Reports
Actions for Planning, Industry and Environment 2020
Planning, Industry and Environment 2020
This report analyses the results of our audits of financial statements of the Planning, Industry and Environment cluster agencies for the year ended 30 June 2020. The table below summarises our key observations. 1. Financial reporting Audit opinions There are 45 separate entities in the cluster. Unqualified audit opinions were issued for 38 cluster agencies' 30 June 2020 financial statements audits. Four fina
Actions for Waste levy and grants for waste infrastructure
Waste levy and grants for waste infrastructure
The Auditor-General for New South Wales, Margaret Crawford, released a report today that examined the effectiveness of the waste levy and grants for waste infrastructure in minimising the amount of waste sent to landfill and increasing recycling rates. The audit found that the waste levy has a positive impact on diverting waste from landfill. However, while the levy rates increase each year in line with the consumer price index, the EPA has not c
Actions for Government advertising 2018-19 and 2019-20
Government advertising 2018-19 and 2019-20
A report released today by the Auditor-General for New South Wales, Margaret Crawford found that select advertising campaigns conducted by Service NSW and the NSW Rural Fire Service met most requirements of the Government Advertising Act, regulations, Guidelines and other laws. However, the audit found that Service NSW inappropriately used its post campaign evaluation to measure sentiment towards and confidence in the NSW Government. While agency
Actions for Governance and internal controls over local infrastructure contributions
Governance and internal controls over local infrastructure contributions
The Auditor-General for New South Wales, Margaret Crawford, released a report today on how well four councils managed their local infrastructure contributions during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 financial years. Local infrastructure contributions, also known as developer contributions, are collected from developers to pay for local infrastructure such as drainage, local roads, open space and community facilities. Controls over local infrastructure cont
Actions for Their Futures Matter
Their Futures Matter
The Auditor-General for New South Wales, Margaret Crawford, released a report today examining whether the Department of Communities and Justice had effective governance and partnership arrangements in place to deliver ‘Their Futures Matter’. Their Futures Matter was intended to place vulnerable children and families at the heart of services, and direct investment to where funding and programs deliver the greatest social and economic benefits. It was a f
Actions for Integrity of data in the Births, Deaths and Marriages Register
Integrity of data in the Births, Deaths and Marriages Register
This report outlines whether the Department of Customer Service (the department) has effective controls in place to ensure the integrity of data in the Births, Deaths and Marriages Register (the register), and to prevent unauthorised access and misuse. The audit found that the department has processes in place to ensure that the information entered in the register is accurate and that any changes to it are validated. Although there are controls in place
Actions for A guide to preparing performance information for annuals
A guide to preparing performance information for annuals
The Audit Office has recently completed a performance audit of the information published in the annual reports of eight public sector agencies. Although there is much guidance material on preparing annual reports, the performance audit found that the quality of published performance information in annual reports often falls short of what is considered best practice. The aim of this Guide is to assist agencies to prepare annual reports that provide perfo
Actions for Judging Performance from Annual Reports: Review of eight agencies' annual reports
Judging Performance from Annual Reports: Review of eight agencies' annual reports
Agencies have made some notable attempts to nominate objectives and define measures of performance and report against them each year. However, the quality of the performance information varies and in most cases falls short of what is accepted as best practice. The result is diminished accountability, transparency and openness. Agencies still have problems reporting outcomes and results and frequently regress to reporting activities and plans. Few annual