Page 2821 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 24 June 2009
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Today we are discussing the Auditor-General and the importance of the funding of the Auditor-General’s Office and we have had the same constant carping that they are overfunded. In some sense, there is a view that the Auditor-General’s Office is some sort of overfunded, overpadded, bloated, spendthrift organisation—
Mr Stanhope: Well-funded—the best funded Auditor-General in Australia; the best funded in Australia.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Stanhope!
Mr Hanson: It’s not the best funded in Australia.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Hanson, you are not having a conversation across the chamber.
MRS DUNNE: According to the Chief Minister, it is a bloated, spendthrift organisation that needs to have its wings clipped. Let us again, Madam Deputy Speaker, have a look at the entirety of what the Chief Minister said today. Mr Seselja quoted some of it, but I will go to all that he said in his press conference yesterday:
We’re currently funding the auditor general four times more than New South Wales funds their auditor general’s office and I think there’s some issues for us there as well as for the auditor general and it’s probably time we had a look at that.
I think there’s potential for a very hard look at efficiencies within the auditor general’s office, I think perhaps it’s time for the auditor general’s office to be audited so we can have a look at the appropriateness of the level of her funding
When he was asked whether he was proposing cuts he said:
Most certainly. I wouldn’t anticipate that but when we have a situation where the ACT’s auditor general’s office—
Mr Stanhope: Just repeat that bit: “I wouldn’t anticipate that”.
MRS DUNNE: I will repeat the whole lot. “Were you anticipating any cuts?” “Most certainly.”
Mr Stanhope: “But I would not anticipate that,” yes.
MRS DUNNE: No, not a “but”. “I wouldn’t anticipate that but when we have a situation”—
Mr Stanhope: That’s right. Repeat it again.
MRS DUNNE: “where the auditor general’s office on early advice to me receives four hundred per cent more funding than the NSW’s auditor general’s office, then that’s an issue I want to look at.” Most certainly he wanted to look at cuts. That was a clear threat.
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