The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has a crucial role in assisting the irrigation industry to respond to the conflicting demands placed upon the state’s water resources. The State Plan emphasises the importance of water to agriculture, and gives DPI responsibility to use its training programs to help farmers continue to increase water use efficiency. DPI needs to work closely with agencies with which it shares responsibilities in the State Plan to ensure that its water use efficiency activities contribute to the State Plan goals. It needs to work closely with Treasury to document the services it will require to do this, the resources which will be needed, and how its success will be measured. This will ensure that DPI is well placed to continue to assist the NSW farming industry to adapt and survive periods of reduced water availability. 

Parliamentary reference - Report number #172 - released 21 November 2007

In response to the 1999 audit, both Offices focussed on improving the transparency and consistency of decisions. Both introduced client service standards and implemented systems to improve their management of complaints. In addition, the Office of the Protective Commissioner (OPC) introduced six monthly financial statements which are sent to clients or their carers. However, there are three recommendations from the 1999 audit that are not fully implemented although progress has been made in addressing the issues. These matters relate to establishing external appeal mechanisms and the review of OPC client fees.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #117 - released 24 September 2003

The implementation of the Ovine Johne's Disease (OJD) program in New South Wales has been prolonged and difficult. In our view, the OJD Program in New South Wales has experienced two major difficulties with its implementation: the lack of a strategic approach to program management, and an ill-defined governance structure. Both the NSW Government and industry need to be better organised and improve the planning, direction and co-ordination of the OJD Program and future programs.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #107 - released 26 February 2003

The Audit Office recognises that TAFE NSW has undergone significant change in the last decade in order to improve service delivery. Whilst the focus of change has been TAFE NSW's core educational role, administration has also benefited. The Quality Management Systems introduced by the Institutes are an example.

The Audit Office is of the opinion that TAFE NSW needs a means by which the efficiency and effectiveness of administrative functions can be assessed notwithstanding initiatives by certain Institutes to introduce monitoring, benchmarking and reporting of administration. In the interests of accountability, TAFE NSW requires the establishment of a common performance reporting framework for administration in each Institute and across Institutes. Along with other key result areas of TAFE NSW’s operations, a reporting framework would better able the TAFE Commission Board (the Board) to inform the Minister for Education, in compliance with the Act, of the efficiency and effectiveness of the administrative functions.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #79 - released 6 February 2001