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ANU appoints eminent auditor

Former Australian auditor-general, Mr Pat Barrett, has been appointed Senior Fellow at the ANU Australian National Centre for Audit and Assurance Research (ANCAAR).
 
A distinguished public servant, Mr Barrett retired from the post of Auditor-General last month after a decade. Mr Barrett has expertise in numerous areas including public sector management, information technology, and financial, auditing and budgeting issues.

Professor Keith Houghton, Chairman of ANCAAR, said: “Pat Barrett has been one of Australia’s most astute thinkers on matters crucial to auditing and to related matters of governance, particularly as they relate to public sector management and public policy. Mr Barrett’s appointment to the ANU will strengthen an already active set of programmes in these areas.

“Mr Barrett is highly-regarded in government, business and academic circles, and he will bring a wealth of knowledge of public finance to the University in both a research and teaching capacity.

“He has been a member of several high level public service committees on areas such as superannuation, information technology, fraud control and finance among other appointments and achievements — his experience is wide and notable.

“I’m extremely pleased at his decision to join Australia’s national university, ANU, and I’m sure students and staff alike will make him feel most welcome. We will certainly benefit greatly from his depth of knowledge and experience.” 

Mr Barrett is a member of the Board of Governors of the International Federation of Accountants headquartered in New York — the peak body of accountants in the world, responsible for the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board and the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board.

Over the last 20 years he has written more than 400 papers, a number of which have been published in either books or journals. He has also presented to both national and international conferences and seminars.

He was made an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2003 for “Service to the promotion of good governance in the public sector, particularly as an advocate for the principles of accountability, continuous improvement and the identification and management of risk”.
 
Mr Barrett takes up his position as Senior Fellow on Friday 22 April. ANCAAR is affiliated with the Faculty of Economics and Commerce and associated with the National Graduate School of Management at ANU.

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