diff --git a/ckanext/data_qld/reporting/helpers/helpers.py b/ckanext/data_qld/reporting/helpers/helpers.py
index 73cdc49c..0ab9b666 100644
--- a/ckanext/data_qld/reporting/helpers/helpers.py
+++ b/ckanext/data_qld/reporting/helpers/helpers.py
@@ -265,6 +265,9 @@ def gather_engagement_metrics(org_id, start_date, end_date, comment_no_reply_max
 def gather_admin_metrics(org_id, permission):
     """Collect admin statistics metrics for the provided organisation"""
 
+    # get the current authentication info for our API calls
+    context = {'auth_user_obj': tk.current_user, 'user': tk.current_user.name}
+
     data_dict = {
         'org_id': org_id,
         'return_count_only': True,
@@ -272,12 +275,12 @@ def gather_admin_metrics(org_id, permission):
     }
 
     return {
-        'de_identified_datasets': tk.get_action('de_identified_datasets')({}, data_dict),
-        'de_identified_datasets_no_schema': tk.get_action('de_identified_datasets_no_schema')({}, data_dict),
-        'overdue_datasets': tk.get_action('overdue_datasets')({}, data_dict),
-        'datasets_no_groups': tk.get_action('datasets_no_groups')({}, data_dict),
-        'datasets_no_tags': tk.get_action('datasets_no_tags')({}, data_dict),
-        'pending_privacy_assessment': tk.get_action('datasets_pending_privacy_assessment')({}, data_dict),
+        'de_identified_datasets': tk.get_action('de_identified_datasets')(context, data_dict),
+        'de_identified_datasets_no_schema': tk.get_action('de_identified_datasets_no_schema')(context, data_dict),
+        'overdue_datasets': tk.get_action('overdue_datasets')(context, data_dict),
+        'datasets_no_groups': tk.get_action('datasets_no_groups')(context, data_dict),
+        'datasets_no_tags': tk.get_action('datasets_no_tags')(context, data_dict),
+        'pending_privacy_assessment': tk.get_action('datasets_pending_privacy_assessment')(context, data_dict),
     }
 
 
diff --git a/ckanext/data_qld/tests/test_reporting.py b/ckanext/data_qld/tests/test_reporting.py
index 631af57e..012e3676 100644
--- a/ckanext/data_qld/tests/test_reporting.py
+++ b/ckanext/data_qld/tests/test_reporting.py
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ def test_as_regular_user_is_unauthorised(self, app):
         app.get('/', extra_environ={"REMOTE_USER": str(user["name"])})
         org_id = factories.Organization()["id"]
 
+        tk.current_user = model.User.get(user['id'])
         with pytest.raises(tk.NotAuthorized):
             helpers.gather_admin_metrics(org_id, "admin")
 
@@ -123,6 +124,7 @@ def test_as_sysadmin(self, app, dataset_factory, resource_factory):
                         id=dataset["id"],
                         notes="test")
 
+        tk.current_user = model.User.get(sysadmin['id'])
         result = helpers.gather_admin_metrics(org_id, "admin")
 
         assert result["datasets_no_groups"] == 3
@@ -147,6 +149,7 @@ def test_set_de_identified_count_from_in_future(self, app, dataset_factory,
                                       de_identified_data="YES")
             resource_factory(package_id=dataset["id"])
 
+        tk.current_user = model.User.get(sysadmin['id'])
         result = helpers.gather_admin_metrics(org_id, "admin")
 
         assert result["de_identified_datasets_no_schema"] == 0
@@ -179,6 +182,7 @@ def test_de_identified_parametrize(self, app, dataset_factory,
             value=count_from, key="data_last_updated")
         model.Session.commit()
 
+        tk.current_user = model.User.get(sysadmin['id'])
         result = helpers.gather_admin_metrics(org_id, "admin")
 
         assert result[u"de_identified_datasets_no_schema"] == pkg_counter