This audit assesses the assurance provided to the NSW Government for the initial stages of the WestConnex project.

The audit examined the WestConnex project from concept development to the pre-tender phase for Stage 1A – M4 (Parramatta to Homebush Bay). It did not examine the merit of the project or whether it represented value-for-money.

This audit found a number of shortcomings with the governance of the WestConnex project during its early stages and makes recommendations on how to better govern the remainder of the project to minimise the risk of failure.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #247 - released 18 December 2014

The quality of financial reporting in the Finance and Treasury cluster continues to improve with fewer reported misstatements over the last three years. The financial statements of all cluster agencies received unqualified audit opinions, except for the New South Wales Self Insurance Corporation.

The quality of financial reporting in the cluster continues to improve with the number of reported misstatements identified during audit decreasing over the past five years. The audits resulted in unqualified audit opinions on the financial statements of all cluster agencies for the year ended 30 June 2014, with the exception of the State Emergency Service.
 

All agencies in the NSW Premier and Cabinet cluster received unqualified audit opinions for the year ended 30 June 2014. Overall financial reporting has improved. Agencies submitted their financial statements earlier than last year and for the third year in a row there has been a reduction in the number of misstatements identified during audits.

NSW government agencies are not making sufficient use of purchasing cards and EFTs to pay for goods and services. There are potential savings in processing costs of around $22 per transaction from purchasing cards and over $7 when using EFTs instead of cheques.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #243 - released 5 June 2014

The NSW public university sector is in a good financial position with the combined operating margin improving to 6.6 per cent in 2013 up from 4.9 per cent in 2012.

Today the Auditor-General of New South Wales, Grant Hehir, released his Volume One Report to Parliament for 2014. The observations included in this report are designed to inform readers of common findings from the 2013 financial and performance audits so agencies and audit committees can use them to identify issues that may be relevant to their organisations.

The report includes comments on his financial audits of NSW Government human services and technology agencies. The audits of these agencies’ financial reports for the year ended 30 June 2010 each resulted in an unqualified Independent Auditor’s Report. The number of supported accommodation places for people with a disability has increased by 517 during 2009-10.

The Government is not able to provide assurance that it is safeguarding its holdings of sensitive personal information because its policy has not been properly implemented. This is likely to remain the case until there are clear, mandatory, minimum standards that agencies sign up to, and scrutiny of performance against these standards is strengthened.

Parliamentary reference - Report number #207 - released 20 October 2010

New South Wales’ ten universities recorded a combined operating surplus of $494 million compared to a deficit of $76.9 million last year, reflecting the improvement in global financial markets. This was largely due to investment gains of $38.0 million in 2009 compared to $405 million of losses in 2008. Despite this, financial risks remain for universities. With the recovery in global financial markets remaining fragile, universities with overseas operations and those needing to fund capital works programs, are at most risk. Capital funding is estimated at $2.0 billion for 2010 and 2011.