Review into Transport for NSW's contract disclosure process

Review into Transport for NSW’s contract disclosure process

An independent expert will review Transport for NSW’s contract disclosure processes after a cluster wide check identified a need for more contracts to be publicly disclosed.

All government agencies are obliged to disclose contracts worth more than $150,000 under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009, which includes the transport cluster.

Transport for NSW has disclosed 190 current contracts signed in 2018, 793 from 2017 and 522 contracts signed between 2008 and 2017. These were progressively disclosed during July 2018.

A separate bundle of around 8500 expired contracts dating back to 2007 will be disclosed on the Transport for NSW website.

Transport for NSW has taken a number of steps to address the compliance issue.

Aspects of the procurement process will be strengthened to enhance compliance with disclosure obligations, while the compliance issue will be raised with senior executives across the cluster.

A disclosure program will also be developed, which has been communicated to the Information Commission.

Transport for NSW Secretary Rodd Staples said there is a plan to ensure Transport for NSW moves quickly to ongoing compliance.

“Enhanced compliance measures will include a combination of internal process changes across the Transport cluster and an independent external review to check progress. Lessons will be shared with other government agencies and in other forums, including the Whole of Government Procurement Board,” Mr Staples said.