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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1995 Week 7 Hansard (19 October) . . Page.. 1839 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

another career move, they will all retain their current terms and conditions of employment. I should emphasise that any officer among this group who does not move onto a new executive contract and does not wish to accept an early retirement benefit will have the option of remaining a permanent officer of the service at the highest available non-executive level.

The Government has taken the opportunity to include one very important provision in this Bill that is not directly related to the new employment model for executives. That provision changes the name of the ACT Government Service to the ACT Public Service. This is a small but significant change which recognises that the public service is, first and foremost, about serving the public. Responsiveness to the elected government of the day is obviously a key value for the public service, but at the end of the day it is the public who pay the salary bills and the public who are the users and beneficiaries of the services provided.

In conclusion, Mr Speaker, this Bill is about public service reform; it is about service to the public; it is about creating a performance culture in the public service. This means delivering the goods and being accountable for doing so. With this Bill the Government delivers the goods. Under the new arrangements which it introduces our executives will deliver the goods.

Debate (on motion by Ms Follett) adjourned.

MS FOLLETT (Leader of the Opposition) (10.45): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to move the motion which has been circulated in my name.

Leave granted.

MS FOLLETT: I thank members. I move:

That the Public Sector Management (Amendment) Bill 1995 be referred to the Public Accounts Committee for consideration and report on the first sitting day of December 1995.

My reason for moving this motion is that I believe that a change of the magnitude that is indicated in the Government's Bill is worthy of thorough scrutiny. Mr Speaker, it is a very major change that is being made here. The thrust of the change is to abolish the SES of the ACT Government Service as it currently exists and to replace it with other arrangements. That means abolishing a whole part of the Public Sector Management Act, which up until now has been the employment instrument for the people concerned. The Public Accounts Committee has specific responsibility for examining the Public Sector Management Act and related matters. It seems to me only prudent and

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