Native vegetation is a complex and difficult area to regulate. There is an inherent tension between economic development and conservation. In our opinion, the complexities and the lack of accountability have contributed to the present position, whereby a whole-of-government approach to the protection of native vegetation in NSW has not been developed. There are currently no objectives or targets to measure progress in conserving native vegetation. Only one, of a possible twenty-two regional management plans, has been approved since the Act commenced. There is also a lack of comprehensive information about the status of, and changes to, native vegetation across rural NSW.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #101 - released 20 August 2002

The Audit Office has undertaken an audit on Government Office Accommodation. The audit examined the cost effectiveness of long-term leasing versus ownership and the housing of agencies involved with the delivery of core government activities.  Core activities are those intrinsically linked to basic and ongoing functions of Government and Parliament.

It recommends that:

• the Government consider owning office accommodation, as opposed to leasing, for its long-term core needs, subject to a case by case analysis of the relevant financial and nonfinancial factors

• the Government undertake an analysis of the costs/savings from proposed asset sales of office accommodation in light of the demonstrated need for long-term office accommodation (for core needs) New, Expired and Expiring Leases

• given the findings of the own versus lease case studies presented in this report, it is recommended that the Government require agencies to undertake, in collaboration with the Department of Public Works and Services (DPWS) a cost/benefit analysis of available accommodation options prior to committing to any proposed major new leases

• the Government direct the DPWS, in collaboration with all agencies, to negotiate the renewal of all major expired/expiring leases (where continued occupancy is warranted) in order to reduce the financial risk of above-market rent increases and the risk of cancellation of leases (Major leases are defined, for the purposes of these recommendations, to be those over $500,000 rental per annum or a net lettable area over 1,000 square metres) Management of Property Information

•  in order to improve the integrity of the Government Office Accommodation Database, agencies be required to respond to the annual data request from DPWS by a predetermined date

• a senior officer within each agency be required to certify to the accuracy of information provided by an agency as input to the database maintained by DPWS

• DPWS verify, on a sample basis, information provided by agencies as input to the Government Office Accommodation Database Premier’s Memorandum No 97-2

• the compliance by agencies with Premier’s Memorandum No 97-2 Government Office Accommodation and Property Disposal be established by DPWS.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #45 - released 11 December 1997

Volume One: Corporate Governance in Principle, considers relations between the Government and boards, and the extent to which boards add value. Various public sector governance models are examined, including those currently operating within NSW and those from five other jurisdictions.

It found the role of boards should be clearly defined, and specific criteria developed, so that boards can be clearly classified as either governing or advisory. Legislation should be reviewed targeting priority areas and policies developed to clarify and strengthen the respective role and functions for governing and advisory boards.

Governance models, legislation, policies and practices should be based on principles of simplicity, clarity and consistency in approach; provide boards with sufficient and clearly defined powers and authority for them to carry out their statutory role and there should be a corresponding appropriate level of public accountability.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #39 - released 17 June 1997

This Report, Volume Two: Corporate Governance in Practice reports upon how actual corporate governance practices by NSW public sector boards compare with “better practice”.

It found criteria and processes for appointing directors to boards are not always transparent. It also found a more systematic and rigorous approach to the range of corporate governance issues is required across the public sector if it is to approach "better practice", there is a lack of accountability for board decision making and board performance and where boards are to serve a governance role, then a basic framework needs to be created to ensure they can operate efficiently and effectively.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #39 - released 17 June 1997

A Supplement to Volume Two: Survey Findings has also been prepared, presenting The Audit Office’s survey findings in detail. This may serve as a useful benchmark for governance in the NSW public sector.

It found that, supporting/enabling legislation, governance structures and boards creation processes should facilitate better governance practice. It also found boards and management should understand their roles, responsibilities and duties and that these should be clearly articulated in legislation, board directors should possess appropriate qualifications and expertise to fulfil their responsibilities, boards need to ensure that adequate systems are in place to be able to oversight on the activity of the agency and boards must be accountable to those whose interests they represent.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #39 - released 17 June 1997