Page 4011 - Week 13 - Thursday, 10 November 1994
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Thursday, 10 November 1994
__________________________
MADAM SPEAKER (Ms McRae) took the chair at 10.30 am and read the prayer.
STATUTORY OFFICES (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) BILL 1994
MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (10.31): Madam Speaker, I present the Statutory Offices (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 1994.
Title read by Clerk.
MS FOLLETT: I move:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
Madam Speaker, this Bill amends provisions of existing Territory legislation which deal with appointments to statutory offices. There are some 255 statutory officers currently required to be appointed by Ministers, and usually after a public service merit selection process. This Bill simplifies these arrangements by giving chief executives responsibility for most statutory office functions, while leaving some to Ministers where that is clearly appropriate.
The Bill provides that a chief executive will create, maintain and fill public service positions which have statutory office functions. This simplifies the current practice of both the Minister and the chief executive having duplicate roles in the processing of a statutory appointment. By rationalising appointments in this way we are able to rectify the inappropriate hands-off approach of administering the Territory that we inherited from the Commonwealth. We are also able to put in place clear lines of responsibility and accountability.
The affected statutory offices tend to be those equating to municipal-type functions. These offices involve more routine administrative functions and are more appropriately exercised by a person attached to a given public service position. Administratively, these arrangements will lead to a more efficient and accountable Government Service through a strengthened merit selection process, through opportunity to improve in the performance of duties, and through enhanced definitions of lines of direction and responsibility.
I would like now to outline the model developed for dealing with the statutory office appointments covered by the Bill. The functions of the statutory office form part or all of the duties of a public service office. The public service office will be advertised and filled in accordance with the public service processes described in the Public Sector Management Act 1994 and the Public Sector Management Standards. The final step in
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