Latest news with #auditorgeneral
The Herald
16 hours ago
- Business
- The Herald
Godongwana proposes full public funding for political parties
Finance minister Enoch Godongwana is proposing political parties be fully funded by public money, arguing reliance on private donors undermines accountability. Speaking at the Electoral Commission of SA's (IEC) inaugural symposium on political funding on Thursday, he said: 'In my view, political parties must be fully publicly funded. Political funding for political parties from the public purse carries with it obligations — there's going to be accountability and transparency. The auditor-general must be able to audit for that accountability.' Godongwana said there is need for a funding regime that ensures stability, transparency and participation. However, he cautioned that economic challenges and reduced revenue collection could limit the creation of a common public funding pool. 'Between the 2011/12 financial year to date, we've only given R3bn to political parties,' a figure he cited to highlight underfunding of parties. He also questioned the IEC's role in overseeing political funding, asking, 'Are we not putting the IEC in a position of a conflict?' Listen to the minister:
CBC
12-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
Judge rejects auditor general's bid to access Vitalité's internal audits on travel nurses
A New Brunswick judge has rejected the auditor general's bid to access Vitalité Health Network's internal audits of its controversial travel-nurse contracts. Auditor General Paul Martin sought a court order to compel the regional health authority to disclose the documents as part of his investigation into the management and use of private agency nurses by Vitalité, Horizon and the Department of Social Development between Jan. 1, 2022, and Feb. 29, 2024. But Court of King's Bench Chief Justice Tracey DeWare dismissed his application, saying she's not satisfied the Auditor General Act provides an explicit waiver of Vitalité's claims of litigation privilege or solicitor-client privilege. These privileges are "foundational to our legal system," DeWare wrote in her decision, dated June 2. "The Court can only endorse a legislative interpretation which abrogates these privileges in circumstances where the intention of the Legislature can be clearly discerned to have contemplated the scope of such an exceptional authority." Vitalité is entitled to costs of $2,000, she ruled. CBC News requested an interview with Martin, including whether he intends to appeal. In response, his office sent an emailed statement, saying he received notice of the dismissal last week and is "currently assessing the next steps." Vitalité did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a scathing report last June, Martin concluded Vitalité spent $123 million in travel-nurse contracts dating back to 2022, when the regional health authority signed its first deal with Canadian Health Labs. The Ontario-based agency charged about $300 an hour per nurse — roughly six times what a local staff nurse earns. "The contracts with private nursing agencies were not reflective of best practices and did not demonstrate value for money," Martin said at the time. As part of that audit, launched in March 2024, Martin requested "various information and documents" from Vitalité, including internal audit reports on the use of agency nurses. Internal audits were to probe 'irregularities' Vitalité refused to provide the internal audit reports. It had commissioned the audits after it "noticed irregularities in some of the services rendered by the agency nurses which were not in conformity with the terms set out in the governing contracts," according to DeWare's decision. No details are provided, but "in order to investigate potential deficiencies in the services rendered by the nursing agencies, [Vitalité] commissioned an internal audit of the performance of one of the contracts spanning the period between August 2022 and June 2023." Vitalité alleges these audits "confirmed the existence of deficiencies in the performance of the agency nurses' contract with one of the agencies — Canadian Health Labs," DeWare wrote. The company has since launched three lawsuits against Vitalité for allegedly breaching three of its contracts — two expired and one still in force. It's seeking compensation, including punitive, aggravated and special damages. Vitalité has filed statements of defence, as well as counterclaims in all three cases. Martin argued act covers privileged information Martin applied to the court for an injunction on Oct. 9. "Under the Auditor General Act, I have rights of access to any information relating to the performance of my duties," he wrote in a sworn affidavit. This includes privileged information, he argued. Section 13 (a) of the act says the auditor general is entitled to "free access at all convenient times to information, including files, documents, records, agreements and contracts, despite that they may be confidential or private, that relates to the fulfilment of his or her responsibilities." According to Martin, changes the legislature made to that section in 2014, including the auditor general's ability to obtain "private and confidential" information, were specifically made to address this type of situation, DeWare wrote. Discussions surrounding the amendments demonstrate there was a clear desire to enhance the auditor general's authority to obtain necessary information, Martin argued. Vitalité says disclosure would prejudice litigation Vitalité countered that disclosure of the internal audit reports "would prejudice its ability to prosecute" the action against Canadian Health Labs, according to Deware, and that Section 13 (a) of the act "does not explicitly displace or supersede otherwise valid claims of litigation or solicitor-client privilege." If the New Brunswick Legislature had intended for the section to override litigation or solicitor-client privilege, it would have explicitly stated so in the statute, as it does in the Ombudsman Act, Vitalité argued. DeWare noted the Ontario Court of Appeal recently upheld a trial court decision that the Auditor General Act of that province, which, similar to New Brunswick's, does not contain a specific waiver of a valid privilege, "did not authorize access nor compel disclosure of privileged information." The Supreme Court of Canada also considered a similar issue when interpreting a section of Alberta's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act in 2016, said DeWare. The country's highest court ruled legislative language must be interpreted restrictively when determining if solicitor-client privilege may be set aside. Act not explicit, judge rules "While I appreciate the [auditor general's] argument, the addition of the words 'confidential and private' to section 13 indicates an expanded scope to the information which could be sought, it falls short of explicitly stating an intention to have access to 'privileged' documents," DeWare said. She pointed out that with the 2014 amendments, the legislature didn't adopt the "explicit" language of Nova Scotia's Auditor General Act — "solicitor-client privilege, litigation privilege, settlement privilege and public interest immunity." "The language of the Nova Scotia statute could not be any clearer." Section 13 (a) of the New Brunswick act "does not grant the Auditor General the authority to require production of documents or information which are properly subject to a solicitor-client or litigation privilege," DeWare ruled.
CTV News
11-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Judge denies N.B. auditor general's request to view internal audit reports on travel nurses
A Court of King's Bench justice has denied the New Brunswick auditor general's request to view Vitalité Health Network's internal audit reports on the agency's travel nurse contracts that began in 2022. According to a written decision from Chief Justice Tracey DeWare, the auditor general sought to compel Vitalité to disclose the reports as part of its investigation into the management and use of travel nurses. The decision says Vitalité ordered an internal audit for the period spanning August 2022 to June 2023. 'The Respondent (Vitalité) asserts these internal audits confirmed the existence of deficiencies in the performance of the agency nurses' contract with one of the agencies – Canadian Health Labs ('CHL'),' the decision reads. 'The Respondent and CHL are now involved in litigation arising from this contract. 'The Respondent has refused to produce the internal audit reports on the basis they were properly subject to both a litigation and solicitor-client privilege.' Last year, the auditor general's audit found Vitalité, Horizon Health Network and the Department of Social Development spent $173 million on travel nurse contracts between Jan. 1, 2022 and Feb. 29, 2024. 'The purpose of the audit was to determine if government contracts with private nursing agencies represented good value relative to their costs,' the written decision reads. 'As part of the audit process, the Applicant (auditor general) requested from the Respondent various information and documents. The Applicant was particularly interested in governance practices, policies and billings to the agencies.' Chief Justice DeWare said the auditor general argued section 13 of the Auditor General Act allows them to access documents and information that would otherwise be private or confidential. Vitalité argued the disclosure of the internal audit reports would 'prejudice its ability to prosecute the action against CHL.' Chief Justice DeWare said the court must interpret section 13 of the act restrictively, noting that it does not refer to privileged information. 'While I appreciate the Applicant's argument, the addition of the words 'confidential and private' to section 13 indicates an expanded scope to the information which could be sought, it falls short of explicitly stating an intention to have access to 'privileged' documents,' the decision reads. 'Solicitor-client privilege and litigation privilege are foundational to our legal system. 'Section 13(a) of the Act does not grant the Auditor General the authority to require production of documents or information which are properly subject to a solicitor-client or litigation privilege.' Chief Justice DeWare dismissed the auditor general's application and said Vitalité is entitled to costs, which are fixed at $2,000. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
ABC News
11-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
NSW Police pushed to find 'root cause' of psychological injury claims, officers allege bullying, harassment
NSW Police has spent more than $1.7 billion on staff psychological injury claims in the five years to 2024, including many who claimed they suffered bullying and harassment at work. An auditor-general report examining the mental health and wellbeing of NSW Police officers found the force has not made enough effort to understand the "root causes" of the psychological injuries. It said NSW Police Force (NSWPF) was therefore not "efficiently or effectively preventing future psychological injuries". In the five years between mid-2019 and mid-2024, psychological injury claims made up 74 per cent of compensation costs, totalling $1.75 billion compared to just 26 per cent for physical injuries. The report found "work-related harassment and/or workplace bullying" was among the fourth most prevalent category used by NSW Police officers claiming psychological injuries, behind "other mental health stress factors", "exposure to workplace violence" and "work pressure". Acting Police Commissioner Peter Thurtell in response said ensuring officers had the support they needed was a "priority" for the force and it had "implemented several initiatives aimed at improving psychological wellbeing". "I do not share your view that the NSWPF is not efficiently or effectively preventing future psychological injuries. "Where risks cannot be eliminated, the NSWPF strives to minimise risks to health and safety." Bullying and harassment in the workplace was more commonly used in psychological injury claims by officers than "exposure to a traumatic event" or "being assaulted" on the job. The report did not further examine workplace bullying or other impacts on workplace morale. It comes after an ABC News investigation late last year into the exposed widespread allegations of a toxic culture at the NSWPF, including bullying, harassment, discrimination and a dangerous lack of mental health support. The investigation included claims the toxic culture was driving officers out of the job in large numbers, leading to unprecedented shortages across the state. It prompted the outgoing NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb to announce an independent review of the culture on the force, led by former Victorian Human Rights commissioner Kristen Hilton. That review is still underway and a report is expected to be released by the end of the year. The auditor-general report said the NSWPF had been "operating with significant workforce shortages since 2023" and most officers interviewed claimed that was having a significant impact on their mental health. "In all of the local commands where police were interviewed for this audit, frontline police advised that the primary cause of their workplace stress was high workloads, exacerbated by staffing shortages," the report said. "At some busy metropolitan stations, junior police advised that they are expected to arrive an hour before their official rostered start time, and may be expected to stay back for up to an hour after their rostered end time without additional payment." The report made four recommendations for NSW Police to implement by July next year, including implementing a "workforce allocation model that matches police numbers to command-level workload demands and changing workload levels". It also called for the force to "investigate and report on the factors that contribute to police role overload and burnout, and adjust policy settings, practices and controls accordingly". The report found NSW Police had failed to adequately investigate whether any workplace hazards or stressors had potentially contributed to the 171 critical incidents between mid-2019 and mid-2024. Critical incidents are those that result in deaths or major injuries to police or the public while police are involved.
CTV News
11-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
CTV National News: How Ottawa bungles the awarding of federal contracts
Watch The auditor general found that federal workers ignored rules for nearly a decade when awarding contracts the company behind ArriveCan. Judy Trinh reports.
