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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 1 Hansard (22 February) . . Page.. 173 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

The Auditor-General concluded that the CIT was less efficient than the New South Wales institute but more efficient than the Western Australian and Tasmanian institutes and that the CIT was generally as economic as the New South Wales institute but less economic than the Tasmanian and Western Australian institutes. The audit also concluded that CIT is generally an effective institution which is performing well in meeting the needs of its clients.

The Public Accounts Committee sought my comments on the report and, following consideration by the CIT Advisory Council, I responded to the committee in September 1995. The Public Accounts Committee tabled its review of the report on 26 October 1995. The Public Accounts Committee noted the positive response to the audit by CIT and the CIT Advisory Council and welcomed the actions already under way or planned to be undertaken by the institute either as a result of its participation in the audit or in response to its findings.

The committee recommended that the Government monitor progress with the CIT response to the audit and inform the Assembly on outcomes within 12 months. I therefore present the action plan as the Government's response to the Public Accounts Committee. The action plan includes the recommended future actions, action officers and action required. This version also provides an up-to-date progress report for each recommended future action.

MR SPEAKER: Order! The extended time for Assembly business has now expired.

Motion (by Mr Humphries) agreed to, with the concurrence of an absolute majority:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the debate continuing on Assembly business, order of the day No. 3.

MR STEFANIAK: Mr Speaker, many of the actions recommended in the Auditor-General's report are consistent with the top structure review initiatives taking place in CIT, especially the restructure of the education delivery program into fewer faculties and schools and the development of an enhanced human resource management capability.

I will outline the highlights from the action plan of Government initiatives taken to make improvements at the CIT. Firstly, regarding improvements in efficiency and economy: A review of the level of payment to part-time staff and the possibility of introducing the use of non-teaching staff to assist or replace teachers as demonstrators and technical assistants in practical sessions has been undertaken and is also being pursued in the ongoing enterprise bargaining process. Efficiency and economy performance indicators for schools based on the ratios used in the analysis in the report are being introduced, with performance agreements being drawn up for heads of faculty schools.

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