Page 915 - Week 03 - Thursday, 22 March 2018
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I am pleased to speak to the report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety on annual and financial reports 2016–17. As members are aware, annual reports are the principal and most authoritative way in which directors-general and chairpersons account to the Legislative Assembly and other stakeholders, including the public, for the ways in which they have discharged their statutory and other responsibilities and utilised public funds over the preceding 12 months. They also provide an opportunity for agencies to advise all major stakeholders of their major plans and themes for the immediate future. The provision of meaningful operational and financial information by government to parliament and the public is a fundamental component of the accountability process.
On 26 October 2017 the Assembly referred the annual and financial reports of all government agencies for the calendar year 2016 and the financial year 2016–17 to the relevant standing committees. The annual and financial reports for 2016–17, or parts thereof, considered by the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety as part of its inquiry were: the ACT Electoral Commission; the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission; the ACT Human Rights Commission; ACT Policing; the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate, parts thereof relating to the Attorney-General’s portfolio, specifically racing and gaming policy, and parts thereof relating to the portfolio of the Minister for Justice, Consumer Affairs and Road Safety, specifically Access Canberra and the Commissioner for Fair Trading; the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions; the Justice and Community Safety Directorate, relating to the portfolios of the Attorney-General, corrections, justice, consumer affairs, road safety, police and emergency services; Legal Aid ACT; and the Public Trustee and Guardian.
The committee held public hearings on 6 and 8 November 2017. At these public hearings the committee heard from ministers, accompanying directorate and agency officers and members of governing boards. The committee thanks directorates and agencies for providing responses to questions taken on notice at its public hearings and questions submitted on notice following its hearings. This information assisted the committee in its understanding of the many issues it considered during the inquiry.
Annual reports as key accountability documents are one of the main ways for agencies to account for their performance, through ministers, to the Legislative Assembly and the wider community. They are a key part of the historical record of government and public administration decisions, actions and outcomes. They are a source of information and reference about the performance of agencies and service providers, and a key reference document for internal management.
The committee’s report includes discussion of significant issues raised during its inquiry and makes 30 recommendations. I conclude by thanking the committee chair, Ms Giulia Jones, and my committee colleagues Mr Chris Steel and Ms Elizabeth Lee, as well as relevant ministers and accompanying directorate and agency staff, members of governing boards, and anyone else that appeared, for providing their time, cooperation and expertise during the inquiry process. I commend the report to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
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