The Public Accounts Committee has released a report on repeat Financial Audit recommendations.
The Committee exercises the Parliament's review powers to hold the NSW Government to account in spending public resources, including by following up recommendations in the NSW Auditor-General's reports to Parliament.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report examined 19 repeat recommendations from the Auditor-General's 2010 Financial Audits. This is the first time in a decade that the Committee has systematically followed up financial audit recommendations.
The Committee's Chair, Mr Jonathan O'Dea MP said, "These are matters that the Auditor-General has raised repeatedly.
"For example, the Department of Primary Industries has more than 26,000 Aboriginal land claims waiting to be processed. This is just unacceptable. Even if processing four claims a day, it would take over twenty years to process just these claims."
The Committee's Report makes 12 recommendations to NSW Government agencies to address various issues. Some relate to the transfer of out-of-home care to non-government organisations; the use of contractors in the Ministry of Health; completion of the Government Property Register; and rebuilding state road pavements.
Mr Lee White, Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, commended the PAC for following up the recommendations: "It is pleasing to see the NSW Public Accounts Committee focusing on the outcomes from the Auditor-General financial audits.
"This work by the PAC will ensure greater transparency and accountability for the taxpayers of NSW," Mr White said.
