Publications produced during 2022

This is a list of the publications produced in 2022 (the most recent items are listed first).
Observations from our central government audits: 2021/22

13 December 2022: This report sets out the operating environment for central government, the results of our audit of the Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the year ended 30 June 2022, our work carrying out the Controller function, and our observations about performance reporting across central government.

Update on 2021 school audits

22 November 2022: A high-level overview of the 2021 school audits. We have provided this information, and a list of recommendations, to the Secretary for Education.

Auditor-General’s mid-term review

27 October 2022: Earlier this year, Auditor-General John Ryan reached the mid-point of his seven-year term. He commissioned a review to reflect on where we are as an Office, identify the challenges the Office faces, and confirm the key priorities for the rest of his term.

Annual report 2021/22

18 October 2022: This 2021/22 annual report describes the work we have carried out to demonstrate how we will achieve our ultimate outcome – that Parliament and the public have trust and confidence in New Zealand's public sector.

Setting up a council’s Audit and Risk Committee

13 October 2022: An Audit and Risk Committee provides a council’s governing body – the set of all elected councillors – and the community with confidence that a council is managing its risks. Here we provide suggestions for how best to set up and run such a committee.

Cost of living payment

29 August 2022: We have written to Inland Revenue and Nicola Willis, MP about cost of living payments made by the government.

Follow-up on marine protection planning processes

18 August 2022: We asked the Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai and the Ministry for Primary Industries Manatū Ahu Matua for an update on their response to recommendations we made in 2019 about marine protection planning processes.

Māori perspectives on public accountability

21 July 2022: We commissioned Haemata Limited to help us understand more about Māori perspectives on effective public accountability. Guided by kaupapa Māori research principles, Haemata had wide-ranging discussions with 35 Māori participants about their perspectives on accountability and trust in, and with, the public sector. The findings in Haemata's report highlight issues that we consider are of importance to all public organisations that seek to build and maintain trust and confidence with Māori.

Annual plan 2022/23

June 2022: Our annual plan outlines our discretionary programme of work for 2022/23 – performance audits, special studies, regular reports and updates, and good practice guidance. This is work that we consider will help us to achieve our ultimate outcome – that Parliament and the public can have trust and confidence in New Zealand’s public sector.

Governance of the City Rail Link project

28 June 2022: We looked at the governance arrangements for the City Rail Link project to see whether they were effective and likely to support its successful completion.

Response to letter about Rapid Antigen Tests

16 June 2022: We have replied to Chris Bishop MP about his request to investigate the Government’s purchasing and administration of Rapid Antigen Tests as part of the Covid-19 health response.

Council communications during the 2022 pre-election period

14 June 2022: Councils need to take care to make sure that council communications are not used, or appear to be used, for political purposes. Here are some of the main things councils should watch out for when making decisions about communication during this pre-election period.

Masterton Civic Facility Project

26 May 2022: We wrote to the Chief Executive of Masterton District Council after concerns were raised with us about aspects of the Council's Civic Centre Project.

Responses to our recommendations about monitoring water used for irrigation

19 May 2022: We asked the Ministry for the Environment, the Northland Regional Council, the Hawke's Bay Regional Council, the Otago Regional Council, the Marlborough District Council, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, and the Environment Canterbury Regional Council for an update on their response to recommendations we made in 2018 about the monitoring of water used for irrigation.

Tertiary education institutions: What we saw in 2021

14 April 2022: This report expands on the main findings from our 2020 audits of tertiary education institutions and provides our observations on the tertiary education sector in 2021. It focuses on two key areas – the ongoing vocational education reform programme and the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the tertiary education sector.

Inquiry into the Strategic Tourism Assets Protection Programme

31 March 2022: Concerns were raised in the media and our Office about how the Strategic Tourism Assets Protection Programme (STAPP) was managed. Because of these concerns, and the amount of public money involved, we carried out an inquiry into the STAPP eligibility criteria for funding and the process for assessing funding applications.

Controller update: July to December 2021

17 March 2022: Almost all government spending for the first six months of 2021/22 has been properly authorised and was within the law. There were three instances in which the Government incurred expenditure without having the correct authority in place.

Commentary on He Tirohanga Mokopuna 2021

15 March 2022: We reviewed the Treasury's He Tirohanga Mokopuna 2021 to look at how well it had identified long-term insights about challenges and opportunities and integrated them into a view of the Government’s long-term financial position.

No financial interests in Hood Aerodrome decision

24 February 2022: We were asked to look into potential issues with a mayor and councillor voting on a plan for Hood Aerodrome. After considering the information we needed, we do not consider they had a financial interest in the decision.