Financial management and control is
the bedrock of government management
and its framework should provide
the principal source of reference for
guiding managers and their financial advisers
in the efficient, effective and proper use
of public resources.
It is the premise of this article that the
status of financial management and control
has diminished in recent years because of
unclear communications and a lack of
accountability by those responsible for exercising
it. The article provides examples of
how this situation has come about.
The commendable objectives of recent
management reforms, such as improved
stewardship and accountability, will be
much more difficult to achieve without
clear, comprehensive and coherent financial
management and control frameworks in
government departments and agencies.
A model framework for financial management
and control is outlined in this article
that is consistent with the objectives of
the most recent management reforms,
notably those related to modern comptrollership
and the management accountability
framework.