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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 2 Hansard (21 February) . . Page.. 483 ..


Finance and Public Administration-Standing Committee

Report No 27-government response

MR QUINLAN (Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Business and Tourism, Minister for Sport, Racing and Gaming and Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Corrections): Mr Speaker, for the information of members I present the following paper:

Finance and Public-Standing Committee (Fourth Assembly)-Report No 27-The presentation and framework of the Capital Works Program (presented 30 August 2001)-Government response.

I ask for leave to make a statement.

Leave granted.

MR QUINLAN: In this report the committee raised concerns in relation to the presentation and reconciliation of previous capital works programs, including project tracking, reconfirmation of priorities, and identification of projects that have been delayed, varied or have fallen off the works program.

Since the time of this report Treasury have redesigned capital works reporting, including the introduction and refinement of quarterly reporting. Many advances have already been made to assist in approving accountability within the program. These are detailed further in the government response.

The response also outlines additional improvements to further promote accountability and disclosure within the program. These improvements are planned to be implemented over the next year and include:

  • clear information on project variations;

  • improved reporting and better reconciliation of the program in agency's financial statements;

  • complete disclosure of indicative future costs of projects in the budget papers;

  • identification of potential consultation issues prior to project construction phase; and

  • more rigorous assessment of projects which have experienced delays.

Mr Speaker, the original report was a testament to the way the committee structure can work in this place in putting forward constructive proposals. I congratulate our committee, mainly because I chaired it. I find myself in the unique situation of responding to a report to which in large part I contributed. I suppose we will get past that phase.


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