Page 2317 - Week 08 - Friday, 21 June 1991
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MR STEVENSON: I will certainly make that perfectly clear, as I usually do with most things I speak on. There is never much doubt when I have finished speaking.
So, there was a slight problem with that one in that I was not asked whether I wanted to be on it or not, and indeed I did not go on it. But I would have liked to be on the other three that I did ask for and on which I felt I could serve the people well. I have had in mind for some time the idea of serving on a major committee such as the Public Accounts Committee, and at one time I would ask to be elected onto that committee. I believe that any member of any grouping in this Assembly, if they wish to do so, should be elected to the Public Accounts Committee because, after all, no money, no government. That is the major one that we need to look at.
I have been becoming increasingly concerned about the use or misuse of taxpayers' money in the ACT. The Auditor-General's Report No. 4 did nothing to allay those concerns; there are major problems. I look forward to looking at Report No. 5 as well. I had earlier suggested that I was not going to nominate for the Public Accounts Committee, but I changed my mind. I did so because there is no doubt whatsoever that the ACT is in a very perilous situation with regard to accounts. I think we need to look at the fact that the ACT has not been handled well economically by either the ALP when it had control of the numbers or the Alliance when it had control of the numbers.
The ACT, when self-government was formed, was set up along the lines of a State-like government. Accounting practices were put in line that would be more fitting to New South Wales or some other State. Perhaps it would have been far better to have set up in the ACT something more fitting to the numbers of people we have here - perhaps something along the lines of a local council, because that is what we have as far as numbers are concerned. So, as I said, I have asked to be included on the Social Policy Committee as well as the Public Accounts Committee.
MR DUBY (Leader of the Opposition) (5.39): Mr Speaker, I do not know whether this is the appropriate time to say this. I have some difficulty with point one of the motion. As Mr Stevenson has rightly outlined, the Public Accounts Committee currently has only three members. I tend to agree with Mr Stevenson's statement that that is an important committee which should have a broader representation from throughout the Assembly. I therefore seek leave to move that the Standing Committee on Public Accounts be expanded to include five members.
Leave not granted.
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