Victoria’s public hospital sector is made up of 86 hospitals and 23 controlled entities. This report outlines the results of, and observations arising from, our financial audits of the entities within the sector, and our observations, for the year ended 30 June 2017.

Victoria’s local government sector is made up of 79 councils, 10 regional library corporations and 16 associated entities.

As computer systems become increasingly critical to the operations of government agencies, effective planning and processes to manage disruptions are vital for ensuring Victorians can continue to access public services. In this audit, we look at whether the ICT systems in Victorian Government departments and Victoria Police can be effectively recovered in the event of a disaster.

The Annual Financial Report of the State of Victoria presents the consolidated financial outcomes for the state and the general government sector at 30 June each year.

Victoria’s water entities provide a range of water services, including supplying water and sewerage services, managing bulk water storage and looking after specific recreational areas, such as caravan parks.

This audit assesses whether Victorian public hospital operating theatres are being fully utilised. It has the potential to improve the efficient usage of operating theatres in Victoria by identifying good practice and barriers to performance. This audit is timely, given anticipated demand increases and constrained funding, along with recent interstate audits identifying inefficient practices in this area.

With current forecasts indicating that Victoria’s population could reach up to 10 million by 2051, this audit examines whether strategic planning for rapid population growth is effective and integrated. We focus on planning for birthing, maternal and child health, and funded kindergarten services, which are critical for the long-term health and wellbeing of babies and young children.

This audit examines V/Line's performance and whether it is managing current and future challenges. We also examine Public Transport Victoria’s and Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources roles in overseeing and monitoring V/Line’s operational performance and the Department of Treasury and Finance's role in monitoring V/Line’s financial performance.

In this audit, we examined the internal audit functions of all seven Victorian Government portfolio departments and assessed how well they use their internal audit resources. We evaluated the role and positioning of the internal audit function within departments, its independence and objectivity, the alignment of internal audit plans with departmental goals and risks, quality assurance and resourcing, performance against stakeholder expectations, and the communication of internal audit outcomes and insights.

This report follows up on three performance audits we completed in 2014–15—Additional School Costs for Families, Effectiveness of Support for Local Government and Operational Effectiveness of the myki Ticketing System. We examined the progress audited agencies have made in implementing actions to address the recommendations from the original audits.

This audit examined whether Victoria’s road network is being effectively and efficiently maintained. To assess this, we looked at whether VicRoads’ road pavement maintenance program is soundly based and being efficiently managed.

In this audit, we examined whether the development of the whole-of-Victorian Government housing strategy, as it relates to public housing, is supported by sound advice, and whether the Department of Health and Human Services is managing public housing effectively.