Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

None . . Page.. 1098 ..

Subsection 49(1) of the Audit Act 1989 allows for transfers of funds between programs and within items of a program. An instrument under this section was signed and a copy provided to the Speaker on 9 June 1995. To assist members further in relation to the instrument, I wish to table explanations for the major variations as supporting documentation. Transfers under the Audit Act enable changes in priorities throughout the year to be accommodated within the total appropriation limit. At the time of taking office the Government was advised that the total of demands of departments for additional funding was $31m - well in excess of the $12m funding available in the Treasurer's Advance. Since that time substantial effort has been made to review commitments and to contain expenditure. The transfers made under subsection 49(1) of the Audit Act are part of that process. I table that information.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

WORKFORCE STATISTICAL REPORTS

Papers

MRS CARNELL (Chief Minister) (3.11): Mr Speaker, for the information of members, I present the ACT Government workforce statistical reports for the first, second and third quarters of 1994-95. I move:

That the Assembly takes note of the papers.

The documents that I have just tabled are the ACT Government workforce statistical reports for the work force as at 30 September 1994, 31 December 1994 and 31 March 1995. The report is a new document replacing the former quarterly staffing statistics. In 1995-96 the workforce statistical report will be available six-monthly, consistent with the practice in the Commonwealth and in some other States.

The new bulletin reflects two major changes in the last 12 months. The first was the establishment of a separate ACT Government Service on 1 July 1995. The second was the changeover from manual tabulation of payroll data to automated data collection from the human resource management system, or HRMS as it is known, for the 88 per cent of employees whose records are kept on that system. The move to a separate service required a review of definitions for the various types of employees, while the move to automated data collection has improved the accuracy and quality of information. The opportunity has been taken to improve the data presentation as well.

There are two changes I should highlight as improving the accuracy of these figures. First, casual employees are now counted according to whether they were working and were paid in the reporting period. The availability of the HRMS has allowed us to exclude casuals who were not employed during the reporting period but whose names were dormant on the payroll. Secondly, we have excluded the Australian Federal Police officers from the figures as the AFP are contracted service providers, not employees. There are numerous contracted service providers to government, ranging from cleaners to computer support technicians, and it is not appropriate to count people as employees when they are not.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .