Reports
Actions for Planning and Environment 2016
Planning and Environment 2016
Auditor-General, Margaret Crawford released a report on the planning and environment cluster today, concluding that the quality of financial reporting is improving. However, the cluster can improve its financial controls and governance framework.
Actions for Premier and Cabinet 2016
Premier and Cabinet 2016
Actions for Implementation of the NSW Government’s program evaluation initiative
Implementation of the NSW Government’s program evaluation initiative
The NSW Government’s ‘program evaluation initiative’, introduced to assess whether service delivery programs achieve expected outcomes and value for money, is largely ineffective according to a report released today by NSW Auditor-General, Margaret Crawford.
Government services, in areas such as public order and safety, health and education, are delivered by agencies through a variety of programs. In 2016–17, the NSW Government estimates that it will spend over $73 billion on programs to deliver services.
Parliamentary reference - Report number #277 - released 3 November 2016
Actions for Government Advertising 2015-16
Government Advertising 2015-16
Overall, the peer review process provides good assurance that government advertising campaigns are necessary and cost effective, according to a report released today by the NSW Auditor-General, Margaret Crawford.
In NSW, the Government Advertising Act 2011 requires government advertising campaigns with a likely expenditure over $50,000 to be independently peer reviewed before launch. The Department of Premier and Cabinet manages this process, which includes allocating and coordinating peer reviewers to assess campaigns against the Premier’s ‘Government Advertising Guidelines’.
Parliamentary reference - Report number #276 - released 27 October 2016
Actions for Red tape reduction
Red tape reduction
Overall, NSW Government initiatives and processes to prevent and reduce red tape were not effective, according to a report released today by the NSW Auditor-General.
In 2015, the Government reported that its red tape reduction initiatives, implemented between 2011 and 2015, had resulted in $896 million in savings. While these initiatives resulted in some savings, the total value of savings is unknown because estimates for some initiatives were based on unverified assumptions, cost transfers or unrealised projections.
Parliamentary reference - Report number #272 - released 25 August 2016
Actions for Additional entitlements for Members of Parliament 2015
Additional entitlements for Members of Parliament 2015
The Audit Office reviewed whether Members of NSW Parliament complied with certain requirements outlined in the Parliamentary Remuneration Tribunal’s Determination for the year ended 30 June 2015.
The review was designed to provide Parliament with limited assurance about whether a sample of 34 Members complied with the Tribunal’s Determination. The review performed was less than a full audit and not designed to detect all instances of non-compliance.
Actions for Managing unsolicited proposals in New South Wales
Managing unsolicited proposals in New South Wales
Overall, the governance arrangements for unsolicited proposals are adequate. However, there needs to be greater transparency and public reporting on unsolicited proposals received by government, according to a report released today by the NSW Acting Auditor-General, Tony Whitfield.
'Unsolicited proposals warrant more disclosure as they pose a greater risk to value for money than procurements done through open, competitive and transparent processes,” said Mr Whitfield. “This could include aggregate information about why proposals are declined, as well as more extensive information about proposals that have progressed beyond the preliminary and strategic assessment stages', he added.
Parliamentary reference - Report number #268 - released 10 March 2016
Actions for Volume Seven 2010 focus on Environment, Climate Change and Water
Volume Seven 2010 focus on Environment, Climate Change and Water
The report includes comments on his financial audits of NSW Government environment, climate change and water agencies. The audits of these agencies’ financial reports for the year ended 30 June 2010 resulted in one qualified Independent Auditor’s Report. Sydney Water has not recognised assets and liabilities of the Build-Own-Operate schemes in their statement of financial position. The combined profit after tax of the four largest water utilities increased substantially from $300 million in 2008-09 to $584 million in 2009-10. Distributions to the Government were $379 million up 17 per cent or $55 million from last year.
Actions for Protecting the Environment: Pollution Incidents
Protecting the Environment: Pollution Incidents
The department has a systematic approach to receiving, investigating and responding to reports of pollution incidents. However, the department does not analyse and report on the extent of environmental harm caused by pollution incidents reported to it, whether its response has minimised harm to the environment, whether its regulatory approach has improved compliance, particularly by Environment Protection Licence (EPL) holders (licensees).
Parliamentary reference - Report number #205 - released 15 September 2010
Actions for Severance Payments to Special Temporary Employees
Severance Payments to Special Temporary Employees
In reviewing both the severance pay guidelines and a sample of payments, we found the guidelines to be clear and all except two payments were made in accordance with them. In these two cases the severance payment was stipulated in the employment contract guaranteeing the STE a minimum of six months pay on termination, irrespective of the length of service.
Parliamentary reference - Report number #201 - released 16 June 2010