Reports
Actions for WestConnex: Assurance to the Government
WestConnex: Assurance to the Government
This audit assesses the assurance provided to the NSW Government for the initial stages of the WestConnex project.
The audit examined the WestConnex project from concept development to the pre-tender phase for Stage 1A – M4 (Parramatta to Homebush Bay). It did not examine the merit of the project or whether it represented value-for-money.
This audit found a number of shortcomings with the governance of the WestConnex project during its early stages and makes recommendations on how to better govern the remainder of the project to minimise the risk of failure.
Parliamentary reference - Report number #247 - released 18 December 2014
Actions for Volume Twelve 2014 Health
Volume Twelve 2014 Health
The quality of financial statements in the health cluster continues to improve with significantly fewer misstatements. The financial statements of all cluster agencies received unqualified audit opinions. Health has maintained or bettered its emergency triage performance and the percentage of patients admitted for elective surgery within clinically appropriate timeframes has improved.
Actions for Volume Seven 2014 Focusing on Transport
Volume Seven 2014 Focusing on Transport
All agencies in transport cluster received unqualified audit opinions for the year ended 30 June 2014. The quality of financial reporting continues to improve with the number of misstatements identified during audits falling for the fifth year in a row.
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 Managing Contaminated Sites
Managing Contaminated Sites
NSW Government agencies with large landholdings need to better manage their contaminated sites.
When contaminated sites are reported to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) there are long delays in assessing the extent of contamination. The EPA also lacks the management controls to ensure that all significantly contaminated sites are actively monitored and key milestones for remediation are met.
Parliamentary reference - Report number #245 - released 10 July 2014
Actions for Regional Road Funding - Block Grant and REPAIR Programs
Regional Road Funding - Block Grant and REPAIR Programs
In 2013–14, Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) provided over $170 million to local councils through the Block Grant and REPAIR programs to spend on Regional Roads. Regional Roads are the link between State Roads and Local Roads.
Parliamentary reference - Report number #241 - released 8 May 2014
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 Ten 2011 Focusing on Health
Volume Ten 2011 Focusing on Health
This report includes comments on financial audits of government agencies in the Health sector. In 2010-11, Ambulance Officers spent an extra 77,200 hours waiting at emergency departments for patients to transfer to hospital care. In 2010-11, only 66 per cent of patients were moved from the emergency department to an inpatient bed within eight hours of their arrival. This is significantly down on last year’s 73 per cent and well below the 80 per cent target.
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.