Page 4778 - Week 15 - Thursday, 8 December 1994
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MR KAINE (11.09), in reply: Mr Deputy Speaker, I note that the Government is taking action on the important issues that emerged from that report. There is one point that I would like to make. It has to do with the inertia of the system. I am referring particularly to the review of the Revenue Office. I point out that the report that we are dealing with was the report for the year ended 30 June 1993. It was tabled and the debate was adjourned on 21 October 1993. The Chief Minister chose not to institute an independent review of that organisation and said that there was an internal review being done. In December 1994 it is still going on. So, 18 months after the period to which the Auditor-General's report refers, that internal review is going on. The reason why we suggested an external review was that you get quicker action. I take the point that the Chief Minister exercised her option and said that there was an internal review being done. I think that it was incumbent on her to make sure that it was done quickly; that we would not find 18 months later that it is still ongoing. It prompts the question: How much longer is it going to be ongoing and what will be the result? Other than that, I note the Chief Minister's efforts to bring previously unaccountable bodies into the field of the accountable, and I commend the Government for that.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
PUBLIC ACCOUNTS - STANDING COMMITTEE
Report on Review of Auditor-General's Reports
Debate resumed from 16 December 1993, on motion by Mr Kaine:
That the report be noted.
MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (11.11): Mr Deputy Speaker, I would again like to thank members of the Public Accounts Committee for their consideration of this matter and also consideration of the Government's response to the committee's report on various Auditor-General's reports. I mentioned at the time of the tabling of the Government's response on this matter that I was very pleased to note the many positive comments that the committee had made in relation to various aspects of the public sector and financial management that had been investigated by the Auditor-General. It is also very pleasing to note the numerous examples of progress that has been undertaken since the Auditor-General tabled these reports. Mr Deputy Speaker, I will say again that the Government continues to be committed to improving the management of information technology and to progressing matters relating to security policy by way of the Information Technology Strategy Committee. I take the opportunity, again, to thank the PAC for their deliberations on this important issue. It was particularly pleasing that so many of their comments on this occasion were positive in their nature.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
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