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Published

Actions for Planning, Industry and Environment 2020

Planning, Industry and Environment 2020

Planning
Environment
Industry
Asset valuation
Compliance
Financial reporting
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration

This report analyses the results of our audits of financial statements of the Planning, Industry and Environment cluster agencies for the year ended 30 June 2020. The table below summarises our key observations. 1. Financial reporting Audit opinions There are 45 separate entities in the cluster. Unqualified audit opinions were issued for 38 cluster agencies' 30 June 2020 financial statements audits. Four fina

Published

Actions for State Finances 2020

State Finances 2020

Education
Finance
Community Services
Health
Justice
Industry
Planning
Environment
Premier and Cabinet
Transport
Treasury
Whole of Government
Financial reporting

The Auditor-General for New South Wales, Margaret Crawford, released her report today on State Finances for the year ended 30 June 2020. ‘I am pleased to once again report that I issued an unmodified audit opinion on the State’s consolidated financial statements,’ the Auditor-General said. The report acknowledges this has been a challenging year, with New South Wales impacted by natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic. The State’s Budget

Published

Actions for Governance and internal controls over local infrastructure contributions

Governance and internal controls over local infrastructure contributions

Local Government
Planning
Environment
Compliance
Financial reporting
Infrastructure
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Service delivery

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

Published

Actions for Volume Thirteen 2015 Electricity

Volume Thirteen 2015 Electricity

Planning
Information technology
Internal controls and governance
Project management
Risk

The NSW Government continues to divest its interest in electricity businesses.   In 2014-15, Macquarie Generation and Delta Electricity’s Colongra power stations were sold, collectively raising over $1.7 billion in gross proceeds.   In November 2015, the NSW Government announced the lease of TransGrid for 99 years to a private sector consortium for $10.3 billion and the sale of Delta Electricity’s Vales Point power station for $1.0 million. It

Published

Actions for Volume Twelve 2015 Part One Trade & Investment and TAFE

Volume Twelve 2015 Part One Trade & Investment and TAFE

Planning
Education
Asset valuation
Compliance
Financial reporting
Information technology
Internal controls and governance
Project management
Risk

Serious system limitations prevented TAFE NSW from providing sufficient and appropriate evidence to support recorded student revenue of $477 million, student receivables and accrued income of $47.6 million and unearned revenue of $398 million.   These limitations resulted in:  a qualified audit opinion being issued for TAFE NSW; delays in enrolling students; inability to fully reconcile cash balances; difficulties in reconciling student e

Published

Actions for Volume Twelve 2015 Part Two Water

Volume Twelve 2015 Part Two Water

Planning
Environment
Asset valuation
Compliance
Financial reporting
Information technology
Internal controls and governance
Project management
Risk

The distributions to the NSW Government increased from $690 million in 2013-14 to $1.0 billion in 2014-15. The increase was largely due to a higher dividend from Sydney Water Corporation.

Published

Actions for Volume Nine 2015 Planning and Environment

Volume Nine 2015 Planning and Environment

Planning
Environment
Information technology
Internal controls and governance
Project management
Risk

The NSW Environment Protection Authority has reduced the average time to assess contaminated sites from 203 days in 2013-14 to 73 days in 2014-15. It is also improving transparency by making more information on its performance publicly available.   In 2014-15, the Department of Planning and Environment increased new housing approvals across New South Wales by 12 per cent to 58,252, exceeding the State priority target of 50,000. It also reduced the t

Published

Actions for Large construction projects

Large construction projects

Treasury
Transport
Health
Industry
Planning
Premier and Cabinet
Whole of Government
Compliance
Infrastructure
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Procurement
Project management

The independent assurance given to the NSW Government and sponsor agencies on the viability of large capital projects throughout their lifecycle is inadequate. Government policy is regularly not followed and not properly communicated to those responsible for implementing such policy.   This audit sought to test the effectiveness of the NSW capital project assurance system - which includes gateway reviews and reporting - but significant levels of non

Published

Actions for Country towns water supply and sewerage program

Country towns water supply and sewerage program

Industry
Planning
Environment
Internal controls and governance
Management and administration
Project management
Service delivery

The Country Towns Water Supply and Sewerage Program has effectively promoted adoption of better management practices by local water utilities, but will not achieve its objective of eliminating the water supply and sewerage infrastructure backlog in urban areas of country NSW.   The $1.2 billion Program aims to help local water utilities provide appropriate, affordable, cost effective and well-managed water supply and sewerage services in the urban a

Published

Actions for Areas of focus from 2014

Areas of focus from 2014

Education
Community Services
Finance
Health
Industry
Justice
Local Government
Planning
Premier and Cabinet
Transport
Treasury
Universities
Whole of Government
Environment
Compliance
Financial reporting
Fraud
Information technology
Internal controls and governance
Procurement
Project management
Risk

The 2014 audits showed that the quality and timeliness of financial reporting have continued to improve. However, many agencies do not have financial sustainability indicators that provide early warning of management issues, such as an inability to meet financial obligations. Weaknesses were identified in information security, management of leave balances, asset management and internal controls.   Governance issues and gaps in performance informat