Nuku’alofa, Tonga: The Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions (PASAI) is helping the Tonga Office of the Auditor General to prepare for upcoming performance audits by running a workshop for 22 of its staff this week.
PASAI Program Director, Mike Scott, is co-facilitating the 5-day workshop covering the fundamentals of undertaking impactful performance audits with independent contractor, Craig Neil.
Australia’s Acting Deputy High Commissioner in Tonga, Alison Gow, opened the workshop on Monday 22 September.
PASAI is working in partnership for the first time with the Tonga Australia Support Platform (TASP), which is supported by the Australian Government and implemented by DT Global.
Mr Scott explained, “The workshop is very practical and covers how to undertake a performance audit from planning to reporting, with opportunities for participants to apply what they are learning throughout.
“The Tonga Office of the Auditor General has important performance audits on its audit program including the effectiveness of management of waste in the outer islands and the effectiveness of the Tonga’s disaster recovery system.
“It is a privilege to be here to support this highly valuable work and a pleasure to work with the highly committed team at the Tonga Office of the Audit General.”
Acting Auditor-General, Cathreen Mafi, welcomed the practical skills that the staff at the Tonga Office of the Auditor General are gaining form the workshop, saying, “My staff and I are picking up many things that we can apply in our work from the valuable guidance and advice that Mr Scott and Mr Neil have shared with us from their extensive experience as performance audit practitioners.
“We are looking forward to the last day of the workshop when we will apply this training by starting to plan 2 of our upcoming performance audits”.
Lotomo’ua Tu’ungafasi will become Tonga’s new Auditor General from 20 October 2025 for a 5-year term. PASAI congratulates Ms Tu’ungafasi on her appointment.
PASAI acknowledges the support of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
Tonga Office of the Auditor General staff with (front row, left to right) the Acting Auditor-General, Cathreen Mafi; workshop co-facilitator, Craig Neil; Australia’s Acting Deputy High Commissioner in Tonga, Alison Gow; and PASAI Program Director, Mike Scott
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Contact information:
Mike Scott, Program Director PASAI
E: mike.scott@pasai.org P: +64 9 304 1275
PDF version of this media release
