The Auditor General has released a report on the NSW Stronger Communities cluster, the first since the 1 July Machinery of Government (MoG) changes to the cluster to include the former Department of Justice and Department of Family and Community Services.
The Auditor General, Margaret Crawford said the report focused on key observations and findings from the most recent financial audits of agencies in the Stronger Communities cluster.
“There were 157 audit findings on internal controls,” Ms Crawford said.
“Two of these were high risk and 59 were repeat findings from previous financial audits,” she said.
“Cluster agencies should prioritise actions to address internal control weaknesses promptly with particular focus given to issues that are assessed as high risk.”
Ms Crawford said the Stronger Communities cluster was significantly impacted by the MoG changes and that the newly formed Department of Communities and Justice was now the principal agency of the cluster.
She said data from the Department of Justice showed the inmate population reached a maximum of 13,798, compared to an operational capacity of 14,626 beds on 31 August 2019.
“This equates to an operational vacancy rate of 5.7 per cent, which is more than the recommended 5.0 per cent buffer,” she said.
“This is the first time the vacancy rate has exceeded the target over the last five years.”
Ms Crawford said the NSW Government’s new workers compensation legislation, which gave eligible firefighters presumptive rights to workers compensation, cost emergency services agencies $180 million in 2018–19, mostly in increased premiums.
The 50-page report can be accessed at this PS News link.
