Page 4461 - Week 15 - Thursday, 22 November 1990
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MR BERRY: The issue of the provision of community services in the Territory, Mr Speaker, is a very serious one. Some of the matters which emerged from interrogation during the Estimates Committee sittings gave rise to further concern. One of the issues on which I was able to focus was that of performance indicators. I know that the Minister responsible is sensitive about this issue, but the performance indicators in relation to offenders dealt with in the community services program included the measurement of the rate of recidivism. During the course of interrogation it was discovered, rather surprisingly, that the Minister and his department could not measure it. I suppose that raises a question about the effectiveness of management in that area. There is no indication from the Minister that something is to be done about it. So that is an area of concern.
A lot of community money is being poured into the provision of community services. I suggest that the management of those services is not being carried out effectively, if those sorts of measurements cannot be made. I have to say, Mr Speaker, that the response from the bureaucrats in the course of the interrogation indicated that the best that the Minister and his department could come up with in terms of programs to measure that recidivism was that they were looking at options. Nevertheless, they had the gall to put in the budget papers that the rate and severity of recidivism of offenders was a key performance indicator. That is one issue which I think would cause some concern in the community about the management effectiveness of this Minister's department.
Mr Collaery: What a cheap shot.
Mr Kaine: You are a cheapskate, Wayne.
Mr Collaery: Why attack the public servants?
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MR BERRY: Thank you, Mr Speaker, for your protection.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Berry, please, you are over the top. You do this all the time yourself. Please proceed.
MR BERRY: I just thank you for your protection, Mr Speaker. The other side never thanks you for your protection.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you. Please proceed.
MR BERRY: They just expect it.
Mr Kaine: He does not give us any; that is the trouble.
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