Refine search Expand filter

Reports

Published

Actions for Planning, Industry and Environment 2019

Planning, Industry and Environment 2019

Planning
Industry
Environment
Asset valuation
Cyber security
Financial reporting
Information technology
Infrastructure
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Service delivery
Workforce and capability

This report outlines the results of audits of the financial statements of agencies now grouped in the NSW Planning, Industry and Environment cluster. Unqualified audit opinions were issued for 56 of the 66 cluster agencies’ 30 June 2019 financial statements. Ten audits remain incomplete. The cluster agencies need to improve the timeliness of financial reporting.  The Audit Office continued to identify issues regarding unprocessed Aboriginal l

Published

Actions for Internal Controls and Governance 2019

Internal Controls and Governance 2019

Education
Community Services
Finance
Health
Industry
Justice
Planning
Premier and Cabinet
Transport
Treasury
Whole of Government
Compliance
Cyber security
Fraud
Information technology
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Procurement
Project management

This report covers the findings and recommendations from the 2018–19 financial audits that relate to internal controls and governance at 40 of the largest agencies in the NSW public sector. The 40 agencies selected for this report constitute around 84 per cent of total expenditure for all NSW public sector agencies. The report provides insights into the effectiveness of controls and governance processes across the NSW public sector. It ev

Published

Actions for State Finances 2019

State Finances 2019

Education
Finance
Community Services
Health
Justice
Industry
Planning
Premier and Cabinet
Transport
Treasury
Whole of Government
Financial reporting

The Auditor-General, Margaret Crawford, has released her report on the State Finances for the year ended 30 June 2019. ‘I am pleased to once again report that I issued an unmodified audit opinion on the State’s consolidated financial statements,’ the Auditor-General said. The report acknowledges NSW Treasury and agency efforts to reduce the number and value of errors compared with the previous year. ‘Strong financial management and transparen

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 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;

Published

Actions for In-year Monitoring of the State Budget

In-year Monitoring of the State Budget

Finance
Premier and Cabinet
Compliance
Financial reporting
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration

The annual Budget is one of the most important and visible statements about a government’s financial intentions. Once a Budget is released, it is important to monitor variations from the projections it contains. This is done for two reasons - first, to ensure that individual agencies are properly managing their budget allocations and that any genuine emerging need for additional funding is met. second, to ensure that any changes to the State’s overa

Published

Actions for Planning for Sydney's Water Needs

Planning for Sydney's Water Needs

Planning
Environment
Infrastructure
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Procurement
Project management
Service delivery

Reliably supplying water to our State’s principal city, Sydney, is a major responsibility for the Government. The community has been made keenly aware in recent years that inflows have been decreasing, and that Sydney has been using more water than is available. In April 2005 the water in Sydney’s storages dropped to 41.5 per cent of their capacity – the lowest level since the construction of Warragamba dam in 1960. As Sydney continues to develop, it i

Published

Actions for Follow-up of Performance Audit: Collecting Outstanding Fines and Penalties

Follow-up of Performance Audit: Collecting Outstanding Fines and Penalties

Finance
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Service delivery

Periodically we review the extent to which agencies have implemented the recommendations they accept from our earlier 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 April 2002 report on how well the State Debt Recovery Office (under the Office of State Revenue) was collecting outstanding fines and penalties.   Parliamentary reference - Report number

Published

Actions for Disposal of Sydney Harbour Foreshore Land

Disposal of Sydney Harbour Foreshore Land

Finance
Environment
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration

Our view is that decisions need to be made on a more strategic basis, if the Government’s aspirations for Sydney Harbour’s foreshores are to be met. At present there are high-level ‘aspirations’, but there is no overarching strategy or plan for Sydney Harbour that can guide individual decisions. Decision-making appears to be triggered when a proposal is made to dispose of a particular property. Decisions to dispose of, retain, or change the use of indivi