Reports
Actions for Volume Thirteen 2014 Focusing on Education and Communities
Volume Thirteen 2014 Focusing on Education and Communities
The quality of financial statements in the education and communities cluster continues to improve with fewer reported misstatements over the last three years. The financial statements of all agencies within this cluster received unqualified audit opinions. The Department of Education and Communities has 24 performance targets for early childhood through to tertiary education. Seven of these are either not being achieved or unlikely to be achieved.
Actions for Volume Eleven 2014 Focusing on Planning and Environment
Volume Eleven 2014 Focusing on Planning and Environment
The quality of financial reporting in the planning and environment cluster continues to improve with fewer reported misstatements over the last two years. The financial statements of all agencies within this cluster received unqualified audit opinions, except for one small agency where the audit is incomplete. Many cluster agencies’ actual revenues, expenses, assets and liabilities varied from budget by more than five per cent, suggesting financial management and budgetary controls could be improved.
Actions for Volume Nine 2014 Focusing on Family and Community Services
Volume Nine 2014 Focusing on Family and Community Services
The quality of agencies’ financial statements in the Family and Community Services cluster continues to improve with the number of misstatements identified during audit steadily decreasing over the past five years. The financial statements of all cluster agencies were submitted on time and received unqualified audit opinions. Family and Community Services finds it difficult to fill all funded caseworker positions, with an average ten per cent vacancy rate for the past five years.
Actions for Volume Six 2014 focusing on Premier and Cabinet
Volume Six 2014 focusing on Premier and Cabinet
All agencies in the NSW Premier and Cabinet cluster received unqualified audit opinions for the year ended 30 June 2014. Overall financial reporting has improved. Agencies submitted their financial statements earlier than last year and for the third year in a row there has been a reduction in the number of misstatements identified during audits.
Actions for Volume Five 2014 Focusing on Electricity and Water
Volume Five 2014 Focusing on Electricity and Water
In 2013-14, the NSW Government electricity businesses generated $9 billion in revenue ($9.6 billion during 2012-13) and achieved a combined net profit after tax of $1.5 billion ($1.6 billion). The combined profit after tax for NSW Distributors was $1.2 billion in 2013-14 down from $1.3 billion in 2012-13. The Distributors’ revenues decreased by $205 million to $6.8 billion in 2013-14, largely due to lower consumption by customers associated with milder weather conditions, economic impacts, energy efficiency measures and an increase in the number of customers using solar energy.
Actions for Volume Four 2014 focusing on New South Wales State Finances
Volume Four 2014 focusing on New South Wales State Finances
For the second consecutive year, the General Government and Total State Sector Accounts received an unqualified auditor’s opinion following more than a decade of qualifications. The quality and timeliness of financial reporting across the NSW public sector has continued to improve. Compared to previous years, there were fewer errors in agencies’ 2013–14 financial statements submitted for audit and used for whole-of-government financial reporting.
Actions for Volume Three 2014 focusing on Parliamentarian Entitlements
Volume Three 2014 focusing on Parliamentarian Entitlements
New South Wales Members of Parliament, when spending their additional entitlements, substantially complied with the Parliamentary Remuneration Tribunal’s Determination for the year-ended 30 June 2013.
Actions for Volume One 2014 - Areas of focus from 2013
Volume One 2014 - Areas of focus from 2013
Today the Auditor-General of New South Wales, Grant Hehir, released his Volume One Report to Parliament for 2014. The observations included in this report are designed to inform readers of common findings from the 2013 financial and performance audits so agencies and audit committees can use them to identify issues that may be relevant to their organisations.
Actions for Volume Nine 2011 focus on Education and Communities
Volume Nine 2011 focus on Education and Communities
The report includes comments on financial audits of government agencies in the Education and Communities sectors. The audits of the above entities’ financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2011 resulted in unmodified audit opinions within the Independent Auditor’s Reports. A key finding was that Treasury should consider issuing further guidance to arts and cultural bodies on collection valuation methodologies due to the significance of these assets to the State’s asset base.
Actions for Volume Eight 2011 Focus on Transport and Ports
Volume Eight 2011 Focus on Transport and Ports
The report includes comments on financial audits of government agencies in the Transport and Ports sectors. The audit of corporations’ financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2011 resulted in unmodified audit opinions within the Independent Auditor’s Reports. A key recommendation from the report is that Sydney Ports Corporation should continue working with other government authorities and industry stakeholders to improve the effectiveness of program initiatives for increasing container freight movements by rail. The Corporation should review the underlying causes hindering growth in the rail mode and develop and implement strategies to address the unfavourable trend.