Unqualified audit opinions were issued on the NSW Government controlled insurance and compensation entities’ 30 June 2013 financial statements, except the NSW Self Insurance Corporation (SICorp). SICorp’s audit opinion was qualified due to non-compliance with Australian Accounting Standards applicable to general insurance contracts. The auditor’s reports drew attention to the significant uncertainty in estimating outstanding claims liabilities of $14.0 billion in the Workers’ Compensation Nominal Insurer and $2.1 billion in the Lifetime Care and Support Authority. The audit of the Building Insurers’ Guarantee Corporation was not complete at the time of this report and is excluded from this commentary. 

The NSW Government does not estimate or report the total cost of alcohol abuse. The Audit Office of New South Wales’ sponsored research estimates it costs the government over $1 billion a year, or around $416 from each NSW household.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #235 - released 6 August 2013

This performance audit indicates that the Service has considerable work to do to reach its aspirations of being recognised amongst leading examples of best practice services. The commitment of the Service to serving the community and the professionalism of the Service's officers is not in question. It is, however, apparent that a number of barriers to performance will need to be overcome for the Service to perform as well as it would wish.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #80 - released 7 March 2001