The Auditor General plans to finish 60 outstanding reports within the next 10 months.Heather Matthews said additional staff and hard work would enable them to start 2012 with a clean slate.“We are mandated to get out statutory reports first and that is why there has been a delay and unfortunately the Consolidated Fund has become pretty large and involved,” she said. “It requires all of our audit staff between five and five-and-half months of the year.“It can be pretty daunting.”As of April 1 the Office of the Auditor General will gain seven primary auditing staff.Ms Jacobs wants the 60 outstanding reports to be completed by 2012.She said it was important to clear the backlog so the office could focus on future reports as well new auditing practices, which are stricter than previous ones.“We have to be on a fairly clean slate and have all our audits completed,” she said. “Some of them will be qualified as we are going back to entities that have not been audited since 2004.“Going into the next fiscal year I have no other choice but to clear the backlog. I will be here two years on September 1 and I am looking for a smoother ride so we don’t have to put in the amount of hours that is required to clear the backlog.“I, and some of my staff, put in an excess of 70 hours a week; it is required to get a handle of it.“I will be 65 in five years so there is quite a bit that has to be done and I want to set the groundwork and the stage for the next five years and I want that completed this year.”Staff at her office has also been receiving training with Canadian Auditor Generals to ensure they are up to date with best practices.