Press release
Press releaseMonday, 2 April 2007
The Public Accounts and Estimates Committee has unanimously appointed Mr Bob Stensholt, MP as its Chair and Mr Kim Wells, MP as Deputy Chair.
The Public Accounts and Estimates Committee is a joint investigatory committee of the Victorian Parliament constituted under the Parliamentary Committees Act 2003. It is unique in Australia because it has the dual responsibility of scrutinising both the public accounts and the budget estimates. The Committee is also responsible for guarding the independence of the Auditor-General and for facilitating the Auditor-General’s accountability to Parliament.
The new Public Accounts and Estimates Committee has 10 Members of Parliament drawn from both houses with representation from the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party, the Nationals and the Greens.
Members of the Committee are:
The Chair of the Committee, Bob Stensholt, said, ‘The new Committee will continue to work towards improved accountability and performance in the Victorian public sector.’
Bob Stensholt said that Parliament had passed amendments to relevant Acts that reinforce the status of the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee as the key and most important Committee of the Victorian Parliament.
‘The recent legislative changes underline the importance of accountability to Parliament through the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee’, Bob Stensholt said.
Bob Stensholt said that the Committee will have a busy year working on at least half a dozen reports and inquiries.
The Committee has already called for submissions on its first inquiry for 2007 into strengthening government and parliamentary accountability in Victoria. This year the Committee will undertake a financial as well as a performance audit of the Victorian Auditor General and his office.
‘The Public Accounts and Estimates Committee is also preparing for the 2007-08 Budget Estimates hearings and I expect to release the schedule of hearings shortly’, Bob Stensholt said.
‘I anticipate that the Committee will commence hearings as soon as possible after the budget is presented to the Parliament by the State Treasurer, Hon. John Brumby, MP on 1 May.’
This year the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee will also review reports of the Auditor General presented to the Victorian Parliament between July 2006 and February 2007, as well as review trustee arrangements for governing the parliamentary contributory superannuation fund.
‘I look forward to working with all parties to further the work of the Committee and to build on its national and international reputation for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the public sector’, Bob Stensholt said.
For further information, please contact the Chair of Public Accounts and Estimates Committee, Bob Stensholt, MP on 9625 0880 (pager).