Auditor-General of New South Wales

Last updated

Auditor-General of New South Wales
Incumbent
Bola Oyetunji
since April 2024
AppointerThe Governor of New South Wales
Term length Appointed for a term of 8 years, and is ineligible for reappointment
Formation1824

The auditor-general of New South Wales helps the Parliament of New South Wales hold government accountable for its use of public resources.

Contents

The auditor-general is responsible for audits of NSW Government agencies, [1] universities, [2] and NSW local government, and also provides certain assurance services for Commonwealth grants and payments to the State under Commonwealth legislation. The auditor-general is the head of the Audit Office of New South Wales (AONSW), a statutory authority and integrity agency established under the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 [3] to conduct audits for the auditor-general.

The auditor-general is independent of the Government, and is accountable to the Parliament of New South Wales and regularly reports on the audits. Parliament promotes independence by ensuring the auditor-general and AONSW are not compromised in their roles by:

The Legislative Assembly Public Accounts Committee reviews the appointment of the auditor-general, prior to the official appointment by the governor of New South Wales. [4]

Audit Office of New South Wales

Audit Office of New South Wales Audit Office of New South Wales logo.jpg
Audit Office of New South Wales

The vision of the Audit Office of New South Wales is Our insights inform and challenge government to improve outcomes for citizens. [5] AONSW is headquartered in the Darling Park office precinct in the Sydney central business district, and is a short walk from Town Hall station.

AONSW comprises four branches: [6]

Financial Audit and Performance Audit

The Financial Audit and Performance Audit branches conduct financial and performance audits, principally under the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 [7] and the Corporations Act 2001, [8] and examines allegations of serious and substantial waste of public money under the Public Interest Disclosures Act 1994. [9] In 2016, the Local Government Act 1993 [10] expanded the auditor-general's mandate to include financial and performance auditing of NSW local government.

In 2016-17, AONSW completed 426 financial audits of NSW Government agencies and NSW universities, as well as seventeen performance audits. [11] In 2017-18, this increased to 550 financial audits of NSW Government agencies, NSW universities and NSW local councils, and nineteen performance audits, [12] as a result of the mandate to audit NSW local government. The full list of the financial audits and performance audits are included in Appendix Two and Appendix Five of the 2017-18 Annual Report.

Some of the key NSW agencies audited include:

Office of the Auditor-General

The Office of the Auditor-General is responsible for audit quality and compliance with Australian Auditing Standards, and incorporates the Professional Service Branch responsible for governance matters and disclosures. It has developed a corporate governance model for the NSW public sector, the Governance Lighthouse, [13] reflecting the eight core Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) Corporate Governance Principles across seventeen major points of good governance. The Governance Lighthouse provides practical advice and resources on implementing successful governance in the public sector.

Corporate Services

Corporate Services supports the service delivery branches of AONSW and comprises back-office functions including:

Legislative Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC)

The auditor-general and the Audit Office of New South Wales work closely with Legislative Assembly Public Accounts Committee. The committee was first established in 1902 to scrutinise the actions of the executive branch of government on behalf of the Legislative Assembly.

The Public Accounts Committee has responsibilities under Part 4 of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 to inquire into and report on activities of government that are reported in the Total State Sector Accounts and the accounts of the State's authorities. [14] A key part of committee activity is following up aspects of the Auditor-General's Reports to Parliament. The committee may also receive referrals from ministers, the Legislative Assembly and the auditor-general to undertake inquiries. The committee may also recommend improvements to the efficiency and effectiveness of government activities. [15]

History

For more than 185 years, the Audit Office of New South Wales has been assisting the Parliament of New South Wales hold government accountable for its use of public resources. This is done by reporting directly to Parliament on audits of government financial reports and performance. [16]

List of auditors-general of New South Wales

The following individuals have served as auditors-general of New South Wales. [19]

OrderAuditor-GeneralTerm startTerm endTime in office
1 William Lithgow 8 November 182430 April 185227 years, 174 days
2 Francis Merewether 185218563–4 years
3 Bob Nichols 6 June 185625 August 185680 days
4 Terence Murray 26 August 185617 September 185622 days
5 William Mayne 185618647–8 years
6 Christopher Rolleston 1864188318–19 years
7Edward Rennie1883190319–20 years
Auditor-General's independence from parliament and government established in 1902
8John Vernon1903191511–12 years
9Frederick Coglan1915192812–13 years
10John Spence1928194213–14 years
11Edmund Swift194219496–7 years
12William Campbell1950196312–13 years
13William Mathieson196319673–4 years
14Victor Cohen196719680–1 years
15Daniel Fairlie196819778–9 years
16William Henry197719802–3 years
17Jack O'Donnell198019854–5 years
18Kenneth Robson198519926–7 years
19Anthony Harris199219996–7 years
20Robert Sendt199920066–7 years
21Peter Achterstraat200620136–7 years
22Grant Hehir201320151–2 years
23Margaret Crawford201620247–8 years
24 Bola Oyetunji 2024current0 years

Bola Oyetunji

Bola Oyetunji has extensive executive leadership experience in strategy formulation, governance, data analytics, finance, accounting, and auditing at all levels of government. He holds an honours degree in economics and a master’s of commerce degree in finance. He is also a qualified CPA and a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

In his early career, Bola gained valuable industry experience at two of the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms, honing his skills in client management over five years. He joined the Audit Office of New South Wales in 2001 as a Director in the Financial Audit Branch, and over the following 16 years he solidified and deepened his knowledge of the state’s public sector, overseeing the superannuation, insurance and finance industries.

In 2018 Bola was appointed Senior Executive Director at the Australian National Audit Office in Canberra, and in 2021 was made Group Executive Director. Bola became Auditor-General for New South Wales in April 2024.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comptroller and Auditor General (United Kingdom)</span> Government official in the UK

The comptroller and auditor general (C&AG) in the United Kingdom is the government official responsible for supervising the quality of public accounting and financial reporting. The C&AG is an officer of the House of Commons who is the head of the National Audit Office, the body that scrutinises central government expenditure.

In many states with political systems derived from the Westminster system, a consolidated fund or consolidated revenue fund is the main bank account of the government. General taxation is taxation paid into the consolidated fund, and general spending is paid out of the consolidated fund.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Audit Office (United Kingdom)</span> UK Parliamentary auditing body

The National Audit Office (NAO) is an independent Parliamentary body in the United Kingdom which is responsible for auditing central government departments, government agencies and non-departmental public bodies. The NAO also carries out value for money (VFM) audits into the administration of public policy.

An audit committee is a committee of an organisation's board of directors which is responsible for oversight of the financial reporting process, selection of the independent auditor, and receipt of audit results both internal and external.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India is the supreme audit institution of India, established under Article 148 of the Constitution of India. They are empowered to audit all receipts and expenditure of the Government of India and the State Governments, including those of autonomous bodies and corporations substantially financed by the government. The CAG is also the statutory auditor of Government-owned corporations and conducts supplementary audit of government companies in which the government has an equity share of at least 51 percent or subsidiary companies of existing government companies. The CAG is also the statutory auditor of the Lokpal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Audit Commission (United Kingdom)</span>

The Audit Commission was a statutory corporation in the United Kingdom. The commission's primary objective was to appoint auditors to a range of local public bodies in England, set the standards for auditors and oversee their work. The commission closed on 31 March 2015, with its functions being transferred to the voluntary, not-for-profit or private sector.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Financial Reporting Council</span> Regulator responsible for promoting high quality corporate governance

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is an independent regulator in the UK and Ireland based in London Wall in the City of London, responsible for regulating auditors, accountants and actuaries, and setting the UK's Corporate Governance and Stewardship Codes. The FRC seeks to promote transparency and integrity in business by aiming its work at investors and others who rely on company reports, audits and high-quality risk management.

Audit Scotland is an independent public body responsible for auditing most of Scotland's public organisations. These include the Scottish Government, local councils and NHS Scotland.

The Auditor General of Newfoundland and Labrador is appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council and confirmed by a resolution of the House of Assembly

A public accounts committee (PAC) is a committee within a legislature whose role is to study public audits, invite ministers, permanent secretaries or other ministry officials to the committee for questioning, and report on their findings subsequent to a government budget audit. Typically, the government is required to report back to parliament on PAC recommendations within a specified period, usually two to six months. More often than not, opposition members chair PACs in the commonwealth. Based on their findings, PACs often make recommendations to government ministries requiring that they change certain policies and procedures to improve their operations.

Sir John Bryant Bourn was a British auditor who was the Comptroller and Auditor General and therefore a head of the National Audit Office.

The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) is the supreme audit institution of Australia, functioning as the national auditor for the Parliament of Australia and Government of Australia. It reports directly to the Australian Parliament via the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate. Administratively, the ANAO is located in the Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio.

The Controller and Auditor-General is an Officer of the New Zealand Parliament responsible for auditing public bodies. John Ryan began his seven-year term as Controller and Auditor-General on 2 July 2018. The Deputy Controller and Auditor-General is Andrew McConnell. Their mandate and responsibilities are set out in the Public Audit Act 2001. They are appointed by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the House of Representatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Court of Auditors (Spain)</span> The supreme governmental accounting body of Spain

The Court of Auditors is the supreme governmental accounting body of Spain responsible of the comptrolling of the public accounts and the auditing of the accountancy of the political parties, in accordance with the Constitution and its Organic Act.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions</span> Worldwide affiliation of governmental entities

The International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) is an intergovernmental organization whose members are supreme audit institutions. Nearly every supreme audit institution in the world is a member of INTOSAI. Depending on the type of system used in their home country, the members of INTOSAI may be variously titled the Chief Financial Controller, the Office of the Comptroller General, the Office of the Auditor General, the Court of Accounts, or the Board of Audit.

The New South Wales Premier's Department, a department of the New South Wales Government, is responsible for leading the New South Wales public sector to deliver on the Government's commitments and priorities. The department provides administrative support that enables the cabinet to identify, design and implement a coordinated policy, project and reform agenda that boosts the efficiency, productivity and effectiveness across the State. The department consults and work closely with other New South Wales government departments, the Commonwealth Government, local government, business and the community to ensure responses to community needs are effective.

The Auditor General of British Columbia is an independent Officer of the Legislature of British Columbia, responsible for conducting audits of the government reporting entity (GRE) which consists of ministries, Crown corporations, and other government organizations such as universities, colleges, school districts, health authorities, and similar organizations that are controlled by or accountable to the provincial government. Independence is a vital safeguard for fulfilling the Auditor General's responsibilities objectively and fairly based solely on the evidence found while conducting proper audit procedures. For this reason, the Auditor General reports directly to the Legislative Assembly and not the government of the day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comptroller and Auditor General (Bangladesh)</span> Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) of Bangladesh

The Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh (C&AG) is the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) of the country. Like the SAIs in many other countries across the world the institution is established by the Constitution of Bangladesh. This institute is responsible for maintaining accounts of the republic and audits all receipts and expenditure of the Government of Bangladesh, including those of bodies and authorities substantially financed by the government. The reports of the CAG are discussed by the Public Accounts Committee, which is a standing committee in the Parliament of Bangladesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corruption in Somalia</span> Institutional corruption in the country

Corruption in Somalia pertains to purported levels of corruption within Somalia's public and private sectors according to official metrics, anti-graft measures aimed at addressing those issues, as well as political dispensations and structural changes in government affecting transparency. Owing to a reported lack of accountability in the receipt and expenditure of public funds by the Transitional Federal Government, a federal Anti-Corruption Commission was put into place in 2011 so as to deter and eliminate graft. On Transparency International's 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, Somalia scored 11 on a scale from 0 to 100. When ranked by score, Somalia ranked last among the 180 countries in the Index, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector. For comparison with worldwide scores, the best score was 90, the average score was 43, and the worst score was Somalia's, 11. For comparison with regional scores, the average score among sub-Saharan African countries was 33. The highest score in sub-Saharan Africa was 71 and the lowest score was Somalia's, 11.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New South Wales Treasury</span> Department of the New South Wales government

The Treasury of New South Wales, branded NSW Treasury, a department of the New South Wales Government, is responsible for state financial management policy and reporting, and providing advice to the government on economic conditions and issues in New South Wales, Australia. NSW Treasury was established in April 1824 and is the oldest continuing government agency in Australia.

References

  1. Public Sector: Principal Departments and Other Bodies NSW Archived March 21, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  2. Charles Sturt University, Macquarie University, Southern Cross University, University of New England, University of New South Wales, University of Newcastle, University of Technology, Sydney, University of Western Sydney, University of Wollongong
  3. Public Finance and Audit Act 1983
  4. NSW Premier media release
  5. "Who we are". Audit Office of New South Wales. 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  6. "Our structure". Audit Office of New South Wales. 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  7. Public Finance and Audit Act 1983
  8. Corporations Act 2001
  9. Public Interest Disclosures Act 1994
  10. Local Government Act 1993
  11. "Annual Report 2016/17". Audit Office of New South Wales. 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  12. "Annual Report 2018/18". Audit Office of New South Wales. 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  13. "Governance lighthouse". Audit Office of New South Wales. 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  14. Public Finance and Audit Act 1983
  15. Public Accounts Committee, NSW Legislature Archived March 24, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  16. "Our history". Audit Office of New South Wales. 2017.
  17. Horton, Allan (1967). "Lithgow, William (1784–1864)". Australian Dictionary of Biography . National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN   1833-7538.
  18. "The Legislative Assembly". The Empire . 9 August 1856. p. 5. Retrieved 19 November 2020 via Trove.
  19. "Our history". Audit Office of New South Wales. 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2019.