We have consulted with the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Department of Treasury and Finance, and we considered their views when reaching our audit conclusions. As required by section 16(3) of the Audit Act 1994, we gave a draft copy of this report, or relevant extracts, to those agencies and asked for their submissions and comments.

Responsibility for the accuracy, fairness and balance of those comments rests solely with the agency head.

Responses were received as follows:

This Part of the report assesses the Department of Health and Human Services' (DHHS) implementation of asset management recommendations from our 2012 performance audit Access to Public Housing.

Figure 4A shows the four recommendations we made about public housing asset management.

Figure 4A

Summary of progress against 2012 audit recommendations relating to public housing asset management

This Part of the report assesses ongoing work to improve public housing in Victoria, which has occurred primarily through:

This Part of the report examines the key challenges to public housing in Victoria leading up to the March 2017 release of the housing affordability strategy Homes for Victorians. In doing this, we have followed up on related recommendations from our 2012 audit Access to Public Housing.

Figure 2A shows the three recommendations in our 2012 audit that focused on addressing system-level challenges for public housing.

Figure 2A
Recommendations from our 2012 audit relating to system-level challenges for public housing

Housing is important for all Victorians. Without access to affordable and secure housing, people face an increased risk of homelessness, mental illness and inability to meet living costs. Social housing is an important means of helping those in greatest need. Government, non-government and not-for-profit organisations provide social housing to people who are unable to access suitable accommodation in the private market. Figure 1A shows the types of social housing provided in Victoria.

Figure 1A

Social housing options

Access to affordable and secure housing reduces the risk of homelessness and improves people's capacity to meet living costs. It can also be beneficial in addressing issues such as mental illness.

Government and non-government not-for-profit organisations provide social housing to people who are unable to access suitable accommodation in the private market.

Social housing is an umbrella term for two different types of housing:

Ordered to be published

VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT PRINTER June 2017

PP No 254, Session 2014–17

The survey we conducted as part of this audit was designed to gather information on governance practices and obtain feedback on the effectiveness of guidance issued by the Victorian Public Sector Commission (VPSC), the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) and portfolio departments.

This appendix presents our methodology and the results of the survey.

Survey methodology

Selection of participant entities

There are about 3 400 Victorian public sector entities with boards.

During the conduct of this audit, we reviewed better practice guidance and frameworks to identify core principles in good board governance: