Page 2213 - Week 07 - Thursday, 16 June 1994

ANNUAL REPORTING (GOVERNMENT AGENCIES) BILL 1994

MADAM SPEAKER, BEFORE THE LAST ELECTION, MY GOVERNMENT GAVE AN

UNDERTAKING TO LEGISLATE TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK

OF ANNUAL REPORTING TO ENHANCE THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF A.C.T.

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO THE GOVERNMENT, THE LEGISLATIVE

ASSEMBLY AND THE COMMUNITY. THIS BILL WILL ENSURE THAT THE MAJOR

ASPECTS OF ANNUAL REPORTING, THAT IS, THE REQUIREMENT TO REPORT,

THE DATE BY WHICH THE ASSEMBLY SHOULD RECEIVE A REPORT, AND THE

FORM AND CONTENT OF REPORTS, WILL ALL BE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS.

I DO NOT NEED TO REMIND MEMBERS THAT BEFORE SELF-GOVERNMENT,

THOSE ELEMENTS OF COMMONWEALTH AGENCIES THAT DELIVERED

SERVICES TO THE TERRITORY WERE RESPONSIBLE TO THE FEDERAL

GOVERNMENT, AND NOT THE PEOPLE OF THE TERRITORY. THE ADVENT OF

SELF-GOVERNMENT ENSURED THAT THESE AGENCIES WOULD BE

RESPONSIBLE, THROUGH THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENT, TO THEIR LARGEST

STAKEHOLDERS: THE A.C.T. COMMUNITY.

THIS LEGISLATION IS A FURTHER STEP IN THE DIRECTION OF ENHANCING THE

ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE A.C.T. ADMINISTRATION TO THE COMMUNITY AND

ITS REPRESENTATIVES.

THE BILL WILL REQUIRE THE TABLING OF INSTRUMENTS TO DETERMINE

THE FORM AND CONTENT OF ANNUAL REPORTS. THIS WILL ENSURE THAT

ALL TERRITORY PUBLIC BODIES WILL BE REQUIRED TO INCLUDE CERTAIN

INFORMATION ON THEIR PERFORMANCE AND OUTCOMES AGAINST

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