We found the Commission to be performing well in delivering legal aid services. It has maintained and expanded services despite funding pressures and increasing demand. Overall, we found the Commission’s practices of making people aware of legal issues and its services to be comprehensive. Communication is via brochures, telephone and internet. We also found its processing of applications for legal aid to be sound.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #163 - released 13 December 2006

In this 2006 follow-up audit, we found that NSW Police had addressed most of the key areas for improvement we identified in 2003. The contact centre which operates the Police Assistance Line (PAL) is well managed, and has implemented several improvements since our 2003 audit. The centre’s speed in answering and handling PAL calls is better than in 2003. Caller satisfaction with PAL services is high, and NSW Police calculate it releases 200 police for frontline duty. The centre also receives around 4,000 enquiry calls each week further reducing the load on local police.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #161 - released 6 December 2006

There has been progress towards achieving the Government’s objectives. A new regulatory system has been established that is capable of ending illegal clearing of native vegetation. However this system is not yet fully operational and it is too early to assess its performance. 

The Department of Natural Resources is now in a position to achieve the Government’s main objective of reducing illegal clearing, especially in the west of the State. It now must establish a record of enforcement actions that are numerous, visible and successful.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #155 - released 19 July 2006

Not all recommendations from our 2002 audit have been fully implemented, despite both agencies accepting them all at the time. NSW Police has not established sick leave targets to measure and report progress. And the Department of Corrective Services has not been able to implement a revised sick leave policy to formalise proposed changes in practice. We found significant problems with the accuracy and completeness of NSW Police sick leave data. Reporting of sick leave is now more accurate and timely in the Department of Corrective Services, however it advised that the data it provided for our 2002 audit was substantially in error.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #154 - released 29 June 2006

In our opinion the Government’s ‘no net cost to government’ requirement was a legitimate (but not the only possible) basis for the tunnel bid process. The Government was entitled to decide that tunnel users meet the tunnel costs. Structuring the bid process on the basis of an upfront reimbursement of costs incurred (or to be incurred) by the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) was therefore appropriate.

In our opinion, however, the Government, Treasury and the RTA did not sufficiently consider the implications of an upfront payment involving more than simple project cost reimbursement (i.e. the ‘Business Consideration Fee’ component). In addition, the RTA was wrong to change the toll escalation factor late in 2002 to compensate the tunnel operator, Cross City Motorway Pty Ltd, for additional costs.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #152 - released 31 May 2006

In recent years the department has significantly changed its approach to rehabilitating prisoners. It has introduced programs to address offending behaviour based on evidence of what works. It has also formed partnerships with other agencies to help reintegrate prisoners into the community. We believe the department is on the right path and should continue building on these initiatives.

Despite these efforts, almost one in two prisoners return to prison or community supervision within two years of release, which is similar to other states. Most of these return to prison. In our opinion there is a risk that the department releases prisoners who have not addressed their rehabilitation needs. The department appears to address immediate health and welfare concerns. But it does not formally assess the education and work needs of all prisoners.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #151 - released 24 May 2006

In the cases we examined, we found that agencies working together can improve services or results. However, the changes were not always as great as anticipated or had not reached maximum potential. Establishing the right governance framework and accountability requirements between partners at the start of the project is critical to success. And joint responsibility requires new funding and reporting arrangements to be developed.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #149 - released 22 March 2006

Managing reserves requires that judgements be made about the condition of natural and cultural heritage and decisions taken as to what is, at least, an acceptable standard. Reliable information is fundamental to these tasks and for monitoring success, continuous improvement and accountability. In our opinion the Service has yet to clarify what constitutes success in reserve management and develop an adequate information base to measure its success. Consequently the Service cannot reliably determine how well it conserves and protects our natural and cultural heritage. This is a common situation for like agencies.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #123 - released 16 June 2004

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) accepted all the recommendations in our 2001 audit report on Controlling and Reducing Pollution from Industry and has demonstrated leadership in addressing the issues raised. Most of the recommendations have now been fully or largely implemented. Major achievements include new measures to facilitate a more consistent approach to licensing, new risk assessment tools to assist in dealing with noncompliances and to identify priorities for its compliance audit activities and a new licensing information management system. In our view the EPA has a suitable framework with which to control the amount of pollutants discharged to the environment by industry.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #122 - released 12 May 2004

The Audit Office is of the opinion that the basis for environmental impact assessment of major projects in NSW is sound. The key concept of 'environmental significance' is well defined. The system is closely specified. The Department of Urban Affairs and Planning (DUAP) leads a whole-of-government approach to environmental impact assessment and its assessments are comprehensive. However, the Audit Office considers that there are opportunities for improvement by more actively managing the participants and the performance of the environmental impact assessment system. DUAP needs to strengthen its internal documentation and must ensure the public have greater involvement.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #92 - released 28 November 2001