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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 7 Hansard (2 July) . . Page.. 2142 ..

MS CARNELL (continuing):

I would like to thank the Standing Committee for its approach to the consultation on the Protocol. This is part of a constructive dialogue between the Government and the Assembly and its Committees. However, as the Standing Committee Report notes, our approaches will inevitably reflect different perspectives.

As you will see from the Government's Response, we are not able to agree on all points, although the Government has made some amendments to the Protocol, which is attached to the Government Response.

The Protocol retains the emphasis on the role of Ministers as the contact between the public service and Committees. The Standing Committee did raise some concerns with this issue, although I do not consider that the Government's position is likely to be out of step with practice in other jurisdictions.

This may be an area where we have to agree to differ, although I hope that the Speaker will maintain communication with the Government and raise concerns where there are particular problems in arranging public service appearances before Committees.

The Government also agrees that documents such as these must be updated to reflect changes to practice and procedure. As acknowledged by the Standing Committee's Report, there are current Committee inquiries, such as the inquiry into committee evidence and the inquiry into the Review of Governance, that will continue this dialogue. I look forward to responding to those Reports in due course.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

MS CARNELL (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (3.01): Mr Speaker, for the information of members, I present the Government's responses to the Standing Committee for the Chief Minister's Portfolio Public Accounts Committee Report No 17, entitled "Review of Auditor-General's Report No 9, 1998 - Financial Audits with years ending 30 June 1998" and the Chief Minister's Portfolio Public Accounts Committee Report No 14, entitled "A Review of Auditor-General's Report No 8, 1998 - Territory Operating Loss and Financial Position". The reports were presented to the Assembly on 22 April and 11 March 1999 respectively. I move:

I seek leave to have my tabling statement incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

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