Reports
Actions for Design and administration of the WestInvest program
Design and administration of the WestInvest program
What this report is aboutWestInvest is a $5 billion funding program announced in September 2021 to provide ‘local infrastructure to help communities hit hard by COVID-19’ in 15 local government areas (LGAs) selected by the government. It was divided into three parts: $3 billion for NSW government agency projects; $1.6 billion for competitive grants to councils and community groups; and $400 million for non-competitive grants to councils.Following the cha
Actions for Effectiveness of SafeWork NSW in exercising its compliance functions
Effectiveness of SafeWork NSW in exercising its compliance functions
What this report is about This report assesses how effectively SafeWork NSW, a part of the Department of Customer Service (DCS), has performed its regulatory compliance functions for work health and safety in New South Wales. The report includes a case study examining SafeWork NSW's management of a project to develop a realtime monitoring device for airborne silica in workplaces. Findings There is limited transparency about SafeWork
Actions for State heritage assets
State heritage assets
This audit assessed how effectively the Department of Planning and Environment (Heritage NSW) is overseeing and administering heritage assets of state significance. Heritage that is rare, exceptional or outstanding to New South Wales may be listed on the State Heritage Register under the Heritage Act 1977. This provides assets with legal recognition and protection. Places, buildings, works, relics, objects and precincts ca
Actions for Management of the Critical Communications Enhancement Program
Management of the Critical Communications Enhancement Program
Effective radio communications are crucial to NSW's emergency services organisations. The Critical Communications Enhancement Program (CCEP) aims to deliver an enhanced public safety radio network to serve the five emergency services organisations (ESOs), as well as a range of other users. This report assesses whether the NSW Telco Authority is effectively managing the CCEP. What we found Where it has already been delivered
Actions for Regulation and monitoring of local government
Regulation and monitoring of local government
The Office of Local Government (OLG) in the Department of Planning and Environment is responsible for strengthening the local government sector, including through its regulatory functions. This audit assessed whether the OLG is effectively monitoring and regulating the sector under the Local Government Act 1993. The audit covered: the effectiveness of departmental arrangements for the OLG to undertake its regulatory function
Actions for Planning and managing bushfire equipment
Planning and managing bushfire equipment
This audit assessed the effectiveness of the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) and local councils in planning and managing equipment for bushfire prevention, mitigation, and suppression. What we found The RFS has focused its fleet development activity on modernising and improving the safety of its firefighting fleet, and on the purchase of new firefighting aircraft. There is limited evidence that the RFS has undertaken strategic f
Actions for Government's acquisition of private property: Sydney Metro project
Government's acquisition of private property: Sydney Metro project
Sydney Metro is Australia’s largest public transport project. It requires the acquisition of many private properties, including residential and business properties. This audit assessed the effectiveness of the acquisition of private properties for the Sydney Metro project. The audited agencies were Sydney Metro, the Department of Planning and Environment (Valuer General NSW) and Transport for NSW (the Centre for Property Acquis
Actions for Design and implementation of the Transport Asset Holding Entity
Design and implementation of the Transport Asset Holding Entity
The Transport Asset Holding Entity (TAHE) is the State's custodian of rail assets. It is a state owned corporation and commenced operating on 1 July 2020. This audit assessed the effectiveness of NSW Government agencies' design and implementation of TAHE. We audited TAHE, Transport for NSW (TfNSW) and NSW Treasury. Separate and related audits on TAHE are reported in 'State Finances 2022', 'State Finances 2021' and 'Transport a
Actions for Effectiveness of the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme
Effectiveness of the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme
This audit examined whether the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) and the Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT) have effectively designed and implemented the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme (‘the Scheme’) to compensate for the loss of biodiversity due to development. Under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, the Scheme enables landholders to establish in-perpetuity Biodiversity Stewardship Agreements on sites to gene
Actions for Building regulation: combustible external cladding
Building regulation: combustible external cladding
The report focuses on how effectively the Department of Customer Service (DCS) and Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) led reforms addressing the unsafe use of combustible external cladding on existing residential and public buildings. Nine local councils were included in the audit because they have responsibilities and powers needed to implement the NSW Government’s reforms. What we found After the June 2017 Grenfel