Inquiry into Alpine Energy Limited's decision to install solar equipment at a senior executive's house
December 2019: Concerns were raised with us about certain procurement practices carried out by Alpine Energy, including a decision to install solar energy equipment on an employee’s house as part of a solar energy trial. We were interested in this decision because it raised questions about sensitive expenditure. Sensitive expenditure is a particular risk in the public sector – if it is not recognised and properly managed, public trust and confidence can quickly be eroded, regardless of the amount of money spent.
Central government: Results of the 2018/19 audits
December 2019: This report sets out the results of our audit of the Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the year ended 30 June 2019 (the Government's financial statements) and of carrying out the Controller function.
Tertiary education institutions: Results of the 2018 audits
November 2019: This report sets out our observations from our audits of the 27 public tertiary education institutions, made up of eight universities, 16 institutes of technology and polytechnics, and three wānanga.
Using “functional leadership” to improve government procurement
December 2019: Since 2012, New Zealand Government Procurement, a business unit in the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, has been responsible for leading improvements in government procurement. In this report, we have identified some important areas for New Zealand Government Procurement to focus on to further improve public sector performance and to be seen as the centre of excellence for procurement in the public sector.
Results of the 2018 school audits
November 2019: This detailed information sets out the results of the school audits for 2018. We have provided this information, and a list of recommendations, to the Secretary for Education.
Annual report 2018/19
October 2019: Our work is focused on improving the trust in, and the value of, our public sector. This report looks at how we contributed to this in 2018/19, and how we are positioning ourselves for the future.
Councillors' guide to the Auditor-General
September 2019: This booklet is for the elected members of councils and for new members in particular. It gives an overview of the Auditor-General's role and also outlines the kinds of interaction they can expect with the Auditor-General and with his staff.
Inquiry into Waikato District Health Board’s procurement of services from HealthTap
September 2019: This report outlines the findings of our inquiry into the decision of Waikato District Health Board, in 2015, to enter into a contract with the United States-based company HealthTap Inc to provide "virtual care" services through an online service.
Crown investment in freshwater clean-up
September 2019: We examined how the Ministry for the Environment administered four Crown freshwater clean-up funds for improving lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands. Our primary objective was to assess whether Crown funding was being used effectively to improve freshwater quality.
Our observations on Waikato River Authority's freshwater restoration operations
September 2019: We looked at the operational approach of the Waikato River Authority to restoring and protecting the Waikato and Waipā Rivers for additional insight into how different entities manage Crown funds.