Our finances explained.
Understanding financial statements isn’t always easy for readers of annual reports. The aim of this section is to help stakeholders and people with an interest in our Office who may not have accounting knowledge.
It also strengthens our commitment to accountability and transparency – two key values of our Office.
We receive funds provided by the Parliament so that we can carry out our investigative and administrative improvement functions.
Managing the budget
Where our money comes from
Where our money is spent
What we own
What we owe
Figure: Annual Budget (JPEG format 150k)
In 2007–08, the Office’s operational budget totalled $6.214 million, representing a 3.9% increase from the previous year.
The increase in funding includes funds we obtained to recruit additional staff for the Administrative Improvement Unit as well as for enterprise bargaining salary increases.
In 2007–08, the Office delivered its agreed outputs and ended the year with an operating surplus of approximately $200,000.
With agreement from Queensland Treasury, these surplus funds will be used in 2008–09 towards costs associated with the fit out of our new office at 53 Albert Street, Brisbane.
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Where our money comes from
Figure: Total income 2007-08 (JPEG format 120k)
The Office receives the great majority of its funding through direct appropriation via Queensland Treasury. We also generate revenue from our training programs which are offered to agencies on a partial cost-recovery basis.
We use this revenue to offset associated costs such as those incurred in travelling to regional venues to deliver the sessions and the production of training material and workbooks.
Where our money is spent
Table: Total expenses 2007-08 (JPEG format 130k)
Our Office provides a complaint service for the Queensland public and administrative improvement services to public sector entities.
A large part of our costs in delivering these services is made up of employee expenses, which increased by 3.2% to $4,564,000. We spent a total of $6.123 million during 2007–08.
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Unlike other larger government departments, the Queensland Ombudsman’s Office does not have many assets of significant value. At the end of the 2007–08 year, our assets totalled $634,000 comprising:
- furniture and equipment $27,000
- receivables $134,000
- cash at bank $473,000.
Our liabilities for 2007–08 amounted to $493,000 which includes $114,000 in accounts payable to our suppliers, and $379,000 owing to the Crown and our employees for salary and recreation leave entitlements.
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