What the report is about In this report, we have analysed the key findings and recommendations from our audit reports over the past four years. This analysis includes financial audits, performance audits, and compliance audits of state and local government entities that were tabled in NSW Parliament between July 2018 and February 2022. The report is framed by recognition that the past four years have seen significant challenges and emergency events.

Audit background NSW Government agencies engage consultants to provide advice to inform their decision-making. Using consultants can provide access to skills that are not necessary, sensible or economic for an agency to build or maintain itself. However, there are risks associated with the use of consultants. Some of these risks were raised in our State Finances 2021 report. The NSW Government made a commitment in 2019 to reduce spending on consultants

What the report is about The Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW) (the Act) provides land rights over certain Crown land for Aboriginal Land Councils in NSW. If a claim is made over Crown land (land owned and managed by government) and meets other criteria under the Act, ownership of that land is to be transferred to the Aboriginal Land Council. This process is intended to provide compensation for the dispossession of land from Aboriginal people in N

What the report is about This report assessed the integrity of the assessment and approval processes for two grant programs: Stronger Communities Fund Round 2 (tied grants round), which was administered by the former Office of Local Government (OLG) and provided $252 million to newly amalgamated councils and other councils that had been subject to a merger proposal during 2017–18 and 2018–19. Regional Cultural Fund, which was administered by Create NS

What the report is about The Government Advertising Act 2011 requires the Auditor General to conduct a performance audit on government advertising activities each financial year. This audit looked at whether three campaigns run by Destination NSW (DNSW) during 2020–21 were carried out in an effective, economical and efficient manner: Love Sydney (comprising two sub campaigns being ‘Sydney - Love It Like You Mean It’ and ‘Get Your Sydney On’) Love NSW

What the report is about The term ‘machinery of government’ refers to the way government functions and responsibilities are organised. The decision to make machinery of government changes is made by the Premier. Changes may be made for a range of reasons, including to support the policy and/or political objectives of the government of the day. Larger machinery of government changes typically occur after an election or a change of Premier. This report

What the report is about The movement of freight contributes $66 billion annually to the NSW economy. Two thirds of all freight in NSW moves through Greater Sydney, and the volume of freight moving through Greater Sydney is expected to increase by 48 per cent by 2036. This audit assessed the effectiveness of transport agencies in improving the use of rail freight capacity in Greater Sydney, and to meet current and future freight demand. What we found

What the report is about This audit assessed whether adults in custody have effective access to health services. The audit examined the activities of Justice Health and Corrective Services NSW. What we found The majority of custodial patients receive timely health care, but a small proportion of patients are not receiving care within target timeframes. Eleven per cent of scheduled health appointments are not attended, and agencies can do more to unde

What the report is about This report assessed how effectively the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) and NSW Treasury have supported state agencies to manage climate risks to their assets and services. Climate risks that can impact on state agencies' assets and services include flooding, bushfires, and extreme temperatures. Impacts can include damage to transport, communications and energy infrastructure, increases in hospital admi

Coordination of Response to COVID-19 (auditees: NSW Health, NSW Police Force, Department of Premier and Cabinet, Department of Customer Service, Resilience NSW) This audit will assess the effectiveness of NSW Government agencies’ coordination of the COVID-19 response in selected LGAs (an “LGA of concern” and a regional LGA) after June 2021. We will address the audit objective with the following lines of inquiry: Line of Inquiry 1: Coordinated response