FREDERICTON (GNB) – Auditor General Kim MacPherson provided an update today on the status of performance audit (Value-For-Money) recommendations made in her past reports.

The report includes new status updates on implementation of recommendations. However, MacPherson said, due to lengthy delays in implementing significant recommendations, further information on some previously reported chapters is also included.

In following up on her 2011 report on constituency office costs, MacPherson was disappointed to find that two of the five recommendations have still not been implemented. The auditor general is concerned that New Brunswick is falling behind its Atlantic peers in holding MLAs and ministers accountable for their constituency office costs and in disclosing expenses to the public.

“Elected officials are expected to set an example in accountability and transparency,” said MacPherson. “This lengthy delay in implementing significant recommendations is troubling.”

On her 2013 recommendation for a long-term infrastructure plan, MacPherson reported the recommendation has still not been fully implemented, though the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure continues to work on developing key elements of the plan.

“We will continue to use our followup process as a means of providing encouragement and support for departments, commissions and Crown agencies to fully implement as many of our recommendations as possible,” said MacPherson.

MacPherson noted that 66 per cent of her recommendations from 2014 to 2016 have been implemented by the applicable departments, commissions and agencies. However, she is not satisfied with this implementation rate and encouraged departments to be more transparent and consistent in reporting the status of these recommendations in their own annual reports.

“In some cases, a recommendation was reported as not implemented to us while the department reported it as adopted in their annual report,” said MacPherson.

On her 2015 audit of financial assistance to Atcon, MacPherson reported Opportunities NB has made progress, but a number of recommendations had still not been implemented at the time of her review.

“In my opinion, it continues to be difficult to assess the true economic impact of financial assistance provided by government,” said MacPherson.

On her work concerning the data centre power interruption, carried out in 2014, two of seven recommendations have not been implemented.

“As a result, there continues to be no documented plans to recover critical systems and resume IT services in the event of a major system failure,” said MacPherson.

MacPherson reported that three of 10 recommendations resulting from her 2014 audit of Point Lepreau Generating Station Refurbishment – Phase II had not been fully implemented. She said implementing these recommendations could strengthen NB Power’s negotiating position, promote efficiency and potentially result in lower costs with future contracts.

The Follow-Up chapter can be found in Volume II of the 2018 Auditor General Report. This volume and the one-page summary for this chapter are available online.