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LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

Public Accounts Committee

ANNUAL REVIEW 2003-2004

Report No. 9/53 (No. 152) – November 2004

New South Wales Parliamentary Library cataloguing-in-publication data: New South Wales. Parliament. Public Accounts Committee Annual review, 2003-2004 / Public Accounts Committee. [Sydney, N.S.W.] : The Committee, 2004. – v, 39 p.32; 30 cm. (Report No. 152 / Public Accounts Committee) ([Parliamentary paper] ; no. 9/53) At head of title: Legislative Assembly, NSW Parliament. “November 2004”. Chair: Matt Brown. ISBN 0734766335 1. New South Wales. Parliament. Public Accounts Committee. 2. Finance, Public—New South Wales—Auditing. I. Brown, Matt. II. Title III. Series: New South Wales. Parliament. Public Accounts Committee. Report; no. 152 IV. Series: Parliamentary paper (New South Wales. Parliament); no. 53/9 DDC 657.835

Annual Review 2003-2004

Table of Contents Table of Contents........................................................................................ i

Membership & Staff ................................................................................... ii

Chairman’s Foreword................................................................................. iii

Chapter One - Members of the Committee ....................................................1

Chapter Two - Functions of the Committee ...................................................3

Chapter Three - Highlights of 2003-2004 ....................................................7

Chapter Four - Reports and Inquiries .........................................................10

Appendix One – Public Accounts Committee Reports ..................................17

Appendix Two – Meeting Attendance .........................................................25

Appendix Three – Committee Expenses ......................................................26

Report No. 9/53 (No. 152) – November 2004 i


Membership & Staff Chairman Matthew Brown MP, Member for Kiama Vice Chairman Paul McLeay MP, Member for Heathcote Members Steve Whan MP, Member for Monaro Gladys Berejiklian MP, Member for Willoughby John Turner MP, Member for Myall Lakes Richard Torbay MP, Member for Northern Tablelands Staff David Monk, Committee Manager (until March 2004) Vicki Buchbach, Committee Manager (from March 2004) Jackie Ohlin, Project Officer Christine Lloyd, Committee Officer (until March 2004) Stephanie Hesford, Committee Officer (March-May 2004) Mohini Mehta, Assistant Committee Officer Melissa Power, NSW Treasury Secondee (Sep 2003-Jan 2004) David Daniels, Audit Office Secondee (Feb-August 2004)) Contact Details

Telephone 02 9230 2631 Facsimile 02 9230 2831 E-mail [email protected] www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/publicaccounts

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mailto:[email protected]

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/publicaccounts


Chairman’s Foreword

I am pleased to present this report on the work of the Public Accounts Committee for 2003-04. This was a very busy year for the Committee. In 2003-04, the Committee held ten days of hearings and took evidence from 114 witnesses as part of five inquiries. We concentrated our energies on the three major inquiries we were asked to conduct by the Treasurer and the Legislative Assembly. The Treasurer asked the Committee to review the way the fire services are funded and to investigate the reasons for problems arising after the Infringement Processing Bureau was moved from Parramatta to Maitland at the same time as a new computer system was introduced. The Legislative Assembly asked the Committee to inquire into the Government (Competition Open Market) Bill 2003 which provided for the publication of government contracts and auditing of recipients of government grants. Work on these three major inquiries was completed in the first few months of 2004-05. The Committee tabled four reports in 2003-04. One, prepared for the Committee by Acumen Alliance, was the triennial independent review of the Audit Office. This is the main way for ensuring that the State’s primary body for financial scrutiny is well managed and meets all relevant professional performance standards. Another was an important investigation of the performance of the Ambulance Service. We also produced a history of the first century of the Committee’s operations which provides a fascinating description of state financial management.

The Committee worked to improve the knowledge in Parliament of the work of the Auditor-General by facilitating briefings for members on the Auditor-General’s reports. In 2004-05 the Committee has arranged for seminars for parliamentarians on the Budget papers, financial reporting and auditing.

The Committee appreciates the support it receives from the secretariat. I would particularly like to acknowledge the contribution of David Monk, the Committee Manager who left this role on long term leave in March 2004. I would like to welcome the appointment of Vicki Buchbach to the role of Manager. The Committee is grateful to Christine Lloyd and Stephanie Hesford for their services as Committee Officers.

The Committee welcomes Jackie Ohlin and Eloise Murphy who have recently joined the secretariat and thanks the two secondees whose expertise greatly assisted the Committee during 2003-04: Melissa Power from NSW Treasury and David Daniels from the NSW Audit Office.

I am also grateful to Vicki Buchbach and Mohini Mehta for preparing this report.

Matt Brown MP Chairman

Report No. 9/53 (No. 152) – November 2004 iii


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Chapter One - Members of the Committee Mr Matthew Brown BMath, LLB (Hons), MP, Chairman 1.1 Mr Brown was elected as the ALP Member for Kiama on 27 March 1999. His other

parliamentary service includes being Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Public Works (1999-2003) and a member of the ICAC Committee and Vice-Chair of the Ethics Committee. Mr Brown was a Vice-Chair of the Joint Select Committee Nuclear Waste (2003-04). Matt is also President of the parliamentary Lions Club.

1.2 Mr Brown is a member of the Law Society of NSW and a member of the United Services Union. He is Patron of the Illawarra Forum of the Australian Republican Movement. He was President of Kiama Young Citizen Council 1988-90 and Kiama Young Citizen of the Year 1991. Mr Brown was Captain of Kiama High School in 1990. Previously a solicitor, he also worked as a lecturer at the University of Wollongong, owned a Mexican restaurant and was a beach inspector for Kiama Council for three years.

Mr Paul McLeay MP, Vice-Chairman 1.3 Mr McLeay was elected as the ALP Member for Heathcote on 22 March 2003. Prior

to entering Parliament, he worked in the union movement, including positions as the Assistant General Secretary of the Public Service Association of NSW and the Assistant Secretary of the NSW Branch of the State Public Services Federation.

1.4 Mr McLeay is a volunteer fire fighter and Secretary of the Bundeena Bush Fire Brigade. Paul is also a member of the Management Committee of Engadine District Youth Services and previous community service includes roles as a Director of the SGE Credit Union and Nanbaree Child Care Centre.

Mr Steve Whan BA, Grad Cert (Mgmt), MP 1.5 Mr Whan was elected as the ALP Member for Monaro on 22 March 2003. Prior to

entering Parliament, he worked in the offices of the then Senator Bob McMullan and the Hon Ros Kelly MP, a previous Federal Minister. He has also worked as a project officer at the Australian Sports Commission and as a consultant.

1.6 Mr Whan has a long-standing interest in water polo, and is a life member of ACT Water Polo Inc. He has also served on the Board of the ACT Academy of Sport, as the Deputy Chairman South East Regional Academy of Sport, and as the Manager of the ACT Men's Water Polo team.

Ms Gladys Berejiklian MCom, Grad Dip Int’l St, BA, MP 1.7 Ms Berejiklian was elected as the Liberal Member for Willoughby on 22 March

2003. Prior to entering Parliament, Gladys spent five years as a Bank Executive at the Commonwealth Bank. Prior to that, she was an advisor to Senator Helen Coonan and the Hon Peter Collins QC MP. In 1996, Ms Berejiklian was the NSW Young Liberal President.

1.8 Gladys is a Northbridge Rotarian and a member of the Willoughby Historical Society, the Walter Burley Griffin Society and the HMEM Armenian Sporting & Cultural

Report No. 9/53 (No. 152) – November 2004 1


Chapter One

Association. She is also a Member of the NSW Parliament’s Valuer-General’s Committee.

Mr John Turner BA, BLitt, Dip Law (SAB), MP 1.9 Mr Turner was elected as Member for Myall Lakes on 19 March 1988, and was then

re-elected at elections in 1991, 1995, 1999, and 2003. He was the NSW Deputy Leader of the National Party from January 1999 to March 2003. Mr Turner was previously Shadow Minister for Roads and Tourism from March 1999 to March 2003. Prior to that, he was the Shadow Minister for Fair Trading, Mineral Resources and Fisheries from September 1996 to March 1999. In 1996, he was a Temporary Chairman of Committees and a Member of the Joint Standing Orders and Procedures Committee, as well as Shadow Minister for Local Government and Hunter Development. Mr Turner was Deputy Speaker of the Parliament and Chairman of Committees of the Legislative Assembly from 1993 to 1995.

1.10 Mr Turner was formerly Chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee of the Ombudsman from 1992 to 1993. He was a Member of the Parliamentary Committee on Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) from 1988 to 1996 to which he was again appointed in 2003. Mr Turner was a member of the Public Bodies Review Committee in 1996, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Bush Fires in 1994 and the Special Public Accounts Committee on Health Infrastructure in 1993.

1.11 Presently, Mr Turner is a member of the ICAC Committee, the Ethics Committee, the Public Accounts Committee and the Standing Orders and Procedures Committee.

1.12 Before entering State Parliament, Mr Turner was an Alderman on Cessnock City Council from 1980 to 1987. This included a period as Deputy Mayor in 1987. He has previously been a Solicitor, Attorney and Proctor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the High Court of Australia and a registered tax agent.

Mr Richard Torbay MP 1.13 Mr Torbay was elected an Independent Member for Northern Tablelands on 27

March 1999. Before entering Parliament Mr Torbay served the local community of Armidale. He is a former Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Armidale, serving on the Armidale City Council since 1991. Mr Torbay has acted as Chairman of the NSW Country Mayors’ Association, and is the Patron of the Armidale District Chamber of Commerce.

1.14 Mr Torbay became a Member of the Public Accounts Committee on 3 June 1999.

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Chapter Two - Functions of the Committee GENERAL FUNCTIONS 2.1 Section 57 (1) of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 sets out the Committee’s

main general functions. These functions are also replicated for state owned corporations under section 28 of the State Owned Corporations Act 1989. Section 57(1) provides that the Committee’s functions are:

a) to examine the Total State Sector Accounts transmitted to the Legislative Assembly by the Treasurer,

b) to examine the accounts of authorities of the State, being accounts that have been

i. audited by the Auditor-General or an auditor appointed under section 47(1), or

ii. laid before the Legislative Assembly by a Minister of the Crown,

c) to examine the opinion or any report of the Auditor-General transmitted with the Total State Sector Accounts or laid before the Legislative Assembly with the accounts of an authority of the State (including any documents annexed or appended to any such opinion or report),

c1) to examine any report of the Auditor-General laid before the Legislative Assembly,

d) to report to the Legislative Assembly from time to time upon any item in, or any circumstances connected with, those accounts, reports or documents which the Committee considers ought to be brought to the notice of the Legislative Assembly,

e) to report to the Legislative Assembly from time to time any alteration which the Committee thinks desirable in the form of those accounts or in the method of keeping them or in the method of receipt, expenditure or control of money relating to those accounts,

f) to inquire into, and report to the Legislative Assembly upon, any question in connection with those accounts which is referred to it by the Legislative Assembly, a Minister of the Crown or the Auditor-General, and

g) to inquire into expenditure by a Minister of the Crown made without Parliamentary sanction or appropriation or otherwise than in accordance with the provisions of this Act or any other Act and report to the Legislative Assembly from time to time upon any matter connected with that expenditure which the Committee considers ought to be brought to the notice of the Legislative Assembly.

2.2 Section 57 also provides a number of restrictions on the Committee’s powers:

2) The functions of the Committee extend to an examination of, inquiry into or report upon a matter of Government policy if and only if the matter has been specifically referred to the Committee under subsection (1)(f) by the Legislative Assembly or a Minister of the Crown.

3) The functions of the Committee do not extend to an examination of, inquiry into or report upon the estimates of any proposed expenditure by the State or by an authority of the State.



Chapter Two

APPOINTMENT OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL 2.3 Section 57A of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 provides the Committee with

the power to veto any proposed appointment of the Auditor-General:

1) The Treasurer is to refer a proposal to appoint a person as Auditor-General to the Committee and the Committee is empowered to veto the proposed appointment as provided by this section. The Treasurer may withdraw a referral at any time.

2) The Committee has 14 days after the proposed appointment is referred to it to veto the proposal and has a further 30 days (after the initial 14 days) to veto the proposal if it notifies the Treasurer within that 14 days that it requires more time to consider the matter.

3) The Committee is to notify the Treasurer, within the time that it has to veto a proposed appointment, whether or not it vetoes it.

4) A referral or notification under this section is to be in writing.

ANNUAL REPORTS 2.4 The Committee also has a formal role under the legislation governing annual reports

in recognition of its role in promoting accountability. Section 19 of the Annual Reports (Departments) Act 1985 provides:

1) The Treasurer may refer any matter relating to the annual reports of Departments to the Public Accounts Committee for examination and report to the Treasurer.

2) The Treasurer shall refer to the Public Accounts Committee for examination and report to the Treasurer any proposal to amend this Act or make a regulation, other than a proposal made by the Public Accounts Committee.

3) Nothing in subsection (2) requires the Treasurer to refer a proposal to the Public Accounts Committee if, at the time the Treasurer formulates or receives the proposal:

(a) no members have been appointed to the Committee, or

(b) the members of the Committee have ceased to hold office.

4) Nothing in subsection (1) or (2) prevents the Public Accounts Committee, after the Committee has reported to the Treasurer, from reporting to the Legislative Assembly on any matter referred to it by the Treasurer under subsection (1) or (2).

5) The provisions of section 57 (4) and (5) of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 apply to and in respect of a report under subsection (4) in the same way as those provisions apply to and in respect of a report in accordance with section 57 (1) of that Act.

2.5 Section 16 of the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984 makes the same provision in respect of statutory bodies.

REVIEW OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL’S OFFICE 2.6 Section 48A of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 provides:

1) A review of the Auditor-General’s Office is to be conducted under this section at least once every 3 years.

2) The review is to examine the auditing practices and standards of the Auditor-General and to determine whether the Auditor-General is complying with those practices and standards in the carrying out of the Auditor-General’s functions under this Act.



Functions of the Committee

3) The review is to be conducted by a person ("the reviewer") appointed by the Public Accounts Committee for the time being constituted under Part 4. The reviewer:

(a) is to be appointed on such terms and conditions and is entitled to such remuneration (if any) as are determined by the Public Accounts Committee, and

(b) in conducting a review under this section, must comply with any directions as to the review given by the Committee.

4) The remuneration payable to the reviewer is to be paid from money appropriated by Parliament for the purpose.

5) Sections 36, 37 and 38 apply in relation to the reviewer as if references in those sections to the Auditor-General were references to the reviewer.

6) The reviewer is to report to the Auditor-General as to the result of any such review and as to such other matters as in the judgment of the reviewer call for special notice.

7) The reviewer must not make a report of a review conducted under this section unless, at least 28 days before making the report, the reviewer has given the Auditor-General a summary of findings and proposed recommendations in relation to the review.

8) The reviewer must include in the report any written submissions or comments made by the Auditor-General or a summary, in an agreed form, of any such submissions or comments.

9) The reviewer, in a report of a review under this section:

(a) may include such information as he or she thinks desirable in relation to matters that are the subject of the review, and

(b) must set out the reasons for opinions expressed in the report, and

(c) may include such recommendations arising out of the review as he or she thinks fit to make.

10) The Auditor-General is to forward a report prepared under this section to the Public Accounts Committee within 2 months of receipt of the report.

11) The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee is, on receipt of such a report, to present the report to the Legislative Assembly, if the Legislative Assembly is then sitting.

12) If at the time at which the Chairman seeks, in accordance with this section, to present the report to the Legislative Assembly the Legislative Assembly is not sitting, the Chairman is to present the report to the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly to be dealt with in accordance with section 63C.

STATUTORY BODIES 2.7 The Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 also provides specific provisions in relation

to statutory bodies. These largely relate to the Treasurer making references to the Committee and requiring the Committee’s comment on amendments to provisions relating to statutory bodies. After a definitions provision in subsection (1), section 63A provides:

2) The Treasurer may refer any matter relating to the financial statements of a statutory body to the Public Accounts Committee for examination and report to the Treasurer.



Chapter Two

3) The Treasurer shall refer to the Public Accounts Committee for examination and report to the Treasurer any proposal to amend Division 3 of Part 3 or make a regulation relating to the financial statements of a statutory body, other than a proposal made by the Public Accounts Committee.

4) Nothing in subsection (3) requires the Treasurer to refer a proposal to the Public Accounts Committee if, at the time the Treasurer formulates or receives the proposal:

(a) no members have been appointed to the Committee, or

(b) the members of the Committee have ceased to hold office.

5) Nothing in subsection (2) or (3) prevents the Public Accounts Committee, after the Committee has reported to the Treasurer, from reporting to the Legislative Assembly on any matter referred to it by the Treasurer under subsection (2) or (3).

2.8 The provisions of section 57(4) apply to and in respect of a report under subsection (5) in the same way as those provisions apply to and in respect of a report in accordance with section 57(1).



Chapter Three - Highlights of 2003-2004 Reports 3.1 The Committee tabled four reports in 2003-04. These are:

• History of the Committee 1902-2002 • Review of the Audit Office under section 48A of the Public Finance and Audit

Act 1983 • Inquiry into NSW Ambulance Service: Readiness to Respond • Annual Review

3.2 The Committee held 10 hearings in the past year for five inquiries and examined 114 witnesses. The Committee was asked to inquire into two issues by the Treasurer and one by the Legislative Assembly. The Committee concentrated on these inquiries, which were all completed in the first few months of 2004-05.

• Fire Services Funding

The Treasurer requested that the Committee prepare a report evaluating current and alternative fire services funding arrangements in order to make recommendations about stable funding arrangements to meet the current and future needs of the fire services. The Committee has also been asked to ensure that taxpayers’ contributions broadly match the level of service received and/or their fire risk. In order to give a sound basis to its recommendations, the Committee has undertaken financial modelling of the impact of any proposed changes.

• Government (Open Market Competition) Bill 2003

The Legislative Assembly asked the Committee to examine the merits and impacts of the Bill. If it is enacted, it would expand the accountability requirements for government grants and require the publication of government contracts.

• Infringement Processing Bureau

The Treasurer asked the Committee to investigate issues that led to the loss of government money from fines when the Infringement Processing Bureau was moved from Parramatta to Maitland in 2002 and a new computer system for processing fines was introduced.

3.3 The Committee also took evidence as part of its inquiry into the reporting and auditing requirements for small agencies and its follow-up inquiry into Academics’ Paid Outside Work.

AUDIT OFFICE BRIEFING SESSIONS 3.4 In 2003-04 the Committee commenced facilitating briefing sessions for all

Members of Parliament on reports issued by the Auditor-General on the day that these are tabled. The main benefits are to improve Members’ knowledge and enable them to discuss the reports with the Auditor-General.

3.5 In 2003-04 six of these briefing sessions were arranged.



Chapter Three

3.6 In 2004-05, the Committee plans to improve Members’ knowledge of State financial managements by organising a series of workshops for Members in conjunction with NSW Treasury and the Audit Office on the budget and financial reporting.

AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEES 3.7 The Australasian Council of Public Accounts Committees (ACPAC) comprises all

public accounts committees in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. It meets annually. The Council operates on a two-year cycle, with a biennial conference and a mid-term meeting in each alternate year.

3.8 The Chairman and Committee Manager attended the mid-term meeting of ACPAC as a teleconference on 8 December 2003. The purpose of the mid-term meeting was to discuss and agree on an agenda of the ACPAC conference to be held in 2005.

TRAINING 3.9 One Committee Member and the secretariat’s Project Officer attended a two-day

training course on Performance Auditing in September 2003.

DELEGATIONS 3.10 The Committee met with a number of parliamentary delegations visiting Parliament

House including from the Western Cape Province (South Africa), New Zealand, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia.

3.11 The Committee’s presentations usually discussed its roles and functions, but occasionally also covered other topics, such as the introduction of accrual accounting in New South Wales. Members of the Committee also appeared before the Victorian Parliament Public Accounts and Estimates Committee’s hearing into Parliamentary control and management of appropriations.

3.12 The delegations received were:

• Public Accounts Committee of Western Cape Province – South Africa (24 November 2003);

• Public Accounts and Estimates Committee – Victoria (28 April 2004);

• Member of Napier of the South Australian Parliament (12 May 2004);

• Members of the New Zealand Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee (21 June 2004); and

• Members of the Queensland Public Accounts Committee (25 June 2004).

STUDY TOURS AND VISITS OF INSPECTIONS 3.13 In August 2003, the Committee and the Committee Manager travelled to Brisbane,

Melbourne and Canberra in order for the new Committee to learn about the role of public accounts committees and auditing. They met with the Queensland Audit Office, the Queensland Public Accounts Committee, the Victorian Auditor-General, the Public Sector Centre of Excellence of CPA, the Victorian Public Accounts and Estimates Committee, Professor Graeme Hodge (Director of the Centre for the Study of Privatisation and Public Accountability), the Commonwealth Parliamentary Joint



Highlights

Committee on Public Accounts and Audit, the Australian National Audit Office and the ACT Public Accounts Committee.

3.14 In September 2003, Matt Brown and the Committee Manager travelled to the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The delegation met with a range of public and private sector organisations in England, Scotland and the USA to assist with the understanding of issues in relation to committee inquiries including the Government (Open Market) Competition Bill, academics paid outside work and ambulance response times as well as discussions of International accounting standards.

3.15 In November 2003, five members of the Committee (Matt Brown, Gladys Berejiklian, Paul McLeay, John Turner) and Vicki Buchbach, the Project Officer and Melissa Power, a secondee from the Treasury travelled to Queanbeyan where they met Steve Whan, the local member, to take evidence in relation to the inquiry on the funding of fire services. They also inspected facilities of the Queanbeyan Fire Brigade Station and Rural Fire Service Fire Control Centre.

3.16 In February 2004, five members of the Public Accounts Committee (Matt Brown, Gladys Berejiklian, Richard Torbay, John Turner, Steve Whan) and the Project Officer Vicki Buchbach travelled to Perth and Adelaide in relation to the Committee inquiry into the funding of fire services. In Perth the Committee met with officials of the Fire and Emergency Services Authority, the staff of Western Australian Local Government Association, the State of Western Australian Public Accounts Committee, and Members of Parliament and, Office of the Western Australian Auditor-General. In Adelaide the Committee met with officials of the Department of Treasury and Finance, South Australian Emergency Services Administration Unit and the South Australian Economics and Revenues Finance Committee.

3.17 In May 2004, five members of the Public Accounts Committee (Matt Brown, Richard Torbay, Steve Whan, Gladys Berejiklian, John Turner) and the Committee Manager Vicki Buchbach and David Daniels, a secondee from the Audit Office, travelled to Maitland to take evidence in relation to the Inquiries into the Infringement Processing Bureau and Academics Paid Outside Work.

OUTPUT INDICATORS Meetings 20 Hearings 10 Witnesses 114 Reports 4



Chapter Four - Reports and Inquiries 4.1 In 2003-04, the Committee tabled four reports. It also either commenced or

continued inquiries into another six issues.

HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE 1902-2002 4.2 This report discussed the Committee’s changing role in its first century of existence.

The Committee is the oldest continuously functioning parliamentary committee in Australia.

4.3 In the early years, the Committee focused on ensuring effective stewardship of the State’s finances by examining explanations for the spending of sums without the approval of Parliament, however small they might be. Following public sector management reforms in the 1970s, the powers of the committee were strengthened so that it was able to initiate its own inquiries and investigate issues relating to public sector accountability.

4.4 The report considers ways of measuring the effectiveness of the Committee’s reports. It notes that a high number of members of the Committee subsequently became senior minister. Appendices contain a list of all the Committee’s reports and all the members from 1902 to 2003.

REVIEW OF THE AUDIT OFFICE UNDER SECTION 48a, PUBLIC FINANCE AND AUDIT ACT 1983 4.5 As noted in chapter 2, under the legislation, the Committee is required to

commission independent reviews of the Audit Office every three years. The Committee develops terms of reference for these reviews and appoints independent consultants. These independent reviews are an important means of monitoring the effectiveness of the Audit Office.

4.6 The Committee advertised the tender for the review in October 2002 and in December 2002 selected Acumen Alliance, an accounting and management consulting firm, to conduct the review.

4.7 Acumen Alliance prepared the report in accordance with standards issued by the Institute of Internal Auditors. The findings and recommendations contained in the report are based on evidence gathered through a lengthy and consultative process. The report provides a significant amount of detail and commentary on the current management of the office.

4.8 The Committee tabled the report in November 2003. The report contains 82 recommendations and the Audit Office’s response. Of these:

• 11 were accepted (13%) • there were 19 where the Audit Office stated no further action was

required, with which Acumen agreed (23%) • there were 28 where the Audit Office stated no further action was

required, with which Acumen disagreed (34%); and • there were 24 where the Audit Office disagreed, which Acumen did not

accept (29%).

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Reports and Inquiries

4.9 Important recommendations where the Audit Office stated it was already making changes or had at least partially accepted a recommendation include:

• performance audit objectives must be more specific and refer back to the Auditor-General’s mandate;

• each performance audit scoping document should review and update the selection process for the audit; and

• a review of key performance indicators should be undertaken. 4.10 Key issues where the Audit Office did not accept recommendations were:

• client perceptions about the apparent low use of internal audit services offered by the Audit Office in financial audits;

• the extent to which the Audit Office needs to use specialist staff for performance audits and to what extent it considers staff skills in audit planning; and

• enhancement of communications between the Audit Office and MPs, parliamentary committees, and agencies.

4.11 The Committee tabled the report in November 2003. The Committee has discussed issues related to this review with representatives of the Audit Office. Where relevant, the Committee will also refer to the recommendations of this Review in its future reports.

INQUIRY INTO THE NSW AMBULANCE SERVICE: READINESS TO RESPOND 4.12 Under its power to follow-up Auditor-General’s report under section 57(1) of the

Public Finance and Audit Act 1983, the Committee resolved in its meeting of Tuesday, 15 July 2003 to conduct a follow up inquiry on the report into the Auditor-General’s 2001 Performance Audit Report called Ambulance Service: Readiness to Respond.

4.13 The Committee examined the progress the Ambulance Service of NSW had made in implementing the recommendations of the Auditor-General’s performance audit. The Committee also reviewed the value of the audit report, in terms of accountability and in improving the performance of government.

4.14 The Committee invited submissions to the inquiry from the NSW Ambulance Service, NSW Health and the Health Services Union. One other private submission was received.

4.15 Members of the Public Accounts Committee undertook a site visit on 31 October 2003 to the Headquarters of the Ambulance Service in Rozelle. The Committee also inspected the operations unit in Redfern. The Committee was able to see first hand the workings of the new Computerised Aided Dispatch System (AmbCAD)

4.16 On 5 November 2003, the Committee held a public hearing at Parliament House. Witnesses from the Audit Office, Ambulance Service NSW and Health Services Union gave evidence.

4.17 The Committee’s report was tabled in June 2004. The Committee has considered that the performance of the Ambulance Service would be better if its governance arrangements were strengthened by having a separate board from NSW Health. It recommended that the quality of performance reporting be improved and that the



Chapter Four

service deploy its resources more strategically. It also recommended improvements to the training officers.

4.18 It found that the Audit report had contributed to the improvements in the Ambulance Service shortly after it was released. The Committee recommended that the Audit Office improve structure of its reports and that it consults more with agencies directly affected by a performance audit.

ANNUAL REVIEW 2002-2003 4.19 This reports on the Committee’s activities in 2002-03, including a description of the

Committee’s centenary celebrations. The report also describes the eight matters initially raised by the Auditor-General, which the Committee examined in detail in 2002-03.

4.20 It found the agencies were addressing the issues in five cases. The two inquiries where the Committee made significant recommendations were about a delegation by the Minister for Health and the use by State Forests of its credit policy in regional communities.

PROGRESS OF OTHER INQUIRIES AND REPORTS:

Review of the Fire Services Funding 4.21 In 2002, the Royal Commission into the collapse of HIH recommended that those

States still funding fire services through a levy on insurance, remove the levy.

4.22 On 22 August 2003, NSW Treasurer, Michael Egan, formally asked the Committee to investigate the suitability of current funding arrangements for fire services.

4.23 At Committee meeting on 28 August 2003 the Committee resolved to accept the Terms of Reference provided by the Treasurer and commence to the inquiry.

4.24 Initially the Committee received 74 submissions. These were from key state agencies, industry groups, local government, insurance companies, some individuals, fire services, the union and a staff association. The Committee also received a submission from the Alliance for Equitable Funding of Fire Services in NSW, an informal alliance of 16 insurance industry, business and local government associations.

4.25 The Committee held public hearings in Sydney on 21 and 26 November 2003. Because of the high level of interest in this inquiry from regional councils, the Committee held further public hearings in Queanbeyan on 27 November 2003 and took evidence from 40 witnesses. Representatives from key government agencies, the insurance industry, the Insurance Council of Australia, the Property Council, the fire services, local government and groups representing farmers, mines and motorists gave evidence. The Committee also consulted representatives of key agencies in Western Australia and South Australia about property levy schemes used in those States to fund fire and emergency services.

4.26 Professional Financial Solutions (PFS), an actuarial firm, was selected to prepare a financial model by a group consisting of NSW Treasury and insurance industry representatives. The project brief was to compile information about the level of fire services levy collected on household and commercial insurance policies for each




property in the state and compare this to the value of the land in order to test whether it would be more equitable to have a levy on land value rather than insurance.

4.27 The resulting document is the most detailed analysis of its kind undertaken in Australia to date. It provided number of scenarios for a property levy for funding fire services. The Committee held a public launch of the financial modelling report at Parliament House in March 2002. It asked for public comments. Another 23 submissions were received. The Committee held further hearings on 5 and 7 May 2004.

4.28 In the final analysis, the Committee recommended the existing funding arrangements be kept with some improvements. It also suggested the Government continue to investigate alternate funding arrangements.

4.29 The Committee finalised and released the report in September 2004.

Infringement Processing Bureau 4.30 On 28 August 2003, the Hon Michael Egan MLC, Treasurer asked that the

Committee inquire into the relocation of the Infringement Processing Bureau (IPB) to Maitland, and the implementation of the new computer systems. On 3 September 2003, the Committee accepted these terms of reference and agreed to conduct the inquiry.

4.31 The Chairman announced the inquiry into the IPB on 8 January 2004, and publicly advertised for submissions on 28 February 2004.

4.32 The Committee received submissions from most relevant agencies including the Office of State Revenue, the Roads and Traffic Authority, NSW Treasury, the NSW Ombudsman and the Office of Information and Communications Technology. The NSW Police chose not to make a submission but provided copies of many relevant documents and contact details of appropriate staff.

4.33 The Committee held public hearings on 18 May in Parliament House, and on 19 May in Maitland. Members of the Public Accounts Committee visited the IPB Building at Maitland on 19 May 2004 to gain an understanding of the issues at first hand.

4.34 The inquiry has focussed on management by NSW Police of the relocation of the IPB to Maitland, and the simultaneous introduction of a new computer system, called the IMPS. The Auditor-General’s Report released in November 2003 states that NSW Police believes these factors resulted in the loss of revenue.

4.35 The Committee found that the problems within IPB resulted from poor management practices of NSW Police, rather than major deficiencies in current central agency or policy requirements applying to NSW Government agencies.

4.36 The Committee attributes the problems within the IPB largely to Senior Management within NSW Police not following established principles. Control was not adequately restored until IPB transferred to the Office of State Revenue on 1 October 2003.

4.37 The result was that up to $41 million in potential revenue for clients of IPB was lost in the period 1 September 2002 to 31 January 2004. The cost to NSW Government entities (eg the Roads and Traffic Authority and NSW Police) was $29 million. A



Chapter Four

further $9.6 million was paid or is payable to non NSW Government clients of IPB, such as local councils. The Project itself also ran over budget by about $8 million.

4.38 The Committee finalised the report and tabled it in September 2004.

Academics’ Paid Outside Work 4.39 In February 2000, the Audit Office published a Performance Audit Report entitled

Academics’ Paid Outside Work. The report found that while all universities had developed policies to manage Academics’ Paid Outside Work and to protect their Intellectual Property (IP) rights,

• Many of these policies are outdated and required urgent review; • Many policies do not adequately protect the universities or provide adequate

compensation for the use of their resources or their name, and; • There is inconsistent implementation and monitoring of compliance with the

policies. The Audit Office recommended a

4.40 On 2 July 2003, the Committee resolved to undertake a follow-up inquiry to test whether universities had improved their policies and whether they found the audit report valuable.

4.41 The Committee invited submissions to the inquiry in July 2003. Submissions received from each of the 10 universities, the National Tertiary Education Union and the Minister for Education and Training.

4.42 Following an analysis of the various policies it became evident that universities, on the whole, now comply with the minimum standards outlined in relation to paid outside work activities and intellectual property. However, there are a number of areas which need to be better addressed by universities. For POW the areas where a number of universities fail to adequately address policies include:

• Review mechanisms for timeframes; • Procedures for monitoring POW activities to ensure compliance with

policies; • Details of administrative procedures which account for resources used by

academics in POW activities; and • Requirements to report on POW activities.

4.43 The submissions also indicated that the majority of universities found the audit report to be valuable in terms of helping to highlight areas that should be addressed in paid outside work and intellectual property policies particularly in terms of enhancing accountability. However, University of Newcastle questioned the need for the Audit Office to investigate such issues as it considered that the audit duplicated the function of the governing bodies of universities, which are created by or under statute.

4.44 The Committee held a brief public hearing in Maitland on 19 May 2004 in relation to the inquiry with a representative from the University of Newcastle.

4.45 The Committee made 8 recommendations for universities to address the shortcomings in their guidelines. It also recommended that the Auditor-General under take a review to see how well universities were complying with the guidelines.

4.46 The Committee finalised and tabled the report in September 2004.




Government (Open Market Competition) Bill 2003 4.47 On 3 July 2003, the Legislative Assembly referred the Government (Open Market

Competition) Bill 2003 to the Public Accounts Committee for consideration and report. The Bill is private member’s Bill by Ms Clover Moore MP, the member for Bligh. The Bill provides for the publication of government contracts on the Internet and for the recipients of all government grants to be audited by the Auditor-General.

4.48 On 15 July 2003, the Committee agreed to commence the Inquiry by calling for submissions and formally adopted the Terms of Reference for the Inquiry on 28 August 2003. The Committee received 49 submissions in total, the majority of which came from Government agencies and Ministers.

4.49 Following the receipt of submissions, the Committee held public hearings on the Bill in Sydney on 23 and 24 October and 5 November 2003. Twelve groups gave evidence, comprising the Audit Office, five agencies, two industry associations, one Council and three non-government organisations.

4.50 The Committee explored the potential impact of the Bill upon agencies in relation to all Government contracts. The Committee also examined concerns about the proposal for auditing by the Auditor-General of all recipients of State and Local Government grants including non-government organisations and individuals.

4.51 The Committee found that disclosure rules within the Bill for even the smallest of Government contracts would make it unworkable. The Committee recommended current compliance standards be reinforced and that the Audit Office conduct a compliance review with this standard to establish a baseline of agency compliance.

4.52 The report was finalised by the Committee and tabled in October 2004.

Review of Reporting and Auditing Requirements for Small Agencies 4.53 The 2000 Review of the Audit Office, conducted by Professor Craswell (then based

at Sydney University), recommended that the Auditor-General discuss with Treasury alternative proposals for auditing small agencies, as there was a risk that these audits were not efficient.

4.54 The Committee of the previous Parliament resolved to follow-up this recommendation and, as a first stage in the inquiry, released a discussion paper in November 2002 to inform public debate of the issues.

4.55 Small agencies are subject to the same audit and annual reporting requirements as large agencies. Their financial statements must be prepared to the same accounting standards and the Audit Office must conduct a properly planned audit that complies with the auditing standards. There are certain fixed costs for these processes, which can be burdensome for some small agencies. Further, the risks to the Government, Parliament and people of New South Wales are much less than with larger departments such as Health and Education.

4.56 When the new Committee was appointed in 2003, it agreed to continue the inquiry. The Committee held public hearings on 15 July 2003 where representatives of a number of agencies like NSW Treasury, the NSW Audit Office and CPA Australia appeared. The inquiry continues.



Chapter Four

Delays in the Construction of Schools 4.57 In September 2001, the Committee of the previous Parliament into delays in the

construction, planning approval and construction of schools.

4.58 This arose from concerns that there were delays in completing school construction projects compared to the announced dates in the Budget Papers. That Committee held public hearing on 20 June 2002.

4.59 When the new Committee was appointed in 2003 it agreed to continue the inquiry.

4.60 The Committee considered a draft report in May 2004, but resolved on 10 August 2004 not to proceed with tabling the report, as the evidence collected is now outdated.



Appendix One – Public Accounts Committee Reports REPORTS FROM THE 47TH TO 53RD PARLIAMENTS

Reference from Initiated by

No Report Title Date Minister Treasurer Auditor-General PAC1

47th Parliament 1981-1984 1 Expenditure without Parliamentary

Sanction or Appropriation November 1981

A

2 Over-Expenditure in Health Funding to Hospitals

February 1982

3 Public Accountability in Public and Other Subsidised Hospitals

April 1982

4 Expenditure without Parliamentary Sanction or Appropriation

September 1982

5 Overtime Payments to Police November 1982

6 Overtime Payments to Corrective Services Officers

May 1983

7 Accountability of Statutory Authorities June 1983 8 Report on the Grain Sorghum Marketing

Board November 1983

9 Matters examined in relation to the Auditor-General’s Report 1981-82

December 1983

A

48th Parliament 1984-1988 10 Superannuation Liabilities of Statutory

Authorities August 1984

11 Annual Report for the Year Ended 30 June 1984

August 1984

12 Matters examined in relation to the Auditor-General’s Report 1982-83

October 1984

A

13 Proposed Regulations accompanying the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984 and the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983

January 1985

14 Investment Practices of New South Wales Statutory Authorities

June 1985 A

15 Performance Review Practices in Government Departments and Authorities

June 1985

16 Brief Review of the Macarthur Growth Area

July 1985 A

17 Brief Review of the Statutory Funds of theDepartment of Environment and Planning

July 1985 A

18 Brief Review of the Land Commission of New South Wales

July 1985 A


September 1985

20 Report on Year-End Spending in Government Departments and Authorities

March 1986 A

1 “A” denotes reports initiated in response to matters raised in an Auditor-General’s Report. “F” denotes a follow up inquiry by the committee but original inquiry was a reference to the committee



Appendix One



21 Follow-Up Report on Inquiries into the NSW Public Hospital System

April 1986 F

22 Report on Recommended Changes to the Public Accounts

May 1986

23 Report on Proposed Regulations Accompanying the Annual Reports (Departments) Act 1985 and Miscellaneous Amendments Concerning Annual Reporting

May 1986

24 Follow-Up Report on Overtime Payments to Corrective Service Officers

June 1986 F

25 Report on the Collection of Parking and Traffic Fines

July 1986 A

26 Follow-Up Report on Annual Reporting of Statutory Authorities

July 1986 F


August 1986

28 Follow-Up Report on Overtime, Sick Leave and Associated Issues in the NSW Police Force

November 1986

F

29 Report on the New South Wales Builders Licensing Board

December 1986

30 Report on the Brief Review of the Sydney Opera House Trust; Harness Racing Authority of New South Wales; and the New South Wales State Cancer Council

February 1987

A

31 Report on the Film Corporation of New South Wales

June 1987 A

32 Report on the Home Care Service of New South Wales

July 1987


September 1987

34 Supplementary Report for the Year Ended 30 June 1987

September 1987

A, F

35 Report on the Wine Grapes Marketing Board for the Shires of Leeton, Griffith, Carrathool and Murrumbidgee and the Grain Sorghum Marketing Board

September1987

36 Report on the Biennial Conference of Public Accounts Committees, Sydney – May 1987

October 1987

37 Report on the Ravensworth Coal Washery October 1987

A

49th Parliament 1988-1991 38 Proceedings of the Accrual Accounting

Seminar held 5 February 1988 May 1988

39 Report on the Purchasing Practices and the Allocation of Stores and Equipment Resources within the Technical and Further Education System

February 1988




Committee Reports



40 Report on the Heritage Council of New South Wales

June 1988


September 1988

42 Report on the Management of Arson in the Public Sector

January 1989

43 Report on Payments without Parliamentary Appropriation

February 1989

44 Report on the NSW Ambulance Service February 1989

45 Report on the Payments to Visiting Medical Officers

June 1989


October 1989

47 The Challenge of Accountability

November 1989

48 Report on the Darling Harbour Authority December 1989

49 Report on the NSW Auditor-General’s Office

July 1990

50 Report on the Lord Howe Island Board December 1990

A


October 1990

52 Report on the Forestry Commission

December 1990

53 Report on the Auditing of Local Government

January 1991

54 Examination of the Juvenile Transport Service of the Department of Family and Community Services

March 1991 A

55 Report on Payment Performance of Major Statutory Authorities and Inner Budget Sector Departments

April 1991

56 Parliamentary Scrutiny of Performance Seminar held 9 November 1990

April 1991

57 Report on Legal Services Provided to Local Government

May 1991

50th Parliament 1991-1995 58 Annual Report for the Year Ended 30

June 1991 October 1991

59 Report on the National Parks and Wildlife Service

December 1991

60 Report on Dividend Payments made by Statutory Authorities to the Consolidated Fund

April 1992 A

61 Follow-Up Report on Financial Accountability

June 1992 F

62 Phase One Report on the Public AccountsCommittee Special Inquiry into the Port Macquarie Hospital Contract

June 1992 Legislative Assembly




Appendix One



63 Report of Proceedings of the Seminar to Review Progress of Financial Reform in the NSW Public Sector

June 1992

64 Report on the Progress of Financial Reform in the NSW Public Sector

June 1992

65 Public Accounts Committee – Ninetieth Anniversary

November 1992


November 1992

67 Inquiry into Financing of Urban Infrastructure – Report on European Inspection Tour 30 October – 12 November 1992

December 1992

68 Report on the School Student Transport Scheme

January 1993

69 Proceedings of the 90th Anniversary Seminar on Internal Control and Audit

January 1993

70 Review of the Special Auditing Function of the NSW Auditor-General’s Office

June 1993 F

71 Internal Audit in the NSW Public Sector June 1993 72 Funding of Health Infrastructure and

Services in New South Wales June 1993 Legislative

Assembly

73 Infrastructure Management and Financingin NSW Volume 1: From Concept to Contract – Management of Infrastructure Projects

July 1993

74 Inquiry into the Financing of Urban Infrastructure – Report on the United States Study Tour 28 August – 5 September 1993

November 1993


November 1993

76 The Financing of Infrastructure Projects –Discussion Paper

November 1993

77 Proceedings of the Conference on Risk & Return – Traditional & Innovative Financing for Infrastructure Projects (Vol. 1)

December 1993

78 Proceedings of the Seminar on Internal Audit – Implementation of Change

February 1994

79 Expansion of the Hawkesbury District Health Services

February 1994

80 Infrastructure Management and Financingin New South Wales – Public-Private Partnerships – Risk & Return in Infrastructure Financing (Vol. 2)

February 1994

81 Report on Public Defenders June 1994 Following negotiation with independent members




Committee Reports


No Report Title Date Minister Treasurer Auditor-General

PAC5

82

Matters Arising from the Auditor-General’s Reports

June 1994 A

83 Preparations for the Peer Review of the Auditor-General’s Office

June 1994

84 A Tale of Two Olympic Cities: Visit to Los Angeles and Montreal by the Public Accounts Committee

October 1994


October 1994

86 Inquiry into State Debt Control (Balanced Budget) 1994

December 1994

87 Co-ordination of Government Inputs into Overseas Projects – International Market Development Activities of NSW Marketing Boards

December 1994

88 Report on the Rural Assistance Authority February 1995

Legislative Assembly

89 Proceedings of the Seminar on Accrual Accounting – The Scorecard to Date

February 1995

51st Parliament 1995-1999 90 Annual Reports – Issue Paper May 1995 F 91 Report on Darling Harbour: Sporting

Facilities August 1995

92 Proceedings of the Seminar on Annual Reporting in the NSW Public Sector: The Best is Yet to Come, 9 August 1995

September 1995

F


November 1995

94 Offshore and Off-Target – Why NSW lags in Overseas Projects

November 1995

95 Annual Reporting in the NSW Public Sector (The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?)

April 1996

96 Proceedings of the Seminar on Asset Valuation in the Public Sector: Issues in the Controversy

April 1996

97 Review of the Audit Office of NSW under section 48A of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 (Volumes 1 & 2)

April 1996

98 Australasian Council of Public Accounts Committees Mid-Term meeting (Transcript of Proceedings)

May 1996

99 Customer Service in Courts Administration: The Missing Dimension A Review by the Public Accounts Committee of the Interim Performance Report by the NSW Audit Office into Courts Administration

June 1996 F

100 Pioneers – Progress but at a Price. The Implementation of Accrual Accounting in

June 1996




Appendix One

the NSW Public Sector Reference from Initiated by

No Report Title Date Minister Treasurer Auditor-General

PAC6

101 Matters arising from the NSW Auditor-General’s Report for 1995

June 1996 A

102 Proceedings of the Conference on Public/Private Infrastructure Financing: Still Feasible?

October 1996


May 1997

104 Proceedings of the Biennial Conference ofthe Australasian Council of Public Accounts Committees

May 1997

105 Proceedings of the Seminar on Debts and Debtors: Getting Better Results

May 1997

106 The Public’s Debts to the State: Better Agency Collection, Higher State Revenue – Discussion Paper

November 1997

107 Follow-Up of Selected Public Accounts Committee Reports: 1988 – 1996

June 1997 F

108 Matters arising from the Auditor-General’sReport for 1996

June 1997 A

109 Follow-Up Report to the Auditor-General’s Performance Audit Report entitled Effective Utilisation of School Facilities

June 1997 A

110 Follow-Up Report to the Auditor-General’s Performance Audit Report entitled Joint Operations in the Education Sector

June 1997 A


November 1997

112 Legal Services to Local Government: Minimising Costs Through Alternative Dispute Resolution – Discussion Paper

November 1997

113 Proceedings of the Conference on Doing Business with the World Bank and the United Nations

1997

114 Proceedings of the Interactive Seminar onDispute Management in Local Government

April 1998

115 Changing the Culture: Dispute Management In Local Councils

June 1998


October 1998

117 Follow-Up Report: Offshore and Off-Target Why NSW lags the field in overseas projects

November 1998

118 Streamlining Payment of Overdue Debts December 1998

52nd Parliament 1999-2003 119 Annual Report for the Year Ended 30

June 1999 December 1999




Committee Reports



120 Review of the Audit Office of New South Wales under section 48A of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983

February 2000

121 Problems in the Administration of the Public Finance and Audit 1983 during the review of the Audit Office of New South Wales Act

February 2000

122 ED100: Arrangements for the Provision of Public Infrastructure by other Entities: Disclosure Requirements – Discussion Paper

June 2000

123 Report on Cost Control in the Department of Juvenile Justice

July 2000 A

124 Report on the Financial Disclosure of the WorkCover Scheme Statutory Funds

July 2000 A

125 Report on the Long Term Financial Viability of the Waste Recycling and Processing Service

July 2000 A

126 Inquiry into the Funding of Capital Projects by the New South Wales Government: Parramatta Rail Link Pre-Tender Procurement – A Case Study

January 2001

127 Submission to the Green Paper: “Working with Government – Private Financing of Infrastructure and Certain Government Services in NSW”

April 2001

128 Inquiry into the Collapse of the NSW Grains Board

May 2001 A


June 2001

130 Industry Assistance June 2001 A 131 Inquiry into the School Student Transport

Scheme February 2002

132 Annual Review February 2002

133 Inquiry into Court Waiting Times June 2002 A 134 Case Studies and Issues in the Private

Financing of Public Infrastructure and Services

October 2002

135 Delegation by the Minister for Health October 2002

A

136 Valuation of The Australian Museum’s Collection Assets

November 2002

A

137 Follow-up’s of Auditor General’s reports toParliament 2001: Omnibus Volume

November 2002

A

138 Review of Reporting Requirements for Small Agencies – Discussion Paper

November 2002

139 Annual Review 2001-2002 December




Appendix One

2002 140 The Role of Auditing and Accounting in

Recent Corporate Collapses October 2002



141 Inquiry into the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council’s Mortgage Fund

December 2002

A

142 State Forests: Inquiry into the Practice of Trading with Customers who have defaulted on Renegotiated Repayment Terms

December 2002

A

143 First Home Owner Grant Scheme December 2002

A

53rd Parliament 2003- 144 History of the Committee 1902-2002 September

2003

145 Review of the Audit Office under Section 48A of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983

November 2003

146 Inquiry into NSW Ambulance Service: Readiness to Respond

June 2004 A

147

Annual Review June 2004

148

Review of Fire Services Funding September 2004

149

Inquiry into Infringement Processing Bureau

September 2004

150

Inquiry into Academics’ Paid Outside Work

September 2004

A

151

Government (Open Market Competition Bill) 2003 and Visits and Inspections

October 2004




Appendix Two – Meeting Attendance DATE MEMBERS

BROWN McLEAY WHAN BEREJIKLIAN TURNER TORBAY

2-July-2003

15-July-2003

28-August-2003

Apology Apology

3-September-2003

17-September-2003

Apology

15-October-2003

Apology

29-October-2003

12-November-2003

19-November-2003

3-December-2003

Apology Apology

18-February-2004

25-February-2004

Apology

10-March-2004

17-March-2004

31-March-2004

Apology

5-May-2004

12-May-2004

Apology

2-June-2004

3-June-2004

Apology

23-June-2004



Appendix Three – Committee Expenses Members of the Committee receive an allowance for their service directly from the Legislature. The amount is determined by the Parliamentary Remuneration Tribunal under the Parliamentary Remuneration Act 1989. The Committee does not contribute to the allowances. The Chairman of the Committee is entitled to a salary of office per annum equivalent to 7% of his/her annual salary and an expense allowance of a further 7% in recognition of the responsibilities of the position. In 2003-04, the Committee members, other than the Chairman, received an allowance of $2,845 per annum in recognition of their responsibilities. The Tribunal increased this allowance on 30 June 2003 to $3,050 per annum.

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