Page 3800 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 18 October 2005

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These are consequential amendments on the adoption of amendments Nos 4 and 5, respectively. I should indicate that I will not be proceeding with amendment No 11 that has been circulated in my name as it was dependent on amendment No 6 being supported.

Amendments agreed to.

MR MULCAHY (Molonglo) (5.52): I seek leave to move amendments Nos 12 and 13 circulated in my name together.

Leave granted.

MR MULCAHY: I move amendments Nos 13 and 13 circulated in my name [see schedule 1 at page 3810].

These are consequential amendments that flow as the result of the agreement to amendments Nos 7 and 8, respectively. In concluding these matters, I suggest that the government should undertake a review in the coming years to assess the effectiveness of the changes to performance measurements that are made in this bill. I would assume that is a given, but it is worth putting it on the record, I believe.

The key purpose of such a review should be to assess how effective the new approach is in actually conveying meaningful information about agencies’ performance in financial management and delivering quality service to the community in a timely and efficient manner. At the end of the day, that ought to be the main objective of this sort of legislation. Some may say it is early in the piece, but I expressed a view at the Australasian public accounts conference last February about the critical need for us to improve methods of reporting, accountability and performance measurements so that they give a genuine indication of outcomes that are being sought. I will confine my remarks to those.

MR QUINLAN (Molonglo—Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development and Business, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Sport and Recreation, and Minister for Racing and Gaming) (5.54): The amendments are fine with us. I rise to respond to Mr Mulcahy’s reference to, I think, his speech at the public accounts committee. Was that the one you referred to?

Mr Mulcahy: Did you like it?

MR QUINLAN: Yes, I did. It was some time ago, of course. I did read it. Let me say that I think your speech left something to be desired, in terms of facts.

Amendments agreed to.

MR QUINLAN (Molonglo—Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development and Business, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Sport and Recreation, and Minister for Racing and Gaming) (5.55): I move amendment No 1 circulated in my name [see schedule 3 at page 3813].


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