The Treasurer has released the 2012-13 Half-Yearly review, which is essentially an update of projections published in the 2012-13 Budget Papers. We have reviewed the reasonableness of certain estimates and forecasts published within the Half-Yearly Review.

We issued unqualified audit opinions on the transport entities’ 30 June 2012 financial statements.

Some of the findings of the report include:

• government funding to the public transport operators totalled $4.4 billion in 2011-12 ($3.7 billion in 2010-11)

• passenger services revenue only covered 20 per cent of RailCorp's operating costs

• Transport for NSW has formalised a protocol to mitigate the risk of potential conflicts of interests

• At present, no sustainability framework exists for the transport agencies around environment and sustainability. Transport for NSW should complete its Environment and Sustainability Policy Framework by June 2013 and should publicly report its results annually

• Transport patronage continued to grow with 510 million journeys on train, bus and ferry services

• CityRail had two peak hour periods where only 36 per cent and 39 per cent of services were on time

• On-time running performance for Sydney Ferries was above the NSW 2021 plan target of 98.5 per cent for most routes in 2011-12

• Customer surveys by transport agencies no longer specifically address crowding on public transport. Transport for NSW should observe and report on crowding on all transport modes

• Over 2,500 transport staff, or 8.3 per cent of the workforce, have excessive leave balances. All transport entities should do more to reduce excessive annual leave balances to ensure they will comply with new targets set by the Premier.

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 report includes comments on his financial audits of NSW Government transport, planning and industry agencies for 2009-10. A key recommendation from the report is that the New South Wales Government identify lessons learnt from the metro experience and ensure that future decision processes are developed to ensure the State never again expends such a large amount of scarce transport funding dollars and valuable time on a project that does not proceed.

The report includes comments on NSW Treasury and agencies in the finance and superannuation sectors. The New South Wales public sector superannuation funds’ investments were $42.2 billion at 30 June 2010, up from $38.5 billion in 2009. Investment returns reached 14.5 per cent in 2009-10. This is a significant improvement on the investment returns of up to negative 18.4 per cent at the peak of the global financial crisis in 2008.
 

The final Budget result for 2009-10 was a surplus of $994 million, originally budgeted to be a $990 million deficit. If the Commonwealth Government’s capital stimulus funding had been excluded, the result would have been a deficit of $861 million. Employee costs (excluding superannuation costs) increased by approximately 3.5 per cent compared to 7.5 per cent in the prior year.
 
“I have issued a qualified Independent Auditor’s Report as the State has not recognised the value of Crown Reserves and the infrastructure on those reserves that should be recorded as an asset,” Mr Achterstraat said. 

The 2004 Review of Bus Services in NSW always envisaged that there would be a transition period as the new bus contracts were introduced. NSWTI has developed and implemented the new arrangements, and pursued a range of new initiatives including the network improvement program, strategic corridors and uniform bus fares and concessions. The new contracts provided for a performance management regime to hold operators accountable. But this is still being developed four years after the bus contracts came into effect and it remains unproven as a basis for ensuring value for money from the contracts - each of which guarantees monopoly rights to the operators.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #198 - released 10 March 2010

Notwithstanding the considerable effort, it is not apparent that the Government's vision can be fully achieved without increased efforts. Based on the current position, to ensure that the Government's vision can be achieved the Audit Office is of the view that the following key issues need to be urgently addressed: 

• more robust mechanisms are needed to monitor, review and report publicly on progress and benefits

• a greater emphasis should be placed on central coordination to ensure that agencies act in a more uniform and integrated manner  

• the achievement of significant reform of business processes will require a substantial strengthening of accountability mechanisms and more comprehensive, rigorous and systematic approaches to e-government project and risk management. 

• despite an array of guidance material and support provided by central agencies, line agency needs for assistance do not seem to be being met to sufficiently advance matters across the sector at the pace and scope desired

• the Government’s e-government aspirations and funding are not always effectively harmonised. Agencies typically have limited resources available to trial or experience new technologies, and display an aversion to the associated risks.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #87 - released 19 September 2001

The Audit Office observed that there is diversity in the form, content and quality of reports produced by the agencies. This reflects, in the main, that agencies tailor reports to meet local needs and conditions. It is considered that improvement is needed. A more consistent approach to financial reporting through the use of minimum standards is suggested. The Audit Office is of the view that agencies would benefit from a systematic approach to the reporting of outputs and outcomes and using financial and non-financial information to measure, monitor and thereby improve performance.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #85 - released 27 June 2001