The Auditor-General is right

The Auditor-General in their annual report states:

This year we continued to focus on improvements needed to the information that public organisations provide about their performance. It is still too hard to tell what New Zealanders are receiving for about $160 billion of central government expenditure each year, and whether it represents value for money. I have raised this matter in several of my reports, as well as directly with the Officers of Parliament Committee. In my view, fundamental changes are needed to the system for how public organisations are required to report on performance, to ensure that the public sector meets the accountability requirements of a 21st century New Zealand. This is an important and urgent matter.

We’re spending $160 billion a year and the Auditor-General is saying he can’t tell if it is value for money and that fundamental reform is needed as both an important and urgent matter. This should be a major story.