Reports
Actions for Safeguarding the rights of Aboriginal children and young people in the child protection system
Safeguarding the rights of Aboriginal children and young people in the child protection system
Aboriginal children are over-represented in the child protection system. According to Department of Communities and Justice data, approximately 50% of the children in out of home care are Aboriginal. The Aboriginal Case Management Policy (ACMP) and the Aboriginal Child Placement Principles (ACPP) are designed to ensure that when Aboriginal children encounter the child protection system their connections to family, kin, community, culture and country are
Actions for NSW’s Implementation of Closing the Gap
NSW’s Implementation of Closing the Gap
The NSW Premier signed the new National Agreement on Closing the Gap on behalf of New South Wales in July 2020. The objective of the Agreement is to overcome the entrenched inequality faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples so that their life outcomes are equal to those of all Australians. The NSW Government and NSW Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations developed an implementation plan for 2021–22 which sets out five 'priority reform
Actions for Cyber security in local government
Cyber security in local government
Cyber security is the practice of defending computers, servers, mobile devices, electronic systems, networks, and data from malicious attacks. The increasing global interconnectivity between computer networks has dramatically increased the risk of cyber security incidents. Such incidents can harm local government operations and service delivery and may include the theft of information, denial of access to critical technology, or even the hijacking of sys
Actions for iCare
iCare
Audit background Insurance and Care NSW (icare) provides workers compensation insurance to more than 329,000 public and private sector employers in New South Wales and their 3.2 million employees. It also insures builders and homeowners, provides treatment and care to people severely injured on NSW roads, and protects more than $266.6 billion of NSW government assets. The State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) regulates workers compensation insura
Actions for Oversight of the child protection system
Oversight of the child protection system
According to Department of Communities and Justice data, the number of children and young people reported to be at ‘risk of significant harm’ of abuse and neglect in NSW has been increasing in recent years. The Department of Communities and Justice has primary responsibility to provide support and a safe living environment for children and young people who are not able to live safely in the family home. Non-government agencies are also funded by the NSW
Actions for Social housing
Social housing
Long-term, subsidised rental housing is provided to assist people who have extreme difficulty in accessing housing in the private housing market. The collective term for this type of housing is ‘social housing’ which in New South Wales includes: ‘public housing’ managed by the Department of Communities and Justice ‘community housing’ managed by non-government organisations (social housing providers) housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Actions for Managing elective surgery
Managing elective surgery
Each year approximately 200,000 patients have elective procedures/surgery in New South Wales public hospitals. Patients are placed on a waiting list and given a clinical priority depending on the seriousness of their condition. Managing elective surgery patients and waiting lists is a key priority for the NSW Government and NSW Health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were temporary suspensions of non-urgent elective surgeries to ensure there was suf
Actions for Student behaviour management
Student behaviour management
Behaviour support is critical to promoting engaging and effective classrooms and lifting student performance. The department is implementing a new behaviour management strategy and policy in 2022. The new policy settings aim to strengthen the engagement and participation of all students, including those with disability, complex and challenging behaviours, and additional needs. An audit in this area could consider implementation of this strategy and poli
Actions for Governance and administration arrangements for NSW government departments
Governance and administration arrangements for NSW government departments
Administration arrangements for the NSW public sector play an important role in how effectively agencies deliver their core responsibilities and collaborate to deliver cross-government initiatives. These arrangements are subject to change, depending on the policy and program objectives of the government of the day. Establishing and changing how departments are structured and administered can entail significant cost and disruption. Our 2021 performance au
Actions for Audit Insights 2018-2022
Audit Insights 2018-2022
In this report, we have analysed the key findings and recommendations from our audit reports over the past four years. This analysis includes financial audits, performance audits, and compliance audits of state and local government entities that were tabled in NSW Parliament between July 2018 and February 2022. The report is framed by recognition that the past four years have seen significant challenges and emergency events.