This document is the 1997-1998 annual performance report of the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA), which was established in 1992 as a commonwealth statutory authority to advise commonwealth, state, and territory ministers on policies and mechanisms to help the vocational and training (VET) sector achieve a more national focus. Section 1 explains ANTA's origins, mission, and client service charter, and section 2 describes the roles and responsibilities of ANTA's ministerial council, board, chief executive officer's committee, key committees, and staff. Discussed in section 3 is ANTA's work in the following priority areas: implementation of New Apprenticeships and User Choice; expansion of market mechanisms; implementation of the National Training Framework; provision of greater opportunities and improved outcomes for underrepresented clients (the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People's Training Advisory Council and ANTA Disability Forum); maximization of public expenditure; small business development; encouragement of a training culture within industry; and development of ANTA's structure and systems to facilitate achievement of national VET system objectives. Appended are the following: text of the ANTA agreement; ANTA's 1997-1998 work priorities; report on ANTA's progress against its work priorities; staffing statistics; membership lists of ANTA's board, committees, and councils; list of ANTA's consultancies; and financial reports. (MN)