An audit of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications’ administration of commuter car park projects within the Urban Congestion Fund (UCF) has found it is not effective.
The audit found an over-reliance on existing parking arrangements and that the approach taken to identify and select commuter car park projects for funding was limited in coverage and not demonstrably merit-based.
In addition, the assessment work underlying the Department’s advice to award funding to the selected projects was not to an appropriate standard.
The audit noted that by the end of March this year, construction had been completed at just two of the 47 sites with work under way on three more.
Auditor-General, Grant Hehir said while the Department had provided written briefings that included assessment reports to advise the Minister to approve funding for 33 projects up to 31 March, the underlying assessment work was not of an appropriate standard.
“Insufficient assessment work has been undertaken by the Department to satisfy itself that projects are eligible for funding under the National Land Transport Act 2014,” Mr Hehir said.
The Department’s approach to identifying and selecting commuter car park projects for funding commitment was not appropriate. It was not designed to be open or transparent.
Mr Hehir made six recommendations addressing program design, record-keeping, assessment of funding proposals and the establishment of delivery and payment milestones.
The Auditor-General’s report can be accessed at this PS News link and his 104-page printed version at this link.
The audit team was Tracey Bremner, Chérie Simpson, Tiffany Tang and Brian Boyd.
