Reports
Actions for Mental Health Workforce
Mental Health Workforce
Compared to the mental health workforce in most other Australian states and territories, the NSW workforce is more concentrated in acute hospitals for adult patients and is marginally smaller for its population. NSW Health increased its mental health workforce between 2006 and 2009. It has improved the geographical distribution of clinicians across the state to more closely match need. It has also increased the number of staff working with younger and older mental health patients. These are positive achievements in a time of financial stringency.
Parliamentary reference - Report number #210 - released 16 December 2010
Actions for Volume Eleven 2010 focus on Health and Ports
Volume Eleven 2010 focus on Health and Ports
The report includes comments on his financial audits of NSW Government health agencies for 2009-10. It found Health Support Services need to agree the respective responsibilities for implementing effective standardised internal controls with its customers and the Department. Control deficiencies have increased the risk that irregularities are not prevented or detected. The standardised internal controls should be implemented at Health Support Services and its customers as soon as practicable.
Actions for Volume Nine 2010 focus on Transport, Planning and Industry
Volume Nine 2010 focus on Transport, Planning and Industry
The report includes comments on his financial audits of NSW Government transport, planning and industry agencies for 2009-10. A key recommendation from the report is that the New South Wales Government identify lessons learnt from the metro experience and ensure that future decision processes are developed to ensure the State never again expends such a large amount of scarce transport funding dollars and valuable time on a project that does not proceed.
Actions for Volume Six 2010 focus on Human Services and Technology
Volume Six 2010 focus on Human Services and Technology
The report includes comments on his financial audits of NSW Government human services and technology agencies. The audits of these agencies’ financial reports for the year ended 30 June 2010 each resulted in an unqualified Independent Auditor’s Report. The number of supported accommodation places for people with a disability has increased by 517 during 2009-10.
Actions for Volume Five 2010 focus on Public Financing Enterprises
Volume Five 2010 focus on Public Financing Enterprises
The report includes comments on NSW Treasury and agencies in the finance and superannuation sectors. The New South Wales public sector superannuation funds’ investments were $42.2 billion at 30 June 2010, up from $38.5 billion in 2009. Investment returns reached 14.5 per cent in 2009-10. This is a significant improvement on the investment returns of up to negative 18.4 per cent at the peak of the global financial crisis in 2008.
Actions for Helicopter Emergency Medical Service Contract
Helicopter Emergency Medical Service Contract
We found that the contract process was satisfactory. Ambulance data show that the performance of CHC is meeting contract requirements with the exception of the availability of the Wollongong helicopter. Ambulance’s ability to transport patients to the right hospital at the right time has improved. However the cost of the new Greater Sydney helicopter contract is three times higher than before.
Parliamentary reference - Report number #206 - released 22 September 2010
Actions for Volume One 2010
Volume One 2010
The report includes comments on his annual audit of entitlements paid to Members of NSW Parliament and financial audits of WorkCover, Justice Health, Waste Recycling Processing Corporation and some other NSW Government agencies.
In his audit the Auditor-General had called for a system to be developed to ensure accrued loyalty/reward benefits are used to reduce Members’ parliamentary business travel expenditure, rather than be forfeited when a Member leaves Parliament. He also called for better controls over the Logistic Support Allocation used for transport, communications, printing, stationery, office supplies and equipment.
Actions for Injury Management in the NSW Public Sector
Injury Management in the NSW Public Sector
We found that during Working Together, agencies reduced the impact of workplace injuries. Most of the results have been positive in both our sample agencies and the public sector, and savings have been achieved. Between 2005 and 2008, while the number of claims in the sample agencies remained at around 15,000, the average cost of claims reduced by around 22 per cent from $22,349 to $17,360. The incidence rate of claims for the sample agencies also decreased by nine per cent to 7.3 claims per 100 staff.
Parliamentary reference - Report number #199 - released 31 March 2010
Actions for Improving the Performance of Metropolitan Bus Services
Improving the Performance of Metropolitan Bus Services
The 2004 Review of Bus Services in NSW always envisaged that there would be a transition period as the new bus contracts were introduced. NSWTI has developed and implemented the new arrangements, and pursued a range of new initiatives including the network improvement program, strategic corridors and uniform bus fares and concessions. The new contracts provided for a performance management regime to hold operators accountable. But this is still being developed four years after the bus contracts came into effect and it remains unproven as a basis for ensuring value for money from the contracts - each of which guarantees monopoly rights to the operators.
Parliamentary reference - Report number #198 - released 10 March 2010
Actions for Improving Road Safety: School Zones
Improving Road Safety: School Zones
Overall, speed cameras change driver behaviour and improve road safety. Fixed speed cameras reduce crashes and speeding. While the overall impact of speed cameras has been positive, 38 of the 141 fixed speed cameras need to be closely examined as they appear to have no significant road safety benefit. Other road safety measures may be needed for these sites.
Parliamentary reference - Report number #197 - released 10 March 2010