Page 695 - Week 02 - Thursday, 10 March 2011
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Speaker, to the Deputy Speaker, who is authorised to give directions for its printing, publishing and circulation; and
(7) the foregoing provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders.
I have great pleasure in proposing this motion. It seems to roll around regularly—much quicker every year. We are now about eight weeks out from the tabling of the annual budget and it is very important that we get this committee up and running. It is one of the most important motions the Assembly can consider each year and it is integral to the role of the parliament in scrutinising the activities of the government of the day.
I am proposing that the membership of this committee comprise a member from the government, two members from the opposition and two members from the Greens. I am also proposing that an opposition member shall be elected as the chair. It was my original purpose to move this motion in February. I am aware that there has been some consideration about the best approach to performing the functions of scrutinising the annual budget in the admin and procedure committee. This follows a recommendation in last year’s report from the estimates committee. I will comment on that a little bit later.
I would observe that, as this motion was not moved at our February sittings, we are now less than eight weeks from the day on which the ACT budget will be presented and that the estimates process, therefore, is just around the corner. I trust that this is sufficient time in which to make the necessary arrangements for a program that is suitable to all the ministers. It is my intention, in attempting to move this motion as early as possible, to provide our Committee Office with as much lead time as possible to make the necessary preparations.
We have seen in some years that there have been issues concerning arranging for ministers to appear before the estimates committee. I think the combination of having the estimates period clearly identified in the annual calendar and the establishment of the committee reinforces the intention of the Assembly to use this process as effectively as possible. In particular, it is essential that the Treasurer is well aware of the timetable for estimates. The Treasurer should appear on the first day of hearings, after the community groups, and provide the context in which the committee will undertake its inquiry.
I am sure members will recall the situation the Assembly faced last year when the Treasurer had a longstanding commitment to travel overseas on private business and as such there was much toing and froing to facilitate the Treasurer at the beginning of the estimates committee’s hearings. I trust that this year there will not be a repeat of the complexity that took place last year. We certainly look forward to the Treasurer’s appearance this year as the ACT continues to deal with the return of the ACT’s budget to surplus and, in particular, how the government’s savings measures are being implemented.
I also note that the innovation which we commenced in 2009, and which we repeated last year, to engage external expertise to assist the committee in its deliberations
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