IMPACT 2026: A Global Call to Reimagine Performance Audit

Performance audit is entering a new phase, shaped by complexity, disruption and rising expectations of public value.

Across jurisdictions, audit institutions are being asked not only to assess performance, but to do so in systems under increasing strain. Governments are managing fiscal pressure, technological change, climate risk and service transformation, while communities expect clearer evidence that public action is delivering results.

These conditions are changing what effective performance audit requires. Methods must be more adaptive, interdisciplinary and forward-looking, drawing on AI, data, design and systems thinking while remaining grounded in independence, rigour and public purpose.

Seen in that light, performance audit needs to be a strategic public accountability capability—one that can test whether institutions are delivering impact, building resilience and adapting effectively to long-term change.

That is why this year’s international meeting of performance audit critical thinkers (IMPACT 2026) matters. It is a global forum for auditors, thought leaders and practitioners to test new ideas, compare approaches and examine how the profession must evolve to meet a more demanding operating environment.

For an international audience, the value of the conference lies not only in convening expertise, but in connecting different systems, mandates and experiences. The most important questions facing performance audit are increasingly shared across borders, and progress depends on stronger exchange, practical learning and a willingness to rethink established practice.

Hosted in Melbourne on 4–5 November 2026 by the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office and sponsored by the Australasian Council of Auditors-General, IMPACT 2026 will Reimagining performance audit. More than a conference theme, it is a challenge to reconsider how audit can continue to be influential, credible and useful in a world of accelerating change.

For performance audit to remain influential, it must continue evolving into a strategic capability that continues to support better governance, stronger accountability and more resilient public institutions. That evolution will require innovation, collaboration and a broader understanding of performance in practice.

IMPACT 2026 offers an opportunity to advance that work collectively. The question is not whether performance audit will change, but how the global profession will shape that change with ambition, clarity and purpose.

Be part of the conversation:

Secure your place by visiting Registration: IMPACT 2026 by 30 June 2026 to take advantage of the early bird ticket prices.

Your ticket provides:

• access to all conference sessions across two full days
• morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea each day
• access to all conference materials
• one ticket to attend the conference dinner.

The conference will be hosted at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins where accommodation is also available, with two neighbouring hotels also offering delegates special rates.

For more information visit IMPACT 2026 or email: impact2026@audit.vic.gov.au