Overview

• The NSW Auditor-General concluded that the LSCA program complied with grants administration laws and did not constitute pork-barrelling.
• Two areas of concern were identified: minor administrative errors and unaddressed conflicts of interest among 54 of 644 panel members.
• The Program Office reviewed conflict-of-interest processes for just 17 out of 93 Labor candidates before approving grants.
• Auditor-General Bola Oyetunji urged an overhaul of state grants guidelines to better manage election-linked commitments.
• NSW government has accepted all audit recommendations, committing to tighten grant procedures and ensure comprehensive conflict-of-interest checks in future programs.