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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 2 Hansard (11 March) . . Page.. 555 ..

MS TUCKER (continuing):

So, we do hope that the Government will include the community and the Education Committee in working out how it is going to develop that overall strategic view and strategy for the preschool sector. In that case, we will obviously have the opportunity to put to you the importance that many in the community feel about questions of access and the role that preschools have in these long-term benefits for society.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

ADMINISTRATION AND PROCEDURE - STANDING COMMITTEE

Report on a Protocol for Government Interaction with Assembly Committees

MR SPEAKER: I present a report of the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure, entitled "A Protocol for Government Interaction with Assembly Committees".

MR CORBELL (10.52): Mr Speaker, I move:

That the report be noted.

Mr Speaker, this is, I think, the second report from the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure of this Assembly. The report that we are presenting today is an important report in that it deals with an issue which is a constant source of friction between the Assembly and the Executive. It is a healthy friction, I should say, Mr Speaker. On Thursday, 27 August last year, the Chief Minister presented "A Protocol for Government Interaction with Assembly Committee Inquiries" and moved that that paper be referred to the Standing Committee for the Chief Minister's Portfolio for inquiry and report. That was amended to have the protocol referred instead to the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure.

Mr Speaker, the protocol presented by the Chief Minister dealt with the interaction between government officials and Assembly committees and also made some comment on the operation of Assembly committees in relation to their interactions with government officials and, to a lesser extent, with the Executive. The Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure has considered the report at a number of meetings and is happy to note the report and the advice provided by the Chief Minister in her presentation of her protocol.

However, the Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure has come to the opinion that that protocol has been developed from a government perspective and, whilst it is useful to comment on the document and appreciate the perspective the Government has in relation to how Assembly committees should deal with government officials, the committee has come to the view that the Assembly already has a similar document from a committee perspective for the use of its members, and that is "Committee Procedures and Operations: A Guide for Committee Members", which has been included as an attachment to the standing committee's report.

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