The ACT government has accepted the recommendations of an auditor-general's report that found forecast costs and delivery times for capital works could be meaningless.
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In July 2014, Auditor-General Maxine Cooper found only one of eight major projects in Canberra was delivered on time with only half delivered on budget.
Among the projects considered were the adult acute mental-health inpatient unit, delivered 18 months late, and the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children.
The report also considered the Civic carousel and Veterans' Park and Gungahlin College, with both delivered more than 14 months past their original completion dates.
But the report found additional reporting measures introduced in in the 2009-10 budget had improved the delivery of more than 700 capital works projects.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the report showed reforms improved the flow of capital works information from bureaucrats to the government.
"The report also notes that these reforms have increased the transparency of capital project and program performance, increasing accountability across government," he said.
"The report made eight recommendations, the government has agreed in full to six and agreed in principle to two."
The auditor-general's report found an initial combined budgeted total of $276.8 million for the projects was revised to $302.6 million for those projects considered.
Of all capital works projects initiated between 2009-10 and mid-2014, 77 per cent were delivered within the original budget while 91 per cent were finished within a revised budget.
Cost blowouts of the projects considered by the report ranged between 16 per cent and 23 per cent.
A response to the auditor-general's report tabled in the ACT Legislative Assembly said capital works reports were now provided to cabinet on a quarter basis, rather than bi-monthly.
"From September, the timeline for these reports will be shortened from eight weeks to six weeks between the end of the reporting period and consideration of the reports by the Budget committee of cabinet," the response said.
"Procurement and Capital Works is developing partnership agreements to clarify roles and responsibilities with those directorates which have annual capital works programs of at least $5 million."
The response said a revised reporting template for capital works would ensure adequate information on project risk and mitigation strategies were available to ministers.
"Cabinet has agreed that the high level whole of government capital works reports to the Budget Committee of Cabinet is designed to provide a consolidated snapshot of the government's capital works program, reporting against project milestones, budget and strategic risk."
Dr Cooper said a new project management system would also improve the delivery of capital works projects in the ACT.
"Although having contemporaneous information may not be possible given the current system used to generate it, the value of the Budget Committee of cabinet being presented with weeks and even months-old information is questionable," she said.
"Some information was incomplete and inaccurate; this, however, is likely to be addressed by all directorates having quality control processes."
In response, the government said draft specifications for the project management software had been developed and representations had been made from directorates to ensure value for money.
"The new system, together with directorates' expenditure reporting, will provide full project reporting," the response said.
"A decision on the extent of the software system's use across government will be made by the Strategic Board, depending on the suitability of the selected solution."
