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Published

Actions for Volume Four 2014 focusing on New South Wales State Finances

Volume Four 2014 focusing on New South Wales State Finances

Education
Community Services
Finance
Health
Industry
Justice
Local Government
Planning
Premier and Cabinet
Transport
Treasury
Universities
Whole of Government
Asset valuation
Financial reporting
Internal controls and governance

For the second consecutive year, the General Government and Total State Sector Accounts received an unqualified auditor’s opinion following more than a decade of qualifications. The quality and timeliness of financial reporting across the NSW public sector has continued to improve. Compared to previous years, there were fewer errors in agencies’ 2013–14 financial statements submitted for audit and used for whole-of-government financial reporting.

Published

Actions for Volume One 2014 - Areas of focus from 2013

Volume One 2014 - Areas of focus from 2013

Education
Community Services
Finance
Health
Industry
Justice
Local Government
Planning
Premier and Cabinet
Transport
Treasury
Universities
Whole of Government
Environment
Asset valuation
Compliance
Financial reporting
Fraud
Information technology
Internal controls and governance
Procurement
Project management
Risk

Today the Auditor-General of New South Wales, Grant Hehir, released his Volume One Report to Parliament for 2014. The observations included in this report are designed to inform readers of common findings from the 2013 financial and performance audits so agencies and audit committees can use them to identify issues that may be relevant to their organisations.

Published

Actions for Volume Nine 2013 focusing on Environment, Water and Infrastructure

Volume Nine 2013 focusing on Environment, Water and Infrastructure

Planning
Industry
Environment
Financial reporting
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration

Volume Nine focuses on our financial audits of New South Wales government agencies in the environment, water, planning and infrastructure and family and community services. Some agencies in the Department of Premier and Cabinet are also included.

Published

Actions for Volume Six 2013 focusing on Law, Order and Emergency Services

Volume Six 2013 focusing on Law, Order and Emergency Services

Justice
Compliance
Fraud
Project management
Workforce and capability

We issued unqualified audit opinions on the above agencies’ 30 June 2013 financial statements. During the year, The Treasury issued TC 13/01 ‘Mandatory early close procedures for 2013’. As a result, the law and order services agencies were required to perform early close procedures. All law and order service agencies were broadly successful in performing the procedures, which helped them submit financial statements by an earlier due date. This in turn enabled the financial statement audits to be finalised within an earlier timeframe of eight weeks (nine weeks in 2011-12).

As previously recommended, the Department of Attorney General and Justice should continue integrating policies, operations and systems between its divisions and, once complete, analyse the costs and benefits. The Department of Attorney-General and Justice should also ensure it has the necessary processes in place to enable it to regularly monitor and measure the performance and success of the Victims Support Scheme in providing a more accessible, streamlined and targeted service to victims of violent crime in New South Wales.

Published

Actions for Volume Four 2013 focusing on Electricity

Volume Four 2013 focusing on Electricity

Planning
Industry
Compliance
Financial reporting
Regulation

During the year, Treasury issued TC 13/01 ‘Mandatory early close procedures for 2013’. This circular aimed to improve the quality and timeliness of agencies’ annual financial statements. In 2012-13, application of the circular was made mandatory for State owned corporations. As a result, the NSW Generators, Distributors and Transgrid were required to perform the early close procedures. All the electricity entities were broadly successful in performing the procedures, which helped them submit financial statements by an earlier due date.

This in turn enabled the financial statement audits to be finalised within an earlier timeframe of eight weeks (nine weeks in 2011-12), with the exception of Eraring Energy’s audit, which is yet to be finalised. The early close procedures also resulted in improvements to the quality of the financial statements, as evidenced by fewer reported misstatements in 2012-13 compared to 2011-12.

Published

Actions for Volume Three 2013 focusing on New South Wales State Finances

Volume Three 2013 focusing on New South Wales State Finances

Whole of Government
Asset valuation
Compliance
Financial reporting
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Project management

The Total State Sector Accounts for the year ended 30 June 2013 received an unqualified independent auditor’s opinion. This is the first time in over a decade the Total State Sector Accounts have not been qualified.

In looking into the resolution of qualifications:

  • We obtained enough evidence supporting the value of education buildings and their depreciation expense
  • Sufficent evidence has been obtained to support the existence and value of the State archives
  • We obtained enough evidence supporting the completeness of land and infrastructure holdings recognised
  • Improvements are still needed in the accuracy of information used to record the State’s land holdings.

Published

Actions for Volume One 2013 focusing on themes from 2012

Volume One 2013 focusing on themes from 2012

Whole of Government
Asset valuation
Compliance
Financial reporting
Fraud
Information technology
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Procurement
Project management
Regulation
Shared services and collaboration
Workforce and capability

This overview summarises the significant findings included in my 2012 financial audit report, volumes three to eleven, and highlights NSW agencies’ overall achievements and challenges. The overview summarises key themes and messages arising from these audits to help readers understand common findings. Agencies and their audit and risk committees can use the overview to self-assess and identify issues that may be relevant to their organisations.

It found more than 85 per cent of the recommendations in my 2011 financial audit reports to Parliament were implemented in 2012. Whilst this is less than 100 per cent, NSW government agencies clearly acted on my significant recommendations. However, NSW government agencies need to do more to follow up more detailed recommendations that are made directly to management.

Published

Actions for Volume Seven 2012 focusing on Law, Order and Emergency Services

Volume Seven 2012 focusing on Law, Order and Emergency Services

Justice
Compliance
Fraud
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Procurement
Project management
Workforce and capability

Since the Victims’ Compensation Scheme started in 1989, $1.6 billion has been paid to victims of crime, but only $57.4 million or nearly four per cent has been recovered from convicted offenders. The remaining 96 per cent has been funded by the taxpayer.

Published

Actions for Volume Four 2012 focusing on Electricity

Volume Four 2012 focusing on Electricity

Planning
Industry
Financial reporting
Regulation

The audits of the seven State owned electricity corporations resulted in unqualified audit opinions. The electricity corporations’ end-of-year financial reporting is sound and well established, he added. After tax profits rose to $1.2 billion, up from $1.1 billion in 2010-11 and contributions to Government rose to $1.4 billion, up from $1.2 billion in 2010-11. These figures exclude profits and special dividends from the 2010-11 electricity sale transactions.

Published

Actions for Volume Three 2012 focusing on New South Wales State Finances

Volume Three 2012 focusing on New South Wales State Finances

Whole of Government
Asset valuation
Compliance
Financial reporting
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Project management

A qualified audit opinion was issued on the Total State Sector Accounts for the year ended 30 June 2012. Qualified opinions have been issued every year for the past decade. The key issue contributing to past qualifications has been partially resolved, but new issues have arisen that impact the ability to confirm property, plant and equipment balances in 2011-12.