Australian Registry Investments (trading as NSW Land Registry Services) was granted the right to operate the titling and registry operations of New South Wales in April 2017, under a 35-year concession which commenced on 1 July 2017. The NSW Government continues to own the land titles register and guarantees title under the Torrens Assurance Fund. The Office of the Registrar General regulates NSW Land Registry Services (NSW LRS) as the operator of the NSW land titles registry under a regulator-operator model. 

This audit will assess the effectiveness of the Office of the Registrar General in overseeing and monitoring the operation and maintenance of the land titles registry by a private operator to ensure the integrity and security of the registry. The audit will address the following questions: 

• Does the Office of the Registrar General ensure that appropriate measures are taken to establish, maintain and protect the integrity (including quality) and security of information held on the land titles registry?
• Does the Office of the Registrar General ensure that there are effective arrangements for responding and resolving breaches of performance standards or obligations relating to the integrity, quality or security of information held on the land titles registry?

The Office of the Registrar General is situated in the Better Regulation Division of the Department of Customer Service.

Estimated tabling date: February 2025

Department of Customer Service and NSW Treasury.

Water regulation aims to achieve sustainable environmental, economic and social outcomes from the management of water resources, consistent with the Water Management Act 2000. Following recommendations from reviews into water theft, reforms were made to strengthen water regulation, compliance and enforcement – including the establishment of the Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) in 2018. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water shares responsibility for issuing water access licences and approvals with the state-owned corporation, WaterNSW.

This audit will assess how effectively the relevant agencies are undertaking planning, licensing and regulatory functions to ensure secure, sustainable and transparent water sharing in NSW. This topic may also consider how effectively the department has implemented reforms to enhance water metering technology and rules, and the efficacy of NRAR’s activities to support this program.