Page 2579 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 25 September 2007
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Public Accounts—Standing Committee
Statement by chair
DR FOSKEY (Molonglo): Pursuant to standing order 246A, I wish to make a statement on behalf of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts. On 27 June 2006, Auditor-General’s report No 4 of 2006 entitled Road safety was referred to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts for inquiry. The committee informed the Assembly on 1 May 2007 that it would inquire further into the report. The committee began that process. We advertised for submissions in April 2007. We extended the closing date for submissions to 31 August 2007 but the response was limited. Consequently, the committee has resolved that the report does not warrant further inquiry.
In relation to Auditor-General’s report No 6 of 2006, entitled Vocational education and training, which was referred to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts for inquiry on 19 September 2006, the committee informed the Assembly on 1 May 2007 that it would inquire further into the report. The committee advertised for submissions in April 2007 and extended the closing date for submissions until 31 August 2007, but unfortunately no responses were received. Consequently, the committee has resolved to make no further inquiries into the report but has requested the chair of the committee to write to the Standing Committee on Education, Training and Young People, drawing her attention to the possibility that the report may be of use in that committee’s inquiry into vocational educational and training and skills shortages.
MR MULCAHY (Molonglo) (10.48): I seek leave to make a statement.
Leave granted.
MR MULCAHY: I will make a few comments that relate to both of these reports that will not be subject to further inquiry. In particular, Auditor-General’s report No 6 of 2006, entitled Vocational education and training, highlights a range of concerns. When I was chair, it was the reason why I was keen initially to pursue this matter. We sought a joint briefing with the education committee to ensure that our courses did not conflict. It is very important to note that the Auditor-General made six recommendations in relation to vocational education and training. Some of these are especially important. I refer to recommendation 4 of the Auditor-General’s report, which noted:
DET should, where practicable, improve:
the measurement and reporting of RTO performance, for example by collecting more comprehensive data such as drop-out rates, employment outcomes—
which, to me, is an important consideration—
and views on the quality of teaching and the relevance of course content;
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .