Reports
Actions for Local government business and service continuity arrangements for natural disasters
Local government business and service continuity arrangements for natural disasters
Natural disaster events, including bushfires and floods, have directly impacted some local councils in New South Wales over recent years. It is important for local councils to effectively plan so that they can continue operations through natural disasters and other disruptions. This audit assessed the effectiveness of Bega Valley Shire Council and Snowy Valleys Council’s approaches to business and service continuity arrangement
Actions for Rail freight and Greater Sydney
Rail freight and Greater Sydney
The movement of freight contributes $66 billion annually to the NSW economy. Two thirds of all freight in NSW moves through Greater Sydney, and the volume of freight moving through Greater Sydney is expected to increase by 48 per cent by 2036. This audit assessed the effectiveness of transport agencies in improving the use of rail freight capacity in Greater Sydney, and to meet current and future freight demand. What we found
Actions for Access to health services in custody
Access to health services in custody
This audit assessed whether adults in custody have effective access to health services. The audit examined the activities of Justice Health and Corrective Services NSW. What we found The majority of custodial patients receive timely health care, but a small proportion of patients are not receiving care within target timeframes. Eleven per cent of scheduled health appointments are not attended, and agencies can do more to unde
Actions for Responses to homelessness
Responses to homelessness
The report assessed how effectively the Department of Communities and Justice is responding to homelessness through the NSW Government’s Homelessness Strategy. It also assessed the effectiveness of the department’s efforts to address street homelessness in its COVID-19 response. What we found The strategy was designed to build evidence to inform future state-wide action rather than to end homelessness. The department receive
Actions for Procurement management in Local Government
Procurement management in Local Government
The Auditor‑General for New South Wales, Margaret Crawford, released a report today examining procurement management in Local Government. The audit assessed the effectiveness of procurement management practices in six councils. All six councils had procurement management policies that were consistent with legislative requirements, but the audit found compliance gaps in some councils. The audit also identified opportunities for councils to add
Actions for Stronger Communities 2020
Stronger Communities 2020
This report analyses the results of our audits of financial statements of the agencies comprising the Stronger Communities cluster for the year ended 30 June 2020. The table below summarises our key observations. 1. Financial reporting Quality of financial reporting Unqualified audit opinions were issued for all agencies' 30 June 2020 financial statements. Compliance with financial reporting requirements
Actions for Governance and internal controls over local infrastructure contributions
Governance and internal controls over local infrastructure contributions
The Auditor-General for New South Wales, Margaret Crawford, released a report today on how well four councils managed their local infrastructure contributions during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 financial years. Local infrastructure contributions, also known as developer contributions, are collected from developers to pay for local infrastructure such as drainage, local roads, open space and community facilities. Controls over local infrastructure cont
Actions for CBD South East Sydney Light Rail: follow-up performance audit
CBD South East Sydney Light Rail: follow-up performance audit
This is a follow-up to the Auditor-General's November 2016 report on the CBD South East Sydney Light Rail project. This follow-up report assessed whether Transport for NSW has updated and consolidated information about project costs and benefits. The audit found that Transport for NSW has not consistently and accurately updated project costs, limiting the transparency of reporting to the public. The Auditor-General reports that the total cost
Actions for Train station crowding
Train station crowding
This report focuses on how Transport for NSW and Sydney Trains manage crowding at selected metropolitan train stations. The audit found that while Sydney Trains has identified platform crowding as a key strategic risk, it does not have an overarching strategy to manage crowding in the short to medium term. Sydney Trains 'do not have sufficient oversight to know if crowding is being effectively managed’, the Auditor-General said. Sydney Trains' operatio
Actions for Report on Local Government 2019
Report on Local Government 2019
I am pleased to present my third report to the Parliament on the 2019 audits of local government councils in New South Wales. This report notes that unqualified audit opinions were issued on the 2018–19 financial statements of 134 councils and 11 joint organisations. The opinion for one council was disclaimed and three audits are yet to complete. The report also highlights improvements I have seen in financial reporting and governance arrangements acro