Auditor-General's report and inquiry terms of reference published

Ministry for Primary Industries: Managing the Primary Growth Partnership

The Auditor-General’s report, Ministry for Primary Industries: Managing the Primary Growth Partnership, was presented to the House of Representatives today. The report can be viewed on our website: http://www.oag.govt.nz/2015/primary-growth

The Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) is an initiative launched by the Government in 2009. Its purpose is to increase the sustainability and economic growth of the primary and food industries by creating partnerships between the Government and industry that promote and increase private overall investment in innovation in primary industries.

The main findings in our report are:

• PGP was set up quickly and initially encountered a number of challenges.
• Innovation is not ‘paint by numbers’ and the Ministry for Primary Industries has taken a flexible approach to establishing partnerships, which is appropriate.
• The management of PGP by the Ministry for Primary Industries has improved during the time since the initiative was launched.
• The partnerships we looked at are now generally working well and are showing some encouraging results.
• It will be at least 5-10 years before we see the extent to which New Zealand’s primary industries achieve the anticipated economic benefits.
• Public reporting by the Ministry for Primary Industries could be improved.

Inquiry into Massey North town centre development project

The Auditor-General has decided to carry out an inquiry into Auckland Council’s management of the project to develop a new town centre in Massey North. A number of concerns have been raised with us about the way in which the project was established and is being managed, largely relating to how the line between the public and private benefits of the project has been managed.

The Auditor-General has decided that it is appropriate to examine and report on these matters, given the public sector’s continuing interest in exploring new ways of working with private sector partners and the novel collaborative arrangements in this project.

Further information, including the terms of reference for the inquiry, can be found on our website: http://www.oag.govt.nz/media/2015/massey-north

ends

© Scoop Media