Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee

Improving Victoria's Parliamentary Committee System

Chair's Foreword

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It is my privilege to present the report of the Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee on the Parliamentary Committees Act 1968.

The Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee received this reference from the Legislative Council on 1 March 2000.

The Committee determined that a sub-committee of the full Committee be established to undertake this inquiry.

Consequently, the Parliamentary Committees Act Sub-Committee was established. The sub-committee was chaired by myself and included Tony Robinson MLA, Member for Mitcham, Hon Mark Birrell MLC, Member for East Yarra, Martin Dixon MLA, Member for Dromana (departed Committee 25 September 2001) and the Hon Chris Strong MLC, Member for Higinbotham (joined the Committee 25 September 2001).

I take this opportunity to thank my sub-committee colleagues for their constructive, pragmatic and intelligent contributions to this body of work.

The Victorian Parliamentary committee system was, when created, and continues to this day, to be amongst the most comprehensive and progressive of the Parliamentary committee systems in the comparative Westminster jurisdictions.

The sub-committee has made a number of unanimous recommendations for the consideration of the Government. It is our sincere hope that these recommendations are received in the positive light in which they are offered.

I would like to thank Ms Karla Bastomsky for the enormous contribution she made to the quality and substance of the sub-committee's deliberations and to this final report. Karla came to the sub-committee on secondment from the Office of Chief Parliamentary Counsel, specifically for this reference. Karla has performed a particularly difficult balancing act between her work with the Office of Chief Parliamentary Counsel and the work of this sub-committee, superbly. I congratulate her on her efforts.

Mary Gillett MP
Chair