2018-05-01
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) (12:22:31) — I move:
That the Council take note of the report.
The report outlines the process that the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee, in its role under the Parliamentary Budget Officer Act 2017, plays in the recruitment and recommendation to the minister and the Governor in Council for appointment of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, which of course in this case is the first Parliamentary Budget Officer appointed in Victoria. The report outlines for the Parliament and the people of Victoria the process that was followed by the committee with regard to the recruitment and recommendation for appointment of the Parliamentary Budget Officer. I was quite involved, being on the subcommittee of the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee which made this recommendation. On 8 March this year the committee wrote to the Special Minister of State advising him of the committee's recommendation that Mr Anthony Close be appointed by the Governor in Council as the inaugural Parliamentary Budget Officer (Victoria).
Mr Close was the acting CEO of the Queensland Audit Office between 2016 and 2017 and prior to that he was the Deputy Auditor-General for three years. He has substantial experience across all facets of financial audit, performance audit, strategic audit, planning and investigations. He has led the delivery of more than 500 financial audits, major grants, certifications and 20 reports to Parliament. Mr Close has also worked in the private sector at BHP Billiton, Mitsubishi Alliance and SMS Management and Technology.
Mr Close is a fellow certified practising accountant specialising in investment evaluation in the public and private sectors. He holds a bachelor of business management (accounting) from the Queensland University of Technology.
This report was adopted by the committee at its meeting held on 16 April 2018, and the Governor in Council accepted the Special Minister of State's advice and made the appointment. I would also like to thank all the other people who applied and put themselves forward for short-listing and interviewing for the position of Parliamentary Budget Officer. There were some good people who applied. I wish Mr Close well in his appointment.