Page 1662 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 29 May 1990
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The Canberra Times observed quite rightly on the first anniversary of self-government that the Government had been amassing information. We certainly have and I make no apology for it. Considering the dimensions of the dilemma with which we are faced, it would be a short-sighted and foolish government which attempted to develop strategies without access to adequate information. That is what happened last year. As I have already said, the Alliance Government is not looking for quick fixes and cobbled together measures to get us through the next budget. Government members are determined to address the underlying problems of the ACT public sector and to develop solutions which protect the interests of both the community and ACT Government Service employees.
The major challenge for the Government is to devise measures which protect the quality of services while enabling the ACT to live within its means. Developing community understanding and acceptance of the steps necessary to achieve this must depend on providing the community with comprehensible information on the problems and the options which are available. It was for this reason that within two weeks of the formation of the Alliance Government I moved to establish the Priorities Review Board to undertake an examination of the management of ACT government programs. This complemented the important work which I had initiated earlier by pressing for the establishment of the Else-Mitchell review of Territory assets and associated public debt - a report which I will be tabling later this week.
As members would be aware, the terms of reference established for the Priorities Review Board required the board to advise the Government on steps which could be taken to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the ACT Government Service and on appropriate arrangements to ensure ongoing commitment to improvements in public sector management in the ACT.
In establishing the board, the Government was particularly pleased to obtain the services of Mr Bob White, director and formerly, for 10 years, chief executive of Westpac Banking Corporation. He has also been a director of the Electricity Commission of New South Wales and several other major national companies and a former president of the Business Council of Australia. Another member was Professor Di Yerbury, the vice-chancellor of Macquarie University, who is a highly respected authority on public administration and the efficient provision of services to the public. Professor Yerbury was foundation professor of the Australian graduate school of management and formerly a senior officer in the Commonwealth Public Service. I am sure she would be most offended at being told that this committee was a Liberal committee.
They were joined on the board by three very distinguished members of the Canberra community. Rear Admiral Ian Crawford, retired, formerly held senior positions in the
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