Page 3088 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 17 November 1992
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Mr Berry: You could have cancelled your trip.
MR WESTENDE: I could not.
Mr Berry: Yes, you could.
MR WESTENDE: There were other reasons why I could not cancel. Later on this week we will table the report of the Environment Committee. While I was on holidays I did take some time to do some work for this Assembly.
Mr De Domenico: At whose cost?
MR WESTENDE: At my own cost. I have given the Minister whose responsibility it is some information on energy and on rubbish collection. But we will not talk about that because I am not one who wants to get every cent out of this Assembly. In fact I will be perfectly happy - - -
Mrs Grassby: You are not Robinson Crusoe. I paid for mine, too, and found out all about drugs.
MR WESTENDE: Very good; thank you very much, Ellnor.
Mrs Grassby: So you are not Robinson Crusoe.
MR WESTENDE: Good. As I said earlier, I have read all the estimates papers, and all the questions that were asked, and I am perfectly happy that my portfolio was adequately represented by other members of the Liberal Party asking the questions.
I would also like to mention that the Select Committee on Estimates is not the only opportunity for the Government to be questioned on its budget. It is not the only time that the Government must account for its program, its actions and its shortcomings. There are many other avenues and these are ongoing; and, of course, they are vital to the delivery of good accountable government. In many respects the answers provided to questions on notice are much more thorough than the answers given in the Estimates Committee process. I would imagine that they are a lot less costly as well. In this regard I am very mindful of the number of public servants who are tied up in the committee room for at times quite lengthy periods, often on the off-chance that their advice may be needed to answer a question. I am also mindful of the long sitting periods of the committee that involve overtime and extra costs in keeping the building open after hours.
As to the report before the house for consideration, I am satisfied that it is a good summary statement of proceedings and findings and that it adequately covers the range of issues and matters canvassed. The areas that could be improved in future are more to do with information that is provided to members prior to the committee hearings. In some cases this information, in the form of draft annual reports, was provided at very short notice, and in most cases the information in these reports was superior to that provided in the estimates papers. It really is a waste of members' time if the information provided to them for scrutiny is incomplete or inconsistent with other related documents. In this regard more attention could be given to the format of the information to enable it to be read. The report covers this adequately. I would recommend to this house that the chair and this report deserve acclamation.
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