Press release

Informing the Debate on How the Government is Spending your Tax Dollars

Thursday, 24 May 2007

The Public Accounts and Estimates Committee has presented Part One of its review of the Victorian Government’s expenditure proposals contained in the 2007-08 Budget Papers. The Chair, Bob Stensholt, MP tabled the Committee’s report in Parliament today.

It is the first report of the Committee for the 56th Parliament of Victoria. The report covers the first 23 budget estimates hearings held up to 11 May 2007. The Committee will present a second report to Parliament on the remaining 20 hearings soon after their completion; and a final report on the estimates in the middle of the year which will contain an analysis of the budget estimates and the Committee’s key findings and recommendations.

The importance of the Committee’s annual budget estimates hearings can be seen by the government’s 2007 08 operating revenue of around $34.3 billion and operating expenditure of $33.9 billion. On the capital side, new net annual infrastructure investments are expected to average $3.3 billion over each of the four years to 2010-11.

The main purpose of the Committee providing early reports to Parliament is to assist members in their consideration of the 2007 08 appropriation bills currently before Parliament. These bills, when passed, provide authority for the government to deliver planned services and commence new asset investment programs.

The Chair, Bob Stensholt, MP said, ‘The aim of the Committee is to enhance the information available to members on the budget and, in turn, to enrich the Parliament’s debate on the bills. The early tabling of the report also provides the Victorian public with access to the range of issues raised by the Committee in hearings with the ministers.’

Early presentation to Parliament of the results of the estimates hearings is also consistent with a recommendation of the Auditor-General in the April 2003 report Parliamentary control and management of appropriations.

‘I commend the report to all Members of Parliament and encourage them to draw on the report’s contents as they assess the merits of the 2007-08 appropriation bills,’ the Chair said.

For further information, please contact the Chair of PAEC, Bob Stensholt, MP on 9625 0880 (pager)