Finance and Public Administration-Standing Committee (incorporating the Public Accounts Committee)-Public Accounts Committee Report No 24-Review of Auditor-General's Report No 4, 1999 (presented 29 June 2000)-Government response.

That the Assembly takes note of the paper.

Mr Speaker, I have presented the Government's response to the Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration Report No 24, 2000, "Review of Auditor-General's Report No 4, 1999-Financial Audits with years ending to 30 June 1999.

Mr. Speaker, while the Committee did not make any recommendations in its report, it formally made four comments. Three of the comments relate to capital works and the fourth was in relation to a consultancy employed by InTACT.

Mr Speaker, I do not intend to go through all of the Committee's comments and the Government responses to those. However, I will take this opportunity to make a few observations.

Some of the issues raised by the Committee in relation to the capital works program have been well recognised by the Government, and appropriately addressed. But Mr Speaker, one particular comment at paragraph 4.3 of the report suggests that the Government announces some projects as budget initiatives, and takes credit for those projects when they are not expected to be completed in that year. The imputation is that the Government takes credit for something which it knows will not be delivered in the year.