Andrew Blaskett has been appointed to the role of South Australian Auditor-General, replacing Andrew Richardson who has held the position since June 2015.

Andrew Blaskett. Photo: LinkedIn.

Blaskett, the current executive director of projects at the Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF), has been given a seven-year term commencing in January next year and expiring in 2031.

Previously, Blaskett was a director at international education firm Scope Global. Prior to that, he held senior executive positions including as general manager of the South Australian Government Financing Authority and chief finance officer of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network.

Treasurer Stephen Mullighan said Blaskett was a “highly respected senior executive with decades of experience”.

“He was a standout candidate for the role of Auditor-General and South Australians will benefit from his wealth of knowledge and experience,” Mullighan said.

“I congratulate him on his well-deserved appointment.

“I also thank Andrew Richardson for his dedication to the role for many years and wish him well in his retirement.”

It comes after InDaily reported in September that Richardson was given the boot due to South Australian legislation imposing an age limit of 65 on those in the Auditor-General position.

Richardson is likely the last to leave the post due to his age, with Attorney-General Kyam Maher introducing legislation to change the rules for the position. That Bill – an amendment to the Ombudsman Act and the Public Finance and Audit Act – has since passed Parliament. Other jurisdictions in Australia do not impose age restrictions on the role.

The government sought advice on the matter and accepted a recommendation from Ombudsman Wayne Lines to do away with the age limit and instead impose fixed seven-year terms for the role of Auditor-General and the Ombudsman position which also had the age of 65 as a strict limit.

As InDaily reported, Richardson disagreed with the seven-year term and suggested a 10-year fixed term was more appropriate.

His office told InDaily “Your understanding from the Government that the Auditor-General has expressed a view about a fixed term is correct. He has communicated with the Parliament about that since the Bill was tabled last week.”

The amendment means both the Ombudsman and the Auditor-General will be appointed on seven-year terms, with an option to extend to 10 years.

Blaskett will commence as Auditor-General from 8 January 2024 and Deputy Auditor-General Ian McGlen will continue acting in the role until Blaskett starts.

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