Forensic financial and organisational audit of DVConnect

Industry: Government & Public Sector

Client: Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety (QLD)

Project name: Forensic financial and organisational audit

Overview

BDO was engaged by the Queensland Government to deliver a forensic financial and organisational audit of DVConnect - a government funded provider of statewide domestic violence services.

Delivery

The scope of the engagement was structured around three key workstreams:

Governance: BDO examined board oversight and handling of strategic decision-making, assessed the robustness of corporate policies and procedures, and evaluated how effectively senior leadership communicated organisational performance against government-mandated service delivery KPIs.
Human resource management and allocation of resources: This stream involved a detailed review of DVConnect’s organisation structure, focusing on how staff were allocated across funded and non-funded areas of the service provider to ensure alignment with contractual obligations and service needs.
Financial management: BDO reconciled funding received for each funded service line to identity any signs of improper cross-subsidisation. The team also assessed the organisation’s internal controls for managing financial fraud risk and safeguarding public funds.

BDO’s cross-functional forensic team analysed several years of financial records, reviewed third-party documentation, and conducted staff interviews to build a comprehensive picture of DVConnect’s operations.

Outcome

BDO delivered a comprehensive report outlining the extent of the performance and financial problems facing the government-contracted provider of Queensland’s domestic and family violence helplines - Womensline and Mensline.

The Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, the Hon Amanda Camm MP, acknowledged that BDO’s forensic financial and organisational audit had been a catalyst for change, leading to improved service delivery and strengthened organisational performance.

How BDO can help

Our Forensic and Integrity Services team brings deep expertise in forensic investigations and audits, program evaluations, forensic technology and significant litigation and disputes support - with a depth of experience working with government and their funded service providers.