FREDERICTON (GNB) – In her latest report, Auditor General Kim MacPherson included an update on the status of performance audit (Value-For-Money) recommendations made in her 2011, 2012, and 2013 reports.

“We think it is important that both MLAs and taxpayers be provided with sufficient information to assess the progress the provincial government is making in implementing these recommendations,” she said.

From her review, the auditor general noted on average 70 per cent of the recommendations appear to have been implemented by the applicable departments, commissions and agencies.

MacPherson’s report provides additional detail on the status of recommendations for four chapters she included in her 2011 report, along with an update on the progress in implementing recommendations contained in the March 2015 Atcon Report.

In following up on her report on provincial wastewater commissions, MacPherson noted, that the recommendations implemented appear to have had a significant, positive impact on the governance and oversight of the Greater Moncton Sewerage Commission.

With regard to her audit of Constituency Office Costs for Members of the Legislative Assembly, MacPherson reported two of five recommendations have not been implemented, noting in particular the legislative assembly still does not publicly report MLA’s total constituency office expenses.

“Implementation of these recommendations is critical to ensuring that members of the legislative assembly can be held accountable for their constituency office costs,” she said.

In her update on the audit of the CMHC Social Housing Agreement, the auditor general indicated that only one of two recommendations had been implemented.

“Given the pending decline of federal support and aging infrastructure, the government’s ability to meet the demands of the program continues to be at risk without a long-term plan,” she said.

MacPherson also commented on her follow-up on the Public-Private Partnership audit.

“I continue to believe the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure should develop an asset management system for provincial schools, and budget in a way that protects long-term funding required to appropriately maintain provincial schools over their useful lives,” she said.

The Follow-Up chapter can be found in Volume IV of the 2015 Auditor General Report which also contains two new performance reports. Volume III, also released today, presents matters arising from the annual financial audit of the province and Crown agencies. These volumes and one page summaries for select chapters are available online.