District health boards: Main findings from the 2019/20 audits
July 2021: We summarise the main findings from our 2019/20 audits of district health boards and other relevant work we have done. We highlight matters that might need attention in the year ahead, including management and governance capacity for dealing with change, tracking performance, and risk management.
Experiences of the family violence system in Aotearoa: An overview of research 2010 to early 2020
July 2021: We asked Carswell Consultancy to carry out a literature review of research and evaluation reports from the previous decade on family violence and sexual violence in New Zealand.
Controller update: What do you know about Supplementary Estimates?
2 August 2021: Each year, the Government passes a Bill that updates the Budget for spending that wasn’t included in the initial Budget. This Bill is usually passed in June, and this year it increased the 2020/21 Budget by $20.1 billion.
Getting it right: Managing conflicts of interest involving council employees
August 2021: In this article, we share our findings on how conflicts of interest of council employees, including the chief executive and staff, are managed across four councils.
Setting and administering fees and levies for cost recovery: Good practice guide
August 2021: This is an update on the guide we published in 2008, and has been expanded to cover some levies as well as fees. It also updates the principles that public organisations should consider when making any decisions on setting and administering fees and levies.
The Government’s preparedness to implement the sustainable development goals
August 2021: In 2015, all members of the United Nations adopted The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 sustainable development goals. These goals encompass social, environmental, and economic sustainable development to improve life for current and future generations. We carried out a review of how the Government is demonstrating its commitment to the 2030 Agenda. We looked at what arrangements are in place and how the Government is encouraging stakeholders and the public to engage with efforts to achieve the goals by 2030.
Decision to fund Kahukura Rehabilitation Programme from the Proceeds of Crime Fund
2 September 2021: We have replied to Hon Judith Collins about her concerns about the application by the Ministry of Health for funding from the Proceeds of Crime Fund for the Kahukura Rehabilitation Programme.
Koha from the Chief Human Rights Commissioner to the Waikato Mongrel Mob
2 September 2021: We have replied to Simeon Brown MP about his concerns about the koha given by the Chief Human Rights Commissioner at a hui organised by the Waikato Mongrel Mob Kingdom chapter.
Controller update: September 2021
28 September 2021: This update explains recent events in Parliament’s authorising of public expenditure and our work in monitoring Government spending and providing assurance to Parliament and the public.
Annual report 2020/21
October 2021: This 2020/21 annual report describes the work we have carried out to demonstrate how we will achieve our ultimate outcome – that Parliament and the public have trust and confidence in New Zealand's public sector.
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.
Our observations on local government risk management practices
October 2021:We have previously reported that risk management was one of the least mature elements of governance in the public sector. Therefore, we carried out work to better understand the current state of councils' risk management, where the challenges and issues are, and what support councils need to improve how they manage risk.
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.
The Ministry of Health's procurement of a national immunisation system
28 October 2021: We have replied to Ian McCrae, Chief Executive Officer, Orion Health Limited about his concerns about the Ministry of Health’s procurement of services to provide a Covid-19 Immunisation Register and a national immunisation system.
Completeness of Budget estimates information
2 November 2021: We have replied to Mr Andrew Bayly MP and Hon Michael Woodhouse MP about their concerns about the quality of reporting on public expenditure and the ability of the Estimates of Appropriations to serve their wider purpose as a key accountability mechanism.
Response to concerns about the Ministry of Health's procurement for Covid-19 saliva testing services
11 November 2021: We received concerns about the Ministry of Health's procurement for Covid-19 saliva testing services. The Rt Hon Winston Peters also wrote to our Office with similar concerns. We have replied to Rt Hon Winston Peters and written to the Ministry of Health.
Submission on the Local Government (Pecuniary Interests Register) Amendment Bill
25 November 2021: Our submission to the Governance and Administration Committee on the Local Government (Pecuniary Interests Register) Amendment Bill.
Inquiry into management fees paid by South Auckland Middle School and Middle School West Auckland in 2018
November 2021: This report outlines our views about $450,000 in management fees the Combined Establishment Board of South Auckland Middle School and Middle School West Auckland paid to Villa Education Trust in 2018.
Results of the 2020 school audits
December 2021: This detailed information sets out the results of the school audits for 2020. We have provided this information, and a list of recommendations, to the Secretary for Education.
Consulting matters: Observations on the 2021-31 consultation documents
December 2021: Councils need to provide their communities with reliable and clear information about the matters proposed for inclusion in their long-term plan and the costs of these so that their community can engage with and provide feedback on this. This report provides our observations on councils' 2021-31 long-term plan consultation documents.
Inquiry into the Ministry of Social Development’s funding of private rental properties for emergency housing
December 2021: In 2020, issues were raised about the Ministry of Social Development's use of private rental properties as emergency housing. These included issues about the quality of some of the private rental properties, the amount that the Ministry paid for the rental properties, and the impact on the long-term rental market of using private rental properties as emergency housing. We carried out an inquiry into these matters.
Observations from our central government audits: 2020/21
December 2021: This report sets out the operating environment for central government, the results of our audit of the Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the year ended 30 June 2021, our work carrying out the Controller function, and our observations about performance reporting across central government.
Tertiary education institutions: Main findings from our 2020 audits
December 2021: We wrote to chairpersons and chief executives of Te Pūkenga and wānanga, and chancellors and vice-chancellors of universities, about the main findings of our 2020 audits of tertiary education institutions. We also set out our general observations of the impact of Covid-19 on the tertiary education sector and provide specific commentary about Te Pūkenga and its Crown entity subsidiaries.
Implementation of recommendations – Management of the Wage Subsidy Scheme
December 2021: This letter describes work we carried out in November 2021, following up on the implementation of the recommendations from our report, Management of the Wage Subsidy Scheme, and sets out our view of the progress that has been made.
Budget announcement on infrastructure spending
21 December 2021: We have replied to Andrew Bayly MP about his concerns about a lack of supporting information for Budget 2021 announcements regarding $57.3 billion for forecast spending on infrastructure over the five years 2020/21 to 2024/25.
No financial interests in Hood Aerodrome decision
24 February 2022: We were asked to look into potential issues with a mayor and councillor voting on a plan for Hood Aerodrome. After considering the information we needed, we do not consider they had a financial interest in the decision.
Implementation of recommendations – Preparations for the nationwide roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine
10 March 2022: This letter describes the actions that the Ministry of Health has taken to respond to the recommendations we made in our report Preparations for the nationwide roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine, and our observations on progress towards achieving equity of access to vaccinations.
Commentary on He Tirohanga Mokopuna 2021
15 March 2022: We reviewed the Treasury's He Tirohanga Mokopuna 2021 to look at how well it had identified long-term insights about challenges and opportunities and integrated them into a view of the Government’s long-term financial position.
Controller update: July to December 2021
17 March 2022: Almost all government spending for the first six months of 2021/22 has been properly authorised and was within the law. There were three instances in which the Government incurred expenditure without having the correct authority in place.
Submission on the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill
22 March 2022: Our submission to the Pae Ora Legislation Committee on the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill.
Submission on amendments to the Code of Ethics for Non-Assurance Services
24 March 2022: In October last year, we sent a submission to the New Zealand Auditing and Assurance Standards Board on Exposure Draft 2021-4, Amendments to Professional and Ethical Standard 1: Non-Assurance Services.
Queenstown Lakes District Council – Development of Lakeview land
24 March 2022: We have replied to Mr Peter Newport, Managing Editor of Crux Publishing Limited, about his concern regarding the decision of Queenstown Lakes District Council to sell the block of land known as Lakeview.
Inquiry into the Strategic Tourism Assets Protection Programme
31 March 2022: Concerns were raised in the media and our Office about how the Strategic Tourism Assets Protection Programme (STAPP) was managed. Because of these concerns, and the amount of public money involved, we carried out an inquiry into the STAPP eligibility criteria for funding and the process for assessing funding applications.
Tertiary education institutions: What we saw in 2021
14 April 2022: This report expands on the main findings from our 2020 audits of tertiary education institutions and provides our observations on the tertiary education sector in 2021. It focuses on two key areas – the ongoing vocational education reform programme and the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the tertiary education sector.
Response to a letter about spending on mental health and addiction services
29 April 2022: We have replied to Matt Doocey MP about his request we inquire into the Government's 2019 $1.9 billion investment into mental health and addiction services.
Enhancing public reporting on Covid-19 related funding and expenditure
4 May 2022: We have written to the Treasury about its continuing engagement with the Office on the Treasury’s data releases concerning the Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund.
Responses to our recommendations about monitoring water used for irrigation
19 May 2022: We asked the Ministry for the Environment, the Northland Regional Council, the Hawke's Bay Regional Council, the Otago Regional Council, the Marlborough District Council, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, and the Environment Canterbury Regional Council for an update on their response to recommendations we made in 2018 about the monitoring of water used for irrigation.
Masterton Civic Facility Project
26 May 2022: We wrote to the Chief Executive of Masterton District Council after concerns were raised with us about aspects of the Council's Civic Centre Project.
Response to our recommendations about maintaining state highways
31 May 2022: We asked Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency for an update on its response to recommendations we made in 2020 about maintaining state highways through Network Outcomes Contracts.
Response to our recommendations about implementing the firearms buy-back and amnesty scheme
9 June 2022: We asked New Zealand Police for an update on their response to recommendations we made in 2020 about implementing the firearms buy-back and amnesty scheme.
Council communications during the 2022 pre-election period
14 June 2022: Councils need to take care to make sure that council communications are not used, or appear to be used, for political purposes. Here are some of the main things councils should watch out for when making decisions about communication during this pre-election period.
Response to letter about Rapid Antigen Tests
16 June 2022: We have replied to Chris Bishop MP about his request to investigate the Government’s purchasing and administration of Rapid Antigen Tests as part of the Covid-19 health response.
Setting rates: Potential issues for councils to watch for
17 June 2022: Councils will soon be setting rates for 2022/23. We want to make councils aware of some rate-setting issues and legal requirements to consider when setting rates.
Putting integrity at the core of how public organisations operate
22 June 2022: An integrity framework for the public sector.
Governance of the City Rail Link project
28 June 2022: We looked at the governance arrangements for the City Rail Link project to see whether they were effective and likely to support its successful completion.
Improving value through better Crown entity monitoring
29 June 2022: We carried out a performance audit to assess the effectiveness of Crown entity monitoring arrangements and identify opportunities where monitoring could be improved.
Letter to Hon Jacqui Dean MP about Jobs for Nature reporting
30 June 2022: We have replied to Hon Jacqui Dean MP about her concerns whether the $1.2 billion expenditure on the Jobs for Nature programme is providing value for money.
Annual plan 2022/23
June 2022: Our annual plan outlines our discretionary programme of work for 2022/23 – performance audits, special studies, regular reports and updates, and good practice guidance. This is work that we consider will help us to achieve our ultimate outcome – that Parliament and the public can have trust and confidence in New Zealand’s public sector.
