This audit assessed whether councils achieve value for money from their library services.
We assessed how well selected library services plan, monitor and review their services to find service efficiencies and meet community needs. We also examined whether funding and investments into statewide library initiatives are supporting councils to improve their library services.
This audit assessed whether planning processes and early works have adequately prepared the Melbourne Metro Tunnel Project for the main tunnel and stations works.
We reviewed planning processes including the development of the project business case (defining the problem, strategic options analysis, demand forecasts, and benefits definition), stakeholder consultation, site acquisition and preparation, land clearance and demolitions, environmental effects studies and other statutory planning.
Ordered to be published
VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT PRINTER July 2018
PP No 422, Session 2014–18
Dear Presiding Officers
Ordered to be published
VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT PRINTER July 2018
PP No 421, Session 2014–18
Dear Presiding Officers
We have consulted with DELWP, EPA, SV, MWRRG and GWRRG, and we considered their views when reaching our audit conclusions. As required by section 16(3) of the Audit Act 1994, we gave a draft copy of this report, or relevant extracts, to those agencies and asked for their submissions and comments. We also provided a copy of the report to DPC.
Responsibility for the accuracy, fairness and balance of those comments rests solely with the agency head.
Responses were received as follows:
Trust in government is important for the success of many policies, programs and regulations that depend on the cooperation and compliance of citizens. Transparent public reporting on government performance is an important way to build and maintain public trust. This is particularly relevant where money is collected from the public for a particular purpose as is the case with the MILL. It is important to explain to the public not just how this money is being spent, but also the extent to which it is achieving intended outcomes.
The public's trust in government depends on transparency and accountability. The fund's governance and transparency issues identified by the 2013 MAC report eroded this trust and undermined public and industry confidence. It is important therefore, that the current operating arrangements address past governance issues. The committee, which replaced the independent statutory committee, has a significant role to play in this regard as, under the Guidelines it should:
Public monies are set aside in trust accounts for specific purposes, and as such are quarantined from the rest of a department's operations. This places an added premium on good financial management and control, and transparency.
In this part of the report, we consider how well the monies in the two trusts are controlled. We place emphasis on making sure the systems of financial control that support their operation are sound, and operate so that:
Victoria's MILL was established in 1992 to create a disincentive to putting waste into landfill and to encourage resource recovery and recycling. Income generated by the MILL supports Victoria's environmental agencies, with the remainder transferred to the fund to be used only for initiatives that aim to address environmental challenges for the benefit of all Victorians.