Tourism Australia has no accurate way of measuring the impact of its promotions, such as the controversial "Where the bloody hell are you?" campaign of 2006, an audit report has revealed.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd recently described the 2006 campaign starring bikini-clad model Lara Bingle as a "rolled gold disaster".
The campaign was credited with higher tourist spending, but visitor numbers dropped in the months following its launch.
A report by the auditor-general's office, released today, says the indicators used to measure Tourism Australia's performance are flawed.
"They are primarily for the industry as a whole, rather than the success or otherwise of Tourism Australia's marketing activities," the report says.
"Evaluating the impact of its projects ... would place Tourism Australia in a better position to measure its own effectiveness and impact."
Four internal audits and four external reviews into the awarding of creative development and media placement contracts in 2005 - worth $184 million ($NZ235.29) - "did not include an assessment of whether the objectives of the contract had been achieved or the various projects undertaken within the contracts were effective", the report says.
Tourism Australia's board did not adhere to its own charter for managing potential conflicts of interest, but rather "revised the charter to reflect its practices".
The report recommended the agency revise its conflict of interest procedures and review its performance management framework.
Tourism Australia has accepted the recommendations and says it's taking steps to implement them.
