Office of the Auditor General

The state government has recruited Canberra-based Caroline Spencer to be the state’s next auditor general, three years after she was appointed to review the performance of incumbent Colin Murphy.

The Barnett government’s ambitious GovNext ICT program was based on flawed assumptions and will not achieve the anticipated savings but still holds potential to deliver significant benefits, a review has found.

The Office of the Auditor General has found a project to replace PathWest’s ‘laboratory information system’ is now expected to be two years late and cost nearly double the project’s original $26.8 million budget.

Western Australia’s Auditor General has warned the Department of Local Government Sport and Cultural Industries could be susceptible to financial fraud.

The state government has detailed changes it plans to make across the public sector to enhance financial accountability and transparency, following recent corruption charges laid against a former senior public servant in the Department of Communities.

Auditor general Caroline Spencer has delivered a strong rebuke to the local government sector for seeking to avoid audit oversight during COVID-19.

Only 2 per cent of a $319 million post-COVID social housing initiative had been spent by March, according to a report by the Auditor General released today.

Perth Festival has released a dramatically changed program for 2022 along with its first-ever 12-month financial report since becoming a stand-alone company.

Almost all funding allocated to tax relief for commercial landlords as part of recent COVID-19 relief measures was either spent as industry support or returned to consolidated revenue, state parliament has heard.

Hundreds of management and system control weaknesses have been found across state government departments, with a record number of red marks from auditors.

The state's auditor-general has found "significant weaknesses" in the COVID-19 contact tracing system, including allowing unnecessary and excessive access to personal information.

WA’s Auditor General has repeated her call for more transparency and regular reporting on major government projects after quantifying time and cost blowouts on multiple developments.

Progress on a 112-unit facility to house people experiencing homelessness has hit a snag amid rising construction costs.

Cabinet documents will soon be available to the state's auditor general as part of a suite of proposed reforms to the oversight body.

Senior editor Mark Beyer discusses this year's changes to Data & Insights' accountants list and highlights some of the biggest issues affecting the sector.

A $27 million misstatement of the Department of Communities’ cash reserves is the latest example of “sloppy” financial management in the public sector, the Auditor General has warned.

A report into 123 state government entities’ financial audits has raised concerns about serious deficiencies and greater exposure to fraud, the Auditor General says.

Money raised via the Perth Parking Levy has been conditionally approved for the WACA aquatic facility, a project the auditor general has found to be outside the fund's current purpose.

Matt Mckenzie and Jordan Murray discuss the impact of nine rate rises and the level of WA homeowners behind on mortgages.

Recent wrangling over the Perth parking levy is yet another case study in the political troubles of a diminished opposition.

Withholding information about stamp duty paid on the $17.3 million sale of the Landgate building was not reasonable or appropriate, according to the state’s auditor general.

Auditors are asking questions about the Department of Planning, Land, and Heritage’s $2.7 billion portfolio after finding “management were unable to substantiate the existence of all administered land”.

Western Australia's auditor general has highlighted concerns over the state government's $580 million spending during the pandemic, with millions of rapid antigen tests remaining unused.

The state’s auditor general has warned failure to address auditing issues in the state sector could erode public confidence, revealing a record number of qualification matters reported in 2021-22.

Jack McGinn and Claire Tyrrell discuss modular home development in Western Australia.

The auditor general has lifted the lid on financial reporting weaknesses and cyber security issues at WA’s tertiary institutions.

Focus on cyber security is particularly weak among senior business leaders and tertiary institutions.

More than half of the IT issues identified in the previous financial year’s audit remain unresolved, the Office of the Auditor General reported.

The Office of the Auditor General found a 66 per cent increase on media buying, with state government entities spending $58 million in 2023.

The auditor general has flagged concern over a lack of government disclosure around the agreement between the state and a law firm advising on the Griffin Coal operation near Collie.

The state government has belatedly disclosed the fees paid to law firm Ashurst for advice on Griffin Coal after being criticised by the Auditor General.

The state’s auditor general has recommended the Department of Health start a refresh of its digital strategy to tackle weaknesses in its management of emergency department data.