The National Parks and Wildlife Service is spreading its resources too thinly, running the risk that the heritage significance of important assets will eventually be lost.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #230 - released 29 May 2013

Overall, the audited entities are managing some aspects of gifts and benefits effectively but other aspects require improvement. We found that all five entities had gifts and benefits policies that addressed some but not all of the attributes of a sound policy. All five have communicated their gifts and benefits policies to staff and external stakeholders, although in each case we identified opportunities to better communicate their policies.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #228 - released 27 March 2013

This overview summarises the significant findings included in my 2012 financial audit report, volumes three to eleven, and highlights NSW agencies’ overall achievements and challenges. The overview summarises key themes and messages arising from these audits to help readers understand common findings. Agencies and their audit and risk committees can use the overview to self-assess and identify issues that may be relevant to their organisations.

It found more than 85 per cent of the recommendations in my 2011 financial audit reports to Parliament were implemented in 2012. Whilst this is less than 100 per cent, NSW government agencies clearly acted on my significant recommendations. However, NSW government agencies need to do more to follow up more detailed recommendations that are made directly to management.

A qualified audit opinion was issued on the Total State Sector Accounts for the year ended 30 June 2012. Qualified opinions have been issued every year for the past decade. The key issue contributing to past qualifications has been partially resolved, but new issues have arisen that impact the ability to confirm property, plant and equipment balances in 2011-12.

The Environment Protection Authority’s expenditure for the financial year 2010/11 was $92 million - $76 million of this was for environment protection and regulation. The Office of Environment and Heritage and the Environment Protection Authority commenced 145 prosecutions for environmental offences and 106 were completed in the financial year 2010/11, down from the 134 prosecutions completed in 2009/10. Financial penalties for 2010/11 totalled $969,000 down from $1,403,000 in 2009/10. The average fine decreased from $10,468 in 2009/10 to $9,141 in 2010/11.

The sale of the State’s electricity retail and trading rights raised $5.3 billion. The electricity retail businesses sold for a $3.08 billion profit with the electricity generation output sold for a $1.85 billion loss, delivering a overall profit of $1.23 billion. One recommendation is that  The Treasurer should consider releasing the Energy Reform Strategy relating to the development and ownership of the Cobbora Coal Project for public scrutiny to ensure transparency of the energy reform process. There should be a clearly articulated business plan to demonstrate to the people of New South Wales the benefits from the project.

On 31 October 2011, the Auditor-General, Mr Peter Achterstraat, released Volume Three Report to Parliament on the 2010-11 NSW Total State Sector Accounts. The audited budget surplus was $1,340 million. The Auditor-General issued a qualified independent auditor’s opinion as the State could not identify the full extent and value of its land and infrastructure holdings for the eighth year in a row. The government needs to address its processes for identifying, valuing and recording land and related assets it controls as a matter of priority so it can effectively manage the full extent of its land and infrastructure holdings.

Dangerous goods make up 10-15% of domestic freight and have potential to harm people, property and the environment. They include substances such as explosives, flammable liquids and gases, and oxidising agents. However, Government inspection programs were limited. The Office of Environment and Heritage carried out very few checks in the four years up to 2010, with no inspections made in the metropolitan area. This is despite Port Botany handling around 50,000 containers of dangerous goods per year. Statewide, only 303 inspections were made in 2009/10 and only 20 in 2008/09.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #212 - released 10 May 2011

The level of non compliance with the requirements of this Premier’s Memorandum is concerning, particularly considering the NSW Procurement Reforms were effective since 2006. The implementation strategy for procurement reform was announced as early as 2001. We recommend the governing bodies of agencies and management review, not only the processes their agencies have in place to comply with procurement reforms and requirements, but also more broadly how agencies identify and comply with laws, regulations, Treasury policy pronouncements, Premier’s memoranda and other obligations. 

NSW public sector sick leave is higher than other States. The NSW public sector has the highest reported public sector sick leave in Australia. Public sector efforts to reduce sick leave over the last five years has seen a fall of a quarter of a day since 2004-05, less than its target of one day. On average, public sector workers take just over eight days sick leave annually. Recent surveys of public and private sector organisations show that sick leave in the public sector is higher than the private sector.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #209 - released 8 December 2010