2019

Author portrait picture It all comes back to trust and confidence

Here at the Office of the Auditor-General, our overall strategic outcome is about making sure that Parliament and New Zealanders have trust and confidence in the public sector. So it was a familiar topic at October’s Leaders Integrity Forum when the focus was about building and maintaining trust.

Author portrait picture What is an inquiry?

The Auditor-General has the power to inquire into public entities’ use of public resources. What exactly does that mean? In the first of a series of blogs about our inquiry work, Inquiries Manager David Lemmon explains…

Author portrait picture Fraud: Some cautionary tales

During International Fraud Awareness Week we shared stories from our auditors about instances of alleged fraud they’ve come across while carrying out their work. We thought it we be useful to collect them all in one place.

Author portrait picture Being bold together: Watercare’s approach to procurement

As part of our procurement work programme, we’re inviting speakers to present at the Office about the lessons and challenges their organisations face when it comes to procurement. In August, the Office hosted a presentation from Raveen Jaduram, Chief Executive of Watercare.

Author portrait picture Responding to a changing climate

Sector Manager Kristin Aitken from our Local Government team delves into some of the terms used by councils and experts in their efforts to address the effects of climate change. She also takes a look at what councils are already doing, and what they need to consider for their next long-term plans.

Author portrait picture Changing the world one contract at a time: Understanding your supply chain

Slavery, bribery, fraud, corruption, environmental degradation, intentional discrimination: these aren’t usually top of mind when running a public sector tender. But how many public organisations can say whether or not their supply chains are consistent with their own ethical standards’? Martin Richardson from Audit New Zealand’s Specialist Audit and Assurance Services team tackles some challenging issues.

Author portrait picture Right versus right: Ethical procurement

Being explicit about ethical dilemmas at the planning stage and throughout a procurement process can help you prepare to tackle them if and when they arise. Martin Richardson from Audit New Zealand’s Specialist Audit and Assurance Services team explores some ways to approach these dilemmas.

Author portrait picture Stronger together: the case for diversity and inclusion

In today’s fast-paced and changing world, we can’t do our best work without access to a wide range of views, knowledge, and experiences. So how does the public service make sure it gets that diversity? Melanie Webb recaps the latest Leaders Integrity Forum.

Author portrait picture When you can’t value the priceless

We’ve previously looked at the benefits of recognising heritage assets in financial statements. But what happens when you can’t confidently assign a dollar value to an asset? Lincoln Butler from our Accounting and Auditing Policy Team walks us through some options.