Media statement - report 1 of 2026-27
Published: 22 Jul 2026
The Auditor-General, Mr Jara Dean, has tabled Report to the Legislative Assembly on financial audits of Charles Darwin University (CDU), Menzies School of Health Research (Menzies) and Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education (Batchelor Institute).
The report also covered 30 June 2025 financial audits of Territory Wildlife Parks, Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park Board and Cobourg Peninsula Sanctuary and Marine Park Board, as well as the final audit of the Northern Territory Police Supplementary Benefit Scheme.
Key finding: Strong audit outcomes for public tertiary sector; however, timeliness and control weaknesses require continued attention.
All entities included in this report received clean audit opinions on their financial reports, which means that Parliament and other users can have confidence in the information presented in the audited financial statements.
Timely financial reporting is essential for accountability and transparency. While all higher education sector audits were completed before statutory deadlines, none met the Auditor-General's target of finalising audited financial reports within 100 days after year end.
Charles Darwin University returns to surplus
CDU reported a $15.4 million surplus in 2025, reversing deficits recorded in previous years. Revenue growth was driven by increased Australian Government funding and strong growth in international student enrolments, which increased by 29%.
Menzies records strong revenue growth
Menzies reported a $13 million surplus, more than doubling its 2024 result. The improvement was primarily driven by increased research funding, particularly through the National Health and Medical Research Council and contract research activities. Total revenue grew by 25%.
Batchelor Institute maintains stability despite deficit
Batchelor Institute reported a $2.4 million deficit, broadly consistent with the prior year. Despite the accounting deficit, the Institute generated positive cash flows from operations and increased its cash and term deposit holdings to $14.4 million.
Sector-wide observations
Across the higher education, vocational education and training (VET) and research sector, recurring weaknesses in information technology user access controls remain a common theme. The report highlights the importance of the timely remediation of audit findings and continued investment in governance, financial management and information technology controls.
'The Territory's tertiary education and research institutions remain financially stable and continue to play a critical role in supporting education, skills development and research. While financial reporting outcomes were positive, recurring information technology and governance issues require ongoing management attention to ensure risks are appropriately managed and public confidence is maintained,' Mr Dean said.
The Auditor-General is a statutory position established under the Audit Act 1995. The Auditor-General and the Northern Territory Auditor-General’s Office assist Parliament to hold Government accountable for its use of public resources by providing independent audits.
Get reports from Auditor-General's reports to Parliament or via Library & Archives NT’s digital repository, Territory Stories.
For more information contact:
Jara Dean (he/him/his)
Auditor-General
Phone: 08 8999 7155
nt.audit@nt.gov.au
