Page 1343 - Week 04 - Thursday, 12 April 2018
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2017-2018 (No 2) and Appropriation (Office of the Legislative Assembly) Bill 2017-2018 (No 2), being called on and debated cognately with orders of the day Nos 1 and 2, Executive business, Appropriation Bill 2017-2018 (No 2) and Appropriation (Office of the Legislative Assembly) Bill 2017-2018 (No 2).
I am moving this motion so that we can consider the two appropriation bills that are before this place. These bills are important and should be considered now, and that is why the standing orders should be suspended. The government is focused on delivering the great services that our growing city needs, and these appropriation bills are an important part of helping make this a reality.
Question resolved in the affirmative, with the concurrence of an absolute majority.
Appropriation Bill 2017-2018 (No 2)
[Cognate bill:
Appropriation (Office of the Legislative Assembly) Bill 2017-2018 (No 2)
Cognate paper:
Public Accounts—Standing Committee—Report 3—government response]
Debate resumed from 15 February 2018, on motion by Mr Barr:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
MADAM SPEAKER: Members, I understand it is the wish of the Assembly to debate this bill cognately with order of the day No 2, Appropriation Bill (Office of the Legislative Assembly) Bill 2107-2018 (No 2), and the government’s response to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts report on the bills. That being the case, I remind members that they may address their remarks to both bills and the government’s response.
MR COE (Yerrabi—Leader of the Opposition) (10.53): The opposition will be supporting both pieces of legislation; that is, the appropriation to the Assembly and also Appropriation Bill 2017-2018 (No 2). One of the key things in the legislation is the significant appropriation in education, especially with regard to the laptop program. We heard in the committee that the devices that are being distributed are Acer Spin 11 Chromebooks, supplied at a unit cost of $450. Of course, while we support investment in schools and education, there are some concerns about the performance measures that have been used or not used for this particular program.
In responding to the Chief Information Officer, the government response suggested that there are inadequate success criteria in place for this particular program. First, as the committee report states:
The Committee is aware that there has been awareness of the need for these projects over an extended period of time, and that long timelines such as these could provide the basis for smoother transitions in such projects.
Such projects include the Campbell Primary School and Narrabundah College. The report continues:
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