Government Gets Poor Marks on Implementing AG’s Recommendations
Only 60% of Recommendations from 2019, 2020, and 2021 Performance Audits Completed
For release May 7 – The completion rate of Auditor General recommendations has slipped so much in the past three years that it raises questions about government’s commitment to get them done, says Auditor General Kim Adair.
Government has completed just three quarters (76%) of the 2019 recommendations, a below-normal rate after three years, and momentum has further slowed to 45% and 42% in completing 2020 and 2021 recommendations.
“There’s no high point this year and the collective three-year score puts the government at just 60% which is unsatisfactory,” Adair said about the 92 recommendations from 2019, 2020, and 2021 performance audits.
One government department is responsible for more than half of the 11 recommendations still not completed from 2019 audits. Public Works has completed just one of the seven recommendations from the 2019 audit of The Selection and Quality Management of Bridge Projects in Central and Western Districts.
When the audit was released five years ago, the department committed to achieving all the recommendations in six to 24 months including: conducting bridge inspections as required; and prioritizing bridge repair and replacement with consistent criteria.
The department has re-set the clock to wrap up the implementation of these outstanding recommendations by May 2024 and Adair already plans to check back next year to confirm.
“Time is of the essence and government must be accountable to see these recommendations through to completion,” she says.
The government has publicly said and agreed that it will complete Auditor General recommendations within two years. When the reports were released, government agreed to all the recommendations and made a commitment to complete them, says the Auditor General.
“Our performance audits identify opportunities for departments and agencies to improve how they work, and our recommendations help to address root causes of poor performance.”
Five of the 11 outstanding recommendations from 2020 audits are from the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) performance audit. Among other findings, the investigation found that there was no specific policy outlining the requirements for a product to be marketed as “Proudly Nova Scotian.”
“Without one, manufacturers may be unsure of the eligibility qualifications for Proudly Nova Scotian items, and consumers may not understand what the branding represents,” says Adair.
The government still has 15 recommendations outstanding from 2021, with six from the Pre-Primary Program audit, including that the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development should ensure all background checks for Pre-Primary Program staff are completed as required by policy before staff begin working in the classroom.
“By not completing this recommendation, staff without the required background checks may be working in classrooms, which could create an unsafe learning environment for children,” says Adair.
The Auditor General encourages all organizations to work toward the timely completion of every recommendation “to help promote better government for all Nova Scotians.”