Page 4559 - Week 15 - Wednesday, 20 November 1991
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In the area of tourism, I commend the committee's concern for the realisation of the expected savings through the closure of the Sydney and Melbourne offices. I am able to assure the committee that the decision by the Tourism Commission to close the offices is sound and will result in substantial benefit to the commission's activities.
The committee also raised the issue of the control of the use of consultants. You will recall, Mr Speaker, that one of the measures my Government has included in this year's budget is a 25 per cent across-the-board reduction in expenditure on external consultants. I am fully aware of the need to ensure that consultancies are used only where necessary. For this reason it is my current policy that no contract for consultancy be let if the task can be properly carried out by ACT Government Service staff. As a further measure to ensure that consultant services are used only in appropriate circumstances, all proposed consultancies over $25,000 must have prior approval of the ACT Government Service Consultancy Management Committee.
Turning to the issue of redundancies, my Government will advise the Assembly of details relating to redundancies arising from the 1991-92 budget decisions as soon as the necessary union consultations have taken place and relevant award requirements have been met. The advice will be detailed in the 1991-92 Head of Administration Annual Report.
Mr Speaker, I now turn to another matter raised in the report - the issue of funding of non-government schools. My Government is committed to maintaining the high standard of education which is the envy of every other State and Territory. This commitment is to both government and non-government schools. The committee stated its concern at the removal of the special cushioning funding arrangement for three non-government schools.
The Government's decision was taken after careful consultation and consideration of all options, and now places the three schools in question on the same funding basis as all the other non-government schools - that is, the Government is funding all non-government schools at 50 per cent of the Commonwealth level. This decision takes into account the interest of all non-government schools. It is undoubtedly a far more equitable approach than an across-the-board reduction to the non-government schooling sector.
In respect of the police budget, Mr Speaker, I would like to assure the Assembly that the 1991-92 allocation for policing in the ACT does not contravene the terms of the ACT-Commonwealth policing arrangement. The police budget has been compiled in such a way as to ensure that the high standards of policing within the Territory will not be affected.
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