
“The following observations were noted during the examination:
- “Expenses without appropriate support – Original receipts were not included for all travel expense claims.
- “Incomplete or inaccurate disclosures – Complete information not disclosed on the government travel webpage.
- “Inconsistent timelines – Different ministries posted travel expenses at varying times, ranging from a day or two to several weeks after travel expense claims were processed.
- “Lack of central records – Not all ministries in-scoped maintained a comprehensive and central record of ministers’ travel available for review.
- “Delegation costs excluded – Current disclosures on the government travel webpage do not include the costs of accompanying ministerial delegations.
“The Auditor General recommends the following to improve the effectiveness and transparency of ministerial travel disclosures:-
- “Establish a standardized reporting system with clear guidelines for all ministries.
- “Strengthen internal controls and training of public officers and ministers.
- “Include the full costs of the ministerial delegations in future public disclosures on the travel webpage.”
The full Report on Ministerial Travel, Meal and Hospitality Expenses follows below [PDF here]:
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