A performance audit into whether NSW Treasury, Service NSW and the Department of Customer Service effectively administered COVID-19 disaster relief grants programs last year has found the Agencies effectively implemented the grants within required timeframes.
In her report Grants administration for disaster relief, Auditor-General Margaret Crawford said the grants programs, funded under the $750 million Small Business Support Fund, included the $10,000 Small Business Support Grant and the $3,000 Small Business Recovery Grant.
“NSW Treasury met urgent timeframes to design the grants and Service NSW made timely payments in line with the grants’ objectives and eligibility criteria,” Ms Crawford said.
“Service NSW and the Department of Customer Service strengthened processes to detect and minimise fraud in response to identified external fraud risks and to investigate suspected fraudulent applications,” she said.
“Fraud security checks and investigations are ongoing and the Agencies will not know the full extent of fraud across the grants until these processes have been completed.”
Ms Crawford said the Agencies regularly monitored and reported on the timeliness of payments to small business applicants but were yet to measure all benefits of the grants programs.
The Auditor-General made four recommendations in total, one to NSW Treasury to finalise and implement an evaluation of both grants programs, including obtaining feedback from businesses.
She made two recommendations to Service NSW, that it should develop a framework for how it administers grants, including fraud control; and publish information on all grants programs, including grants distribution and uptake.
Ms Crawford recommended that the Department of Customer Service ensured its processes for managing conflicts of interest met its policy requirements.
The Auditor-General’s 45-page Report can be accessed at this PS News link or online at this link.
