Examination of the Auditor Generals Performance
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Legislative Assembly of New South Wales Public Accounts Committee Report 6/57 – March 2021 Examination of Auditor-General's performance audit reports February 2019 - July 2019 New South Wales Parliamentary Library cataloguing-in-publication data: New South Wales. Parliament. Legislative Assembly. Public Accounts Committee. Examination of Auditor-General’s performance audit reports February 2019 – July 2019 / Legislative Assembly, Public Accounts Committee. [Sydney, N.S.W.] : the Committee, 2021. 1 online resource ([48] pages). (Report no. 6/57 Public Accounts Committee) “March 2021” Chair: Greg Piper, MP. ISBN 9781921686078 1. New South Wales. Audit Office. 2. Performance standards—New South Wales—Auditing. 3. Finance, Public—New South Wales—Auditing. 4. Auditors’ reports—New South Wales. I. Piper, Greg. II. Title. III. Series: New South Wales. Parliament. Legislative Assembly. Public Accounts Committee. Report ; no. 6/57 657.45 (DDC22) Contents Membership _____________________________________________________________ ii Chair’s foreword _________________________________________________________ iii Findings and recommendations ______________________________________________iv Chapter One – Introduction _____________________________________________________ 1 Chapter Two – Committee’s consideration of performance audits not subject to public hearings ___________________________________________________________________________ 3 Chapter Three – Biosecurity Risk Management _____________________________________ 14 Chapter Four – Governance of Local Health Districts ________________________________ 20 Chapter Five – Managing growth in the NSW prison population _______________________ 27 Chapter Six – Managing Native Vegetation ________________________________________ 34 Appendix One – Terms of reference _____________________________________________ 41 Appendix Two – Submissions ___________________________________________________ 42 Appendix Three – Witnesses ___________________________________________________ 43 Appendix Four – Extracts from Minutes __________________________________________ 44 i Membership Chair Mr Greg Piper MP, Member for Lake Macquarie Deputy Chair Mrs Tanya Davies MP, Member for Mulgoa Members Mr Justin Clancy MP, Member for Albury Mr Lee Evans MP, Member for Heathcote Mr Ryan Park MP, Member for Keira Ms Felicity Wilson MP, Member for North Shore Contact details Public Accounts Committee Parliament of New South Wales Macquarie Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 Telephone (02) 9230 2843 E-mail [email protected] Website www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/publicaccounts ii Chair’s foreword This is the fourth report of the Public Accounts Committee’s performance audit review program to be tabled in the 57th Parliament. In accordance with its established performance review process, the Committee examines performance audits conducted by the Auditor-General, in order to further investigate action taken by agencies in response to the Auditor-General’s recommendations. As part of the follow up, the Committee questions agencies on measures they have taken and, if required, conducts public hearings to gather additional information from agency representatives. The process has proven to be an effective means of testing action taken on performance audits and maintaining a high level of scrutiny of the agencies under review. This report reviews ten performance audits covering the period from February to July 2019, conducted into: workforce reform in three amalgamated councils; governance of Local Health Districts; managing growth in the NSW prison population; wellbeing of secondary school students; domestic waste management in Campbelltown City Council and Fairfield City Council; biosecurity risk management; development assessment: pre-lodgement and lodgement in Camden Council and Randwick City Council; contracting non-government organisations; managing native vegetation; and ensuring contract management capability in government - Department of Education. With some exceptions, the Committee is generally satisfied that the responsible agencies are implementing the Auditor-General’s recommendations, while identifying areas where more action is required. All agencies are to be commended, given the disruption and additional challenges resulting from last year's bushfire emergency and the COVID pandemic. The Committee has made a total of four recommendations to NSW Government agencies to address the pressures of long term growth in the NSW prison population in the context of criminal justice reform, the public release of native vegetation maps to assist landholders in the management of our ecosystem, and general improvements to reporting systems. I am pleased to present this Report and thank the Auditor-General and Audit Office staff for their assistance in this inquiry. I also wish to thank my Committee colleagues and Committee Secretariat for their contributions and support throughout the inquiry process. Greg Piper MP Chair iii Findings and recommendations Recommendation 1 __________________________________________________________ 33 The Committee recommends that Corrective Services NSW continues with the progressive installation of Audio-Visual Link suites across correctional centres in NSW and monitors and reports on their usage as part of a full evaluation of their effectiveness. Recommendation 2 __________________________________________________________ 33 The Committee recommends that the Department of Communities and Justice provides a comprehensive response to the Audit recommendation addressing its strategic objectives for accommodating long-term growth in the prison populations in the context of broader criminal justice reforms, and investing in the delivery of these objectives. Recommendation 3 __________________________________________________________ 40 The Committee recommends that the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment provides a progress report on the independent evaluation of the draft Native Vegetation Regulation maps. The report should detail a timeline for when the draft maps, Category 1 – Exempt and Category 2 – Regulated land are expected to receive Government approval and be released to landholders and the public. Recommendation 4 __________________________________________________________ 40 The Committee recommends that the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment provides more information on the planned 2021 changes to assist staff in recording and tracking investigations and manage workflows, including how the planned changes will improve case management and reporting systems. iv Introduction Chapter One – Introduction Overview 1.1 The performance audits examined by the Committee for this inquiry were tabled by the Auditor-General in the period February to July 2019. The aim of the examination is to assess the required action taken by relevant agencies in response to the Auditor-General’s recommendations. The Committee considered evidence provided by each agency and also sought advice from the Auditor-General. 1.2 The Committee found significant work has been undertaken to address issues raised in the audits. It is clear that the agencies have taken the audit review process seriously and instigated action to implement accepted recommendations. Some recommendations will take time to fully action or are being addressed through the implementation of larger projects. Inquiry Process 1.3 In accordance with its legislative responsibility outlined in section 57 of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983, the Committee resolved at its meeting on 22 October 2020 to commence an examination of the Auditor-General’s performance audits from February to July 2019. The full terms of reference are included on page 41. 1.4 The process for these examinations included: • Inviting a submission from responsible agencies twelve months after the tabling of the audit. • Referring agencies’ submissions to the Auditor-General for comment. • Where the Committee determined that further information was required, agency representatives and the Auditor-General were invited to a hearing to provide additional information. 1.5 The Committee examined ten performance audit reports and received sixteen submissions in relation to its examination. A full list of submission authors can be found at Appendix One and copies of the submissions are available on the Committee’s website at: Submissions. 1.6 On the basis of submissions received, the Committee sought further written clarification of aspects of agency responses to six performance audits, namely: • Workforce reform in three amalgamated councils; • Well-being of secondary school students; • Domestic waste management in Campbelltown City Council and Fairfield City Council; • Development assessment: pre-lodgement and lodgement in Camden City Council and Randwick City Council; 1 Introduction • Contracting non-government organisations; and • Ensuring contract management capability in Government – Department of Education. 1.7 Detailed agency responses to the Committee’s further questions can be found on the Committee’s website at: Agency Responses 1.8 The Committee was not satisfied that recommendations contained in four of the remaining performance audit reports had been adequately addressed. To conduct a more detailed examination of these reports, the Committee held a public hearing on 20 November 2020, seeking further information. The performance audits examined at the public hearing were: • Governance of Local Health Districts; • Managing growth in NSW prison populations; •