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

None . . Page.. 997 ..

MRS CARNELL: If the Opposition had bothered listening yesterday, they would know that, in keeping with the Territory's limited means and modest size, the total number of departments is actually reduced by two. The Chief Minister's Department, ACT Treasury and the Department of Public Administration have been merged to form a single agency. This will give added weight and momentum to the Government's comprehensive program of public sector reform. A new Department of Business, the Arts, Sport and Tourism will bring together in a single agency responsibility for the key elements of the Territory's economic reform. The Department of Urban Services will now have responsibility for the full range of environmental, conservation and city services. Government activities that are capable of operating on a commercial basis are being consolidated in the Department of Urban Services. The works and commercial services group will have a charter to sharpen the performance of a range of activities, to ensure that the community gets the best possible return on its investment. In keeping with our election commitment, the ACT Planning Authority will now stand alone and report directly to Mr Humphries. This is a much more transparent operation.

These significant administrative reforms have been implemented under the current ministerial responsibilities. The reason we have done that is that ministerial responsibilities are allocated on the basis of Ministers’ interests and talents. That might be a unique thought for the previous Government, but I believe that people should actually be doing things that they are good at and that they are interested in. I think that is substantially more important than having some artificial reallocation of ministries at this stage. We believe strongly - as, by the way, do our senior bureaucrats and, I believe, the public service as a whole - that this approach will make sure that we can streamline the whole public service and that we bring together areas such as corporate support in such a way that we are operating efficiently. That is what this is about. Unfortunately, it seems that the previous Government does not like any change.

MR BERRY: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Against the background of my extreme disappointment that, despite my request, Mrs Carnell still went to the rhetoric bucket, I ask: Is it true that this blockbusting statement still boils down to two departments reporting to three Ministers, one department reporting to two Ministers and five departments reporting to only one Minister, counting the ACT Planning Authority and the Australian Federal Police as departments, and that the only change from the previous arrangements is that the number of departments reporting to a single Minister has been reduced from six to five? Is that the blockbuster that everybody has been waiting for?

MRS CARNELL: The facts are that, under the previous Government, we had three departments that were servicing government and five departments that were providing services. We now have one department servicing government and five departments producing services to the community. We think that is an appropriate approach. What we have done is streamline services to government but ensure that the whole focus of this Government will be on providing services to the community.

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