Page 2530 - Week 06 - Thursday, 23 June 2011
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Public Sector Management (One ACT Public Service) Amendment Bill 2011
[Cognate bill:
Administrative (One ACT Public Service Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2011]
Debate resumed from 5 May 2011, on motion by Ms Gallagher:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ms Le Couteur): I understand it is the wish of the Assembly to debate the Public Sector Management (One ACT Public Service) Amendment Bill 2011 cognately with the Administrative (One ACT Public Service Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2011. That being the case, I remind members that in debating the Public Sector Management (One ACT Public Service) Amendment Bill 2011, they may also address their remarks to the Administrative (One ACT Public Service Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2011.
MR SESELJA (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (11.29): Does that mean that I get 40 minutes to respond? Do I get to speak for 20 minutes on each?
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER: I fear not, Mr Seselja.
MR SESELJA: The opposition will be supporting this bill. The bill, as outlined by its explanatory statement, proposes to allow for the following: create a single ACT public service entity comprising directorates; establish the head of service role responsible for whole-of-government matters, employment matters and organisational structure matters; rename the chief executive as director-general, with continued ongoing management of the respective government agency; and provide consequential amendments to the Public Sector Management Act to reflect the new role of the head of service and new offices in a single entity structure.
In effect, this bill is expected to realise the single entity structure for the ACT public service that is recommended by the Governing the city state: one ACT government, one ACT public service report by Dr Allan Hawke. Consequently, the Public Sector Management (One ACT Public Service) Amendment Bill 2011 and the Administrative (One ACT Public Service Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill propose machinery-of-government changes, and the Canberra Liberals will not be opposing them.
Of the 76 recommendations put forth in the report in February this year, this bill seeks to address the recommendations for a more aligned and better operating administrative structure. The former Chief Minister said when tabling this bill:
The focus will not be on the achievements and results of individual directorates. Success will be measured by what the whole of the ACT public service can achieve.
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