Page 2790 - Week 09 - Thursday, 27 September 2007
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MR STANHOPE: I am pleased to present the government’s responses to five standing committee reports on the annual and financial reports for the calendar years 2005 and 2006 and the financial year 2005-06. As in previous years, I am tabling the responses to all of the standing committee reports covering all portfolios together. This is because the standing committee reports generally cover more than one minister and more than one portfolio and, in certain cases, issues raised in the reports apply across departments and agencies.
As members will be aware, annual and financial reports are prepared by agencies in accordance with the Annual Reports (Government Agencies) Act 2004, the Financial Management Act 1996 and the Chief Minister’s Department Annual Report Directions. The government seeks to ensure that annual and financial reports are continually updated to reflect best practice and full accountability. In line with this approach, some of the issues raised in the reports have already been addressed in the 2006-07 annual report directions.
The standing committees made 33 recommendations. The government has agreed in full or in principle to 20 of these and noted a further five. Eight recommendations are not agreed. The government has agreed in full or in principle to the majority of recommendations made by the standing committees.
The Standing Committee on Public Accounts recommended that the Department of Treasury include in future annual reports a discussion on levels and rates of charging and taxing within the territory. It is the government’s position that the purpose of annual reports is for agencies to account for their performance. A discussion on levels and rates of charges and taxes goes beyond the scope of annual reports.
The public accounts committee recommended that the government publish the audited financial report on TransACT Communications Pty Ltd as soon as it becomes available and submit the report to the Assembly, rather than wait till the end of the financial year. The government is not responsible for publishing TransACT’s annual report.
The public accounts committee also recommended that the ACT government publish policy advice provided by the Department of Treasury in relation to revenue measures and reductions in outlays of expenditure. However, policy advice from the Department of Treasury in relation to revenue or expenditure measures is provided to government through cabinet as part of the budget development process. This advice is classified cabinet-in-confidence and should not be publicly released.
In addition, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts recommended that the Chief Minister’s Department report back to the Assembly on the outcomes of the small business commissioner and the status of ongoing projects of the small business commissioner. The outcomes and status of these projects have been articulated in annual reports to the Assembly.
The remaining government responses to the 2005-06 annual and financial reports of the standing committees on public accounts, legal affairs, planning and environment, health and disability and education, young people and training are set out. I thank the standing committees for the effort they have made in producing these reports.
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