Value for money – a simply complex problem
21 June 2024: Value for money is an important measure of public sector performance that helps public organisations to strike the right balance between what is spent and what is achieved. In this article, the Auditor-General describes the public sector’s challenge with defining, assessing, and reporting on value for money.
Meeting the needs of people affected by family violence and sexual violence
27 June 2023: We published a report in 2021 that described how effectively a joint venture involving 10 government agencies had been set up to support efforts to reduce family violence and sexual violence. In this report, we look at how the government agencies are working individually, together, and with tangata whenua, communities, and non-government organisations to understand and respond to the needs of people affected by family violence and sexual violence.
Several classics turned 40 in 2022, including the Official information Act. Weiyi Zhang, Senior Policy Advisor, sat back to enjoy the popcorn as experts described the critical role that public sector leaders play as stewards of this incredibly important Act.
In the first of a series summarising lessons from the Office’s inquiry work the team looks at the importance of keeping clear and accessible records.
Auditor-General John Ryan, reflects on the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s new report and the relationship between public accountability and outcomes.
Māori perspectives on public accountability
21 July 2022: We commissioned Haemata Limited to help us understand more about Māori perspectives on effective public accountability. Guided by kaupapa Māori research principles, Haemata had wide-ranging discussions with 35 Māori participants about their perspectives on accountability and trust in, and with, the public sector. The findings in Haemata's report highlight issues that we consider are of importance to all public organisations that seek to build and maintain trust and confidence with Māori.
The problems, progress, and potential of performance reporting
October 2021: This paper builds on our recent research about the future of public accountability. It considers performance reporting in its entirety – from collecting information to its reporting and use.
Building a stronger public accountability system for New Zealanders
October 2021: This discussion paper explores how well New Zealand's public accountability system is working in practice. For this work, we surveyed members of the public and interviewed people who work with the public accountability system. As public accountability is primarily about relationships between people, we focused on the views of people who experience the public accountability system and/or work with it.
Working in new ways to address family violence and sexual violence
June 2021: In September 2018, the Government announced the formation of the Joint Venture for Family Violence and Sexual Violence. The joint venture is accountable for significantly reducing family violence and sexual violence and involves new ministerial arrangements, new public service governance arrangements, and new ways for agencies to work. We carried out a performance audit of this new way of working.
Accountability requirements to consider when establishing a new “public entity”
February 2021: This document is for people making policy decisions about setting up a new public organisation - there might be reporting and auditing considerations you'll need to think about...
Covid-19 might have consequences for the audit of public organisations' accountability statements, and for the messages included in their audit reports. Todd Beardsworth (Assistant Auditor-General, Audit Quality) sets out some questions for organisations to consider, and looks at how Covid-19 might affect this year's audit reports.
Maintaining trust and confidence in a time of crisis
In these uncertain times, don’t forget your audit and risk committee. Sector Manager Kristin Aitken explains why...
In this Six Questions interview, Roy Glass talks about what's changed in the public sector since his first job as a bursar more than 40 years ago.
Building and maintaining trust – the role of audit and risk committees
Kristin Aitken from our Local Government team discusses how council audit and risk committees can help build and maintain trust with your community.
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.
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…
During te wiki o te reo Māori, a wero was laid down at the Leaders Integrity Forum…
Audit and risk committees: The value of differing views
The value of having an effective audit and risk committee – or should that be risk and assurance committee? Kristin Aitken from our Local Government team explains why councils should consider having an audit and risk committee.
Public accountability: A matter of trust and confidence
September 2019: This discussion paper is the first phase in a programme of work about the future of public accountability. It is not a detailed review of New Zealand's current constitutional arrangements, but explores the role public accountability plays in maintaining trust and confidence in the public sector.
It’s not uncommon to hear someone ask a visitor to our country “so what do you think of New Zealand?” Whether it’s born of politeness or is part of our DNA, as a country we have a keen interest in what others think of us.
Courage in a leader is important in a time of change, and the tone is set from the top… which means the intended and the unintended messages can be oh so important. Melanie Webb recaps the latest Leaders Integrity Forum.
No? It’s okay – no one else is entirely sure either.
Although our Office is primarily focused on the accountability of New Zealand’s public organisations, we are also part of a global community of practice. Sector Manager Sarah Markley recaps some highlights of the past few months.
Each year that the corruption perceptions index score is announced, New Zealand seems to bounce between first and second place. When the table you’re bouncing on is a league table of the world’s corruption perceptions, bouncing between first and second is not so bad. In fact, it’s good news for the public sector here in Aotearoa.
Timeliness of reporting by public entities
November 2018: We wrote to the Finance and Expenditure Committee, providing an update on our 2015 report about the timeliness of reporting by public organisations.
One of the perks of hosting the Leaders Integrity Forum is the chance to hear directly from some senior people who’re working hard to improve the way the public sector does things …
The Transparency International New Zealand Leaders Integrity Forum in early August provided an important reminder about the essential role that public officials play in providing free and frank advice to Ministers.
Reflections from our audits: Governance and accountability
April 2016: This report reflects on common issues and challenges, and examples of good and emerging practice that public entities can use to help improve their governance and accountability arrangements.
Public Audit – Achieving Better Public Accountability
September 2001: Paper presented by Robert Buchanan, Assistant Auditor-General . The aim of this paper, therefore, is to explain what the Auditor-General does and show how the Act fits into the system of public sector accountability.
Accountability Requirements for Sub-Entities of Local Authorities
