Vista Advisory is a specialist Canberra-based professional services firm that provides performance audit, review, evaluation, training and governance-related services to public sector agencies.
We have built a reputation as trusted and reliable service providers, developing performance audit and review frameworks, building capacity and working collaboratively with agency officers, providing quality senior personnel for internal placements as well as delivering discrete performance audit, evaluation, and review projects on time and within budget.
Our track record for delivery and extensive experience, gained predominantly across the Commonwealth public sector, and through work with the Australian National Audit Office in particular, ensures that Vista Advisory is a trusted and capable supplier to public sector agencies for assurance and governance work. We are known for the delivery of high quality work and relationship management that enhances the reputation of our clients amongst their stakeholders, in a low-fuss and reliable manner.
The founding principals of Vista Advisory commenced providing assurance, financial management and governance services to Government in 2003 and worked in larger, including Big 4, professional services firms in Sydney and Canberra from 1997. Vista Advisory’s senior team have successfully provided services in the Commonwealth, QLD, WA, VIC, ACT and NSW public sectors under expert panel, open tender and direct sourcing arrangements.
Why choose Vista Advisory?
Public entities are being required to provide higher quality and more efficient and effective services. Government and community expectations around accountability and value-for-money have risen considerably. In this environment, public sector assurance is more important, challenging and complex than ever before. Vista Advisory has the skills and experience to understand operating environments and context, and provide quality independent assurance in areas that really matter to decision makers and stakeholders.
Vista Advisory clients gain the following value:
- A senior team which has planned and conducted complex audits, reviews and evaluations across jurisdictions.
- A senior team accustomed to working and engaging with Commonwealth and State departmental executives, parliamentary committees and senior officials.
- The ability to further expand our team by drawing on the advice and services of some of the most senior specialists in a particular policy or governance area, including Indigenous governance.
- The most efficient delivery possible, drawing on Vista’s depth of experience and knowledge of assurance and public sector processes.
- Independence and objectivity – we have a proven record in delivering high quality, fair and balanced work, we diligently identify and manage any actual or perceived conflicts of interest.
- An ability to understand, analyse and provide advice on management and institutional
arrangements and legislative frameworks, and related programs, processes and
systems, and provide practical and insightful recommendations where necessary. - Excellent communication skills to provide senior executives and stakeholders with genuine consultation and engagement, and a ‘no surprises approach’ to the way we conduct our work.
- A skilled team who communicate openly and effectively with diverse groups.
- A team skilled in developing and delivering tailored audit, assessment and governance training programs.
Our Approach
Our values guide the conduct of our work.
Vista Advisory takes the time to understand the unique needs of each of its clients for each engagement.
Depending on what our clients require, we work side by side with agency officers, provide quality senior personnel for internal placements as well as deliver discrete assurance and related projects.
We are committed to ensuring client satisfaction through the delivery of quality work on-time and on-budget. We pride ourselves on our ability to think strategically across a broad range of public policy areas, clarify complex matters for our clients and communicate effectively with senior and public stakeholders, including parliamentarians and their advisors. We deliver credible and respected outcomes for our clients.
Vista Advisory personnel are accustomed to presenting professional work and writing for high-level audiences, including providing executive and board-level briefings and reports for a public audience, including the Parliament.
All our work is conducted in accordance with relevant professional standards and ethical pronouncements, including those issued by AUASB and our professional bodies. Where relevant, we also adopt client standards, practices and systems in the conduct of our work, such as for audit offices, and conduct our work in accordance with legislative requirements and mandate. All client work is treated in the strictest confidence.
Our senior staff have security clearances for public sector work, and we are accustomed to working in secure environments and operating in accordance with the Australian Government’s protective security policy framework.
To further expand our skills and perspectives, we engage the most senior specialists in particular governance and policy areas.
For our audits and assurance engagements, ensuring independence and objectivity is of paramount importance. Vista Advisory will not accept engagements where a threat to our independence exists and full assessments of conflicts of interest for all team members are undertaken prior to client and engagement acceptance in accordance with professional standards.
Our Values
We have a strong sense of serving the public through our work and making a useful contribution where we can.
Our Vision
To deliver excellent public sector governance and assurance services for the benefit of our clients and the communities they serve.
Our Mission
To assist our clients improve public sector performance and accountability through rigorous evidence-based work, insightful advice and practical recommendations for improvement.
Our values are important in guiding the acceptance and conduct of our work.
Our Key Values
- We are engaged and curious.
- We are builders – we build trust and confidence, we build the evidence-base for decisions, we build strong internal and external professional relationships and a common understanding
- We are independent thinkers and accept responsibility for our work and its impact
- We treat people with dignity and respect
- We seek to understand context as a key factor in decisions and outcomes
- We solve problems with facts and insight
- We manage challenging situations with courage and candour
- We are open and honest in our communication and knowledge sharing
- We act with integrity, uphold the highest professional and ethical standards, provide sound advice and rigorously maintain our independence.
- We seek out interesting work, with good people, to add value and strengthen our reputation in our areas of expertise.
Serving our communities
Each year, we use our professional skills to undertake one sizeable governance-related project at a substantial discount in an area where we consider we can make a positive contribution to a particular community, sector or region.
In addition, our staff support their communities through involvement in a range of ways – from honorary auditor and board appointments, active support and contributions to organisations that help those in need, and building strong communities through coaching sporting teams and supporting community-building initiatives.
Ask any member of our team what they’re involved in and you’ll be impressed with the energy and passion they have for serving their community.