2016-05-03
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) — I am pleased to make some remarks on the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) report on the 2013–14 and 2014–15 financial and performance outcomes. This is in some ways a seminal report because it is the first time that hearings were held into the outcomes. Previously looking at financial and performance outcomes has been largely a desktop exercise, and in instituting the hearings, with department heads appearing without ministers but with some staff, we were able to ask questions and get involved in conversations about important issues facing those departments — in particular with the machinery of government of changes, which were very apposite questions.
I encourage all members to read the report because it is, as I said, a seminal or inaugural report based on hearings as well as the desktop accounting exercise that usually goes to informing this type of report that is tabled in the Parliament.
I would also like to echo the comments of Ms Shing with regard to the outstanding work that has been done by the staff of the committee. PAEC has had a very large workload for a number of reasons, including the conduct of these hearings which were held over a week. They were additional to the normal workload. There are current issues that have required a lot of work by the members of PAEC, and the staff have had additional work and pressures put on them. I would like to join in the thanks to the committee staff for all the extra effort they have put in to assist us in our work.
Motion agreed to.