The Auditor-General has released her annual work program, setting out planned audits for the coming financial year and a three-year program of performance audits.
Auditor-General Margaret Crawford (pictured) said her Annual Work Program 2020–21 would provide insights into Government responses to recent emergencies including bushfires, floods and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The year ahead brings particular challenges for government, adding emphasis to our important role in helping Parliament hold government to account for its use of public money,” Ms Crawford said.
“While our core business is the conduct of audits, our aim is to provide NSW Parliament and the entities we audit with broader insights that inform and challenge government to improve outcomes for citizens,” she said.
“In shaping the remainder of our performance audit program for the next three years we endeavour to get broad coverage of the sectors we audit.”
“We consider risk, the scale of investments, transparency, and impacts on the community.”
In her work program, Ms Crawford said her Office would carry out 500 statutory financial audits of NSW Government agencies, universities and Local Government Councils’ financial statements, issuing over 1,050 assurance opinions in the process.
She said 27 performance audits were scheduled for this financial year, 2020-2021.
“The 2019–20 bushfire and flood emergencies and the COVID-19 pandemic continue to have a significant impact on the people and public sector of New South Wales,” the Auditor-General said.
“As the State’s independent auditor, it is appropriate that we respond to the increasing and changing risk environment presented by these events and focus our efforts on providing assurance on how effectively aspects of these emergency responses have been delivered,” Ms Crawford said.
The full list of upcoming performance audits can be accessed at this PS News link and the Auditor-General’s 37-page Annual Work Program at this link.
