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Reports

Published

Actions for Implementing Successful Amalgamations

Implementing Successful Amalgamations

Finance
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Project management
Service delivery
Shared services and collaboration

The Better Practice Guide (BPG) aims to provide guidance for those implementing an amalgamation. It provides a series of questions identifying what needs to be done to achieve a successful amalgamation following the formal announcement of the amalgamation and the Administrative Orders for the new arrangements being finalised. The BPG’s aim is to alert those managing an amalgamation to actions that should be considered. How the Guide is applied will

Published

Actions for Managing Departmental Amalgamations

Managing Departmental Amalgamations

Industry
Finance
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Project management
Service delivery
Shared services and collaboration

Both Commerce and DPI substantially achieved their stated amalgamation savings objectives as set by government. The departments are expected to achieve savings targets of about $150 million and $190 million respectively over their first four years. Our analysis indicates that there are two key factors in successful amalgamations. The first is effective early planning by departments based on clear objectives, supported by quick action. Second, significant

Published

Actions for Government Advertising 2007

Government Advertising 2007

Premier and Cabinet
Finance
Compliance
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Regulation

Since our performance audit in 1995 the government has improved guidance for agencies and introduced a more robust framework for approving advertising campaigns. Greater rigour has been introduced into the process by requiring campaigns to be peer reviewed and approved by Cabinet. This new approach aims to improve the effectiveness and value for money of government advertising. We found however that the current guidelines are not adequate to prevent

Published

Actions for Signal failures on the metropolitan rail network

Signal failures on the metropolitan rail network

Transport
Information technology
Infrastructure
Internal controls and governance
Project management
Risk
Service delivery

Between 2004 and 2006, the number of signalling failures, signalling downtime and the number of trains delayed as a result of signal failures all fell. RailCorp’s on-time running performance improved over the same period. The fall in failures is a clear indication of improved performance. Changes in the definition of on-time and to the timetable during 2005 and 2006 however make it difficult to determine whether improvements in response downtime and sign

Published

Actions for Connecting with public transport

Connecting with public transport

Transport
Information technology
Infrastructure
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Project management
Service delivery
Workforce and capability

We see considerable potential for the Ministry of Transport to plan and manage interchanges more effectively, so as to make better use of our public transport network. We believe that the Ministry now needs to focus more on multi-modal transport planning and interchange performance. It needs to assign responsibility for the coordination and oversight of inter-modal operations to an entity resourced for the purpose. Without this it will continue to b

Published

Actions for Readiness to respond: Follow-up audit

Readiness to respond: Follow-up audit

Health
Information technology
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Service delivery
Shared services and collaboration
Workforce and capability

The Ambulance Service of New South Wales has substantially implemented the 28 recommendations of the 2001 audit report that it accepted. It has also introduced significant new initiatives to improve performance that were not part of the 2001 recommendations. It has made substantial changes to its organisation and operations to implement these changes. Many of the changes are still proceeding. The Service has addressed a key finding of the 2001 audit

Published

Actions for Responding to homelessness

Responding to homelessness

Health
Community Services
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Project management
Service delivery
Shared services and collaboration

Many projects, both Partnership Against Homelessness and by individual agencies, have shown good results or led to improvements. One example is helping mental health patients maintain stable housing. Another is providing street outreach services to homeless people in inner Sydney. Despite these efforts, we were unable to determine how well the government is responding to homelessness statewide. This is because there are no statewide performance measures

Published

Actions for Relocating Agencies to Regional Areas

Relocating Agencies to Regional Areas

Premier and Cabinet
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Service delivery
Shared services and collaboration
Workforce and capability

Decisions to relocate government agencies to non-metropolitan areas are not made purely for cost reasons. They can also serve government policy objectives, such as promoting regional economic development. Regardless of the policy objectives that may exist, I would expect that decisions on individual agency relocations would be based on sound business cases. Those business cases would show how the relocation achieves any relevant government objectives, w

Published

Actions for Purchasing Hospital Supplies: Follow-up of 2002 Performance Audit

Purchasing Hospital Supplies: Follow-up of 2002 Performance Audit

Health
Asset valuation
Financial reporting
Management and administration
Procurement
Service delivery

Periodically we review the extent to which agencies have changed their practices as a result of our audits. This gives Parliament and the public an update on the extent of progress made. In this follow-up audit, we examine changes following our September 2002 report, to assess whether NSW Health has improved its buying of hospital supplies using electronic systems. NSW Health spends over $1.3 billion on hospital supplies. It is the largest expenditure

Published

Actions for Implementing Asset Management Reforms

Implementing Asset Management Reforms

Justice
Planning
Finance
Treasury
Asset valuation
Financial reporting
Infrastructure
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Project management

Hospitals, schools, public housing, roads, bridges, buses and trains are just some of the assets used by government in providing services to citizens. The NSW Government’s asset base is impressive in size - with a value of around $167 billion and with government plans to spend around $8 billion acquiring or replacing assets in the current year. Another $2 billion is spent each year on maintenance. Good asset management is very important to government;