The Auditor-General for New South Wales, Margaret Crawford, released a report today on whether the Department of Communities and Justice (the department) effectively supports the efficient operation of the District Criminal Court system. The audit found that in the provision of data and technology services, the department is not effectively supporting the efficient operation of the District Criminal Court system. The department has insufficient controls

The Auditor-General for New South Wales, Margaret Crawford, has released a report on how the New South Wales Education and Standards Authority (NESA) and the Department of Education (the Department) ensure teaching quality in NSW public schools. Around 2,200 NSW public school principals are responsible for accrediting their teachers in line with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. The report found that NESA does not oversight principals’

This report examines whether the Department of Education has the required contract management capability to effectively manage high-value goods and services contracts (over $250,000). In 2017–18, the department managed high-value goods and services contracts worth $3.08 billion, with most of the contracts running over multiple years. NSW government agencies are increasingly delivering service

Three key agencies are not fully complying with the NSW Procurement Board’s Direction for engaging probity practitioners, according to a report released today by the Acting Auditor-General for New South Wales, Ian Goodwin. They also do not have effective processes to achieve compliance or assure that probity engagements achieved value for money. Probity is defined as the quality of having s

The Department of Justice has relied heavily on temporary responses to accommodate growing prisoner numbers according to a report released today by the Acting Auditor-General for New South Wales, Ian Goodwin. At the time of this audit, the NSW Department of Justice (DOJ) was responsible for delivering custodial corrections services in New South Wales through its Corrective Services NSW divisi

The Department of Education has a strong focus on supporting secondary school students’ wellbeing. However, it is difficult to assess how well the Department is progressing as it is yet to measure or report on the outcomes of this work at a whole-of-state level. The Department of Education’s (the Department) purpose is to prepare young people for rewarding lives as engaged citizens in a compl

The NSW Department of Education’s plans and strategies to respond to the demand for secondary teachers in STEM-related disciplines are limited by incomplete data and underperforming scholarship and sponsorship program. The Department does not collect sufficient information to monitor what disciplines teachers actually teach nor does it predict supply and demand for teachers by discipline and location. This restricts the Department’s ability to track and

The Department of Education and Communities needs to do more to improve the literacy of Aboriginal students in NSW Government schools. By Year Three around 40 per cent of Aboriginal students are at or below minimum standard for reading. Unfortunately, this is almost triple the rate of non-Aboriginal students. By Year Five around 50 per cent of Aboriginal students are at or below the minimum standard.   Parliamentary reference - Report number #224 - rel

The Department of Education and Communities should improve physical activity in NSW government primary schools. Around 30 per cent of government primary schools are not providing the required two hours of physical education and sport per week.   Parliamentary reference - Report number #222 - released 13 June 2012

Support for humanitarian entrants living in New South Wales is poorly coordinated.  Humanitarian entrants in New South Wales are doing less well than in other states on the key indicators of health, housing and employment. Unlike some States, New South Wales does not have a single point of contact that humanitarian entrants can go to assist them with settling in a new country.   Parliamentary reference - Report number #221 - released 23 May 2012