Page 1154 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 2 April 2019
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Clause 6.
MR COE (Yerrabi—Leader of the Opposition) (11.57): I move amendment No 4 circulated in my name [see schedule 1 at page 1218]. This amendment inserts proposed new section 18G(2)(aa) and (ab). As previously foreshadowed, this amendment requires the Treasurer to provide reasons as to why the capital works advance is required and why the amount required was not provided for in the appropriation of the previous financial year. It also mandates the reporting of an explanation of why a capital works appropriation was not fully disbursed and why the undisbursed amount is no longer required by the entity.
As I stated earlier, the case must be prepared for the Treasurer to be satisfied that the expenditure or return of these funds is necessary. Releasing or publishing that due diligence does not impose a burden on the public service, given that the documentation should have already been prepared. The opposition have previously stated our doubts about the need for this provision.
We do not support the introduction of broad discretionary powers, and we hope these amendments will at least make some more information public. Whilst it is highly unlikely, I encourage members of the government to support this amendment if they are genuinely committed to additional transparency at the time of these appropriations, rather than potentially getting something months in arrears.
MR BARR (Kurrajong—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Social Inclusion and Equality, Minister for Tourism and Special Events and Minister for Trade, Industry and Investment) (11.59): The government will not support these amendments, as they duplicate existing requirements under the FMA. The proposed amendment from Mr Coe to section 18G, with reference to section 18F, duplicates section 18G(b)(iii) of the amendments which already require the Treasurer to report any subsequent reduction for unused capital works advance to the Assembly as part of the reconciliation requirements.
The proposed new sections for 18G are not needed, as they duplicate section 18G(2)(a), which requires the Treasurer to provide a copy of the authorisation for the use of the capital works reserve to the Assembly. This authorisation includes a statement of reasons for the payment. This information is presented to the Assembly with the quarterly financial statements required under section 18C(2) under the current Financial Management Act and section 18G(2) under the amendment bill. They are already exhaustively covered within the existing legislation. These are superfluous amendments that should not be supported.
Amendment negatived.
Clause 6 agreed to.
Remainder of bill, by leave, taken as a whole and agreed to.
Bill agreed to.
Sitting suspended from 12.01 to 2.00 pm.
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