Page 4126 - Week 13 - Thursday, 31 October 2013
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Public Sector Management Act, pursuant to sections 31A and 79—Copies of executive contracts or instruments—
Long-term contracts:
Meredith Whitten, dated 24 October 2013.
Short-term contracts:
Derek Kettle, dated 10 and 11 October 2013.
Grant Kennealy, dated 8 and 12 August 2013
I ask leave to make a statement in relation to the papers.
Leave granted.
MS GALLAGHER: These documents are tabled in accordance with section 79 of the Public Sector Management Act, which requires the tabling of all executive contracts and contract variations. Contracts were previously tabled on 24 October 2013. Today I present one long-term contract and two short-term contracts.
After question time on Tuesday, I foreshadowed that one of the contracts I would be tabling today is late. This short-term contract, for the position of Registrar of the Supreme Court, was signed on 12 August and commenced on 28 August. It expires on 5 November. The Chief Ministry and Treasury Directorate were made aware of the existence of this contract on 25 October and papers were made available for tabling. This contract should have been tabled by 19 September.
On 24 October, I informed the Assembly:
I am advised that the tabling of these contracts today means there are no current executive contracts overdue for tabling.
Whilst that statement accurately reflected the directorate’s knowledge of the state of affairs at the time, it was incorrect and did not take account of this contract. I corrected the record on 29 October 2013.
In light of continuing concerns in relation to the tabling of executive contracts, Shared Services are now conducting a further compliance audit, with the aim of providing definitive advice on current and expired executive contracts.
Some further administrative changes have been put in place to ensure compliance with legislative obligations in relation to executive contracts. These changes include the following: multiple avenues for the approval of executive contracts will be consolidated to a single channel, through the withdrawal of the current delegation from the Head of Service to director-generals to authorise contracts under three months duration; fewer short-term contracts will be offered, as a result of greater reliance being placed on the application of delegations rather than using temporary contracts to cover very short term absences, which are often as a result of leave being taken; and the sequence for signing contracts will be reversed so that the executive signs a contract first so they are immediately available for tabling when they are countersigned by the public service delegate and formally come into existence.
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