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LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY
Public Accounts Committee
Annual Report
Year ended 30 June 1987
REPORT NUMBER 1
SEPTEMBER 1987
P U B L I C A C C O U N T S C O M M I T T E E
L E G I S L A T I V E A S S E M B L Y O F T H E N O R T H E R N T E R R I T O R Y
ANNUAL REPORT
YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 1987
REPORT NUMBER 1
SEPTEMBER 1987
PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE ANNUAL REPORT
YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 1987
CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3 3.1 3.2 3.3 CHAPTER 4 4.1 4.2 4.3 CHAPTER 5 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 CHAPTER 6 CHAPTER 7
APPENDIX
CONTENTS:
CHAIRMAN'S REVIEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS
EVOLUTION OF THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
THE NORTHERN TERRITORY PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE METHOD OF OPERATION
THE COMMITTEE
THE TAKING OF EVIDENCE REPORTS OF THE COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES 1986/87
PENSIONER CONCESSION SCHEME ACCELERATED YEAR END SPENDING ACTUAL & CONTINGENT LIABILITIES AERO MEDICAL CONTRACT
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION RECURRENT EXPENDITURE (P.A.R.E.
AUDITOR-GENERAL1S REPORT 1985/86 PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY
ADMINISTRATION AND STAFFING
TERMS OF REFERENCE APPENDIX 2 SUMMARY OF MEETINGS
C H A P T E R O N E
CHAIRMAN'S REVIEW
I am pleased to present this the first Annual Report of the Public Accounts Committee of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly.
The formation of the Committee has been the subject of debate within the Assembly since the N.T. Self-Government Act was proclaimed on 1 July 1978.
Until 16 August 1986, when the Chief Minister successfully moved that the Committee be established, the Government was of the opinion that adequate public accountability was achieved through the Office of the Auditor-General and normal reporting practices of departments and authorities.
The now prevailing economic circumstances have necessitated a greater level of detail in financial accountability than has been previously available. The formation of the Public Accounts Committee is seen as the most efficient medium for this detail to be made available direct to the Legislative Assembly and so to the public.
Much attention has been given to the degree of privacy which has applied to the Committee's meetings to date. This has been based on the word Public in the title of the Committee, which reflects on the "public purse" rather than the way meetings are conducted.
It is the intention however, now that the Committee has undergone a substantial learning phase, that as many meetings as possible will be open to the public, including the media.
The next year will see the first of the reports on inquiries presently before the Committee being tabled in the Assembly. I am confident, given the continuing bipartisan interest of Committee members, that significant achievements will be claimed in the second annual report.
Although it is still early in the life of the Committee, it has become very clear that the issue of accountability is far more complex than the word suggests. The Committee is most interested in identifying, in quantifiable terms, the relative responsibilities of each department and authority, particularly the key Central Agencies. This will necessitate the provision of information to the Committee in a faster, more accurate and far
less evasive manner than the following extract from a response on Accelerated Year End Spending:-
"The financial statements have been subjected to parametric and non-parametric analysis by my statisticians. According to measures of dispersion widely accepted as statistical evidence, the existence of any cyclical expenditure patterns by my Office is non-existent."
On behalf of the Committee, I thank all parties who have been associated with the Committee in its embryonic period and look forward to your continued co-operation and support.
MICK PALMER, MLA
22 September 1987
C H A P T E R T W O
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Members of the Public Accounts Committee are:-
MR MICK PALMER, MLA Chairman Country Liberal Party
Member for Karama. First elected 1984.
Other Committees:- Constitutional Development
MR BRIAN EDE, MLA Australian Labour Party
Member for Stuart. First elected 1983. Deputy Leader of Opposition and Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs & Electoral Reform, Constitutional Development, Education and Tourism.
Other Committees:- Constitutional Development
MR TOM HARRIS, MLA Country Liberal Party
Member for Port Darwin. First elected 1977.
Other Committees:- Nil
MR DANNY LEO, MLA Australian Labour Party
Member for Nhulunbuy. First elected 1980.
Shadow Minister for Mines & Energy, Labour & Administrative Services and special responsibility for Racing and Gaming.
Other Committees:- New Parliament House, House Committee.
MR ERIC POOLE, MLA Country Liberal Party
Member for Araluen. First elected 1986.
Other Committees:- Environment, Subordinate Legislation and Tabled Papers, Standing Orders, Publications. Deputy Chairman of Committees.
C H A P T E R 3
E V O L U T I O N O F T H E P U B L I C A C C O U N T S C O M M I T T E E
3.1 INTRODUCTION
The concept of a Standing Committee, comprised of Members of Parliament, charged with the task of conducting inquiries into public expenditure has its roots in the Westminster System of parliamentary practice dating back to the reign of Queen Victoria in 1861.
Public expenditure in the Northern Territory has become subject to the scrutiny of a Public Accounts Committee since 16 August 1986.
It is interesting to note that although that is the first such committee since proclamation of the Self-Government Act 1978, public expenditure prior to 1 July 1978 was within the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Joint Committee of Public Accounts.
3.2 BACKGROUND
Before discussing the charter and method of operation of the Northern Territory Public Accounts Committee it is worthwhile considering the early developments of the first of such committees in Britain.
A select Committee on Public Moneys was required by British
Parliament in the 1860's to consider the then level of accountability of the Soverign and Government in areas of public expenditure. That committee presented a report in 1860 which reached four conclusions
(a) that to control spending effectively it was insufficient for the House (the House of Commons) merely to appropriate funds and to control their issue through the Exchequer;
(b) that departments ought to present regular and detailed records of the final application of funds so that the House might see if
moneys were spent as ordered (this was the origin of the system of Appropriation Accounts now submitted to the House of Commons);
(c) that if those accounts were to be useful as a means of control they must be examined
efficiently and that in practice this meant an examination on behalf of the House by an expert auditor who must be a servant of the House, (this explains the status and position of the Comptroller and Auditor-General); and (d) that, thus supplied with information sifted
and made intelligible by an expert - the Comptroller and Auditor-General - a select Committee could then and only then, exercise an effective scrutiny and check of the
accounts - (this Committee completed what Gladstone called the "circle of control").
As can be seen from this early development, it was the original and continuing intention that a body accountable to the Parliament, specifically the Auditor-General, would be responsible for providing a professional and objective report to Parliament on the performance of the public sector, including the Crown, for further more detailed enquiry, where necessary, by a select committee of the Parliament. This committee was to be the Public Accounts Committee.
As history shows, the first Public Accounts Committee was established in 1861 and the "circle of control" was completed in 1866 with the establishment of an Office of the Auditor-General.
It is important to note that the origins of the Public Accounts Committee were based on the need for greater information on financial accountability to Parliament. Parliament itself was never intended necessarily to have the professional financial skills to be able to conduct its own detailed inquiries and the logic of creating a professional office of the Auditor-General was applied. The two roles are thus complementary.
3.3 THE NORTHERN TERRITORY PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE
As mentioned earlier, parliamentary scrutiny of the public account in the Territory prior to enactment of Self-Government legislation in 1978 was the responsibility of the Commonwealth.
Although the matter of a Public Accounts Committee being established by the Northern Territory Parliament was the subject of a number of debates during the first 7 years of self-government, it was generally held that during this period accountability was satisfied through offices of the Treasury, Public Service Commissioner, Internal Audit Bureau and the Auditor-General. The latter office, although not formally established within the Northern Territory until 1982, was provided prior to that year on an agency basis by the Commonwealth Auditor-General.
On 16 August 1986 the Northern Territory Chief Minister successfully moved for the creation of the present committee. It was and remains a sessional committee to operate on a trial basis and was re-established on 28 April this year following a
Northern Territory general election. Records show that the trial period is to determine the success of the bipartisan working arrangements necessary for an effective operation of a Public Accounts Committee.
The structure and duties of the Northern Territory Committee are based on traditional lines followed by the Commonwealth and other states. Five members of the Legislative Assembly, 3 Government and 2 Opposition, are elected by the Parliament and are required to select their own Chairman from the Government members. The work of the Committee falls largely into 2 categories. Firstly, the Committee is charged with considering the Annual Report of the Auditor-General and determining which, if any, matters raised require further inquiry. The second vehicle for providing work is by a reference to be made by either of:-
(a) the Administrator of the Northern Territory;
(b) the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly; or (c) a Minister of the Northern Territory Government.
It is important to note that the only practical limitation on the Committee is a proviso in its Terms of Reference that it "shall examine only those accounts of receipts and expenditure of the Northern Territory and reports of the Auditor-General for financial years commencing after 30 June 1986: provided that this shall not prevent the consideration by the Committee of matters included in reports of the Auditor-General for the year ending 30 June 1986 which have or may have a continuing effect on the form of the public accounts; the method of receipt, control, issue or payment of public moneys."
The rationale for this limitation is that the Assembly requires the Committee to consider current issues and future trends without being distracted by matters which are no longer subject to change.
C H A P T E R F O U R
METHOD OF OPERATION
4 .1 T H E C O M M I T T E E
The Northern Territory Public Accounts Committee was first established by temporary Standing Order 21A of the Legislative Assembly on 16 August 1986.
As a Committee of the Assembly, its authority is derived from the Northern Territory (Self Government) Act of the Commonwealth and the Legislative Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act.
The Committee is comprised of five (5) members, presently three (3) Government and two (2) Opposition members.
The duties of the Committee are:-
(a) to examine the accounts of the receipts and expenditure of the Northern Territory and each statement and report transmitted to the Legislative Assembly by the
Auditor-General, pursuant to the
Financial Administration and Audit Act;
(b) to report to the Legislative Assembly with such comments as it thinks fit, any items or matters in or arising in connection with those accounts, statements or reports, or in connection with the receipt or disbursement of the monies to which they relate, to which the Committee is of the opinion that the attention of Parliament should be drawn;
(c) to report to the Legislative Assembly any alteration which the Committee
thinks desirable in the form of the public accounts or in the method of receipt, control, issue or payment of public monies;
(d) to inquire into and report to the Legislative Assembly on any question in connection with the public accounts of the Territory -
(i) which is referred to it by a resolution of the Assembly; or
(ii) which is referred to it by the Administrator or a Minister; and (e) to examine the reports of the Auditor-
General laid before the Legislative Assembly with the accounts of a Public Authority of the Northern Territory
(including any documents annexed or appended to those reports).
The Committee has been empowered by the Assembly to:- (a) send for persons, papers and records;
(b) adjourn from place to place;
(c) to meet and transact business in public or private session;
(d) to sit during any adjournment of the Assembly.
The Committee is also empowered to print from day to day such papers and evidence as may be ordered by it.
Unless otherwise ordered by the Committee, a daily Hansard is to be published of such proceedings of the Committee as take place in public.
Meetings of the Committee usually follow one of the following formats:-
(a) PUBLIC HEARINGS; Witnesses will usually be requested to attend but, if necessary, may be summonsed and sworn. The normal practice will see the Chairman read a statement on the
responsibilities of witnesses.
Public Hearings are open to the public, including the media. Such hearings may be announced by public notice and may also
provide for the receipt of public submissions.
A full transcript of proceedings is normally produced by Hansard.
(b) DELIBERATIVE; This is the format used for private meetings of the Committee where confidential matters and the proceedings of the Committee may be discussed, together with general administrative business.
Deliberative meetings are always held in private and are minuted but are not transcribed by Hansard.
(c) BRIEFING; this form of deliberative meeting may precede a Public Hearing or might simply be used for general information gathering by the Committee.
Such meetings are not open to the public and a confidential transcript will normally be taken of such briefings.
The Committee may also undertake inspections of departmental, authority or other premises.
4.2 THE TAKING OF EVIDENCE
The work of the Committee is largely reliant on the effectiveness of its information gathering ability. Some is researched and presented by the Secretariat. However, the major source is the examination of persons with specific and detailed subject knowledge. Such persons may appear before the Committee as Witnesses.
Although a witness is normally invited to attend the Committee, the Committee is empowered to send for persons, papers and records and this may be done by summons pursuant to section 19 of the Legislative Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act. The issue of a formal summons, however, is not standard practice.
Although evidence at public hearings is not normally taken on oath, each witness remains subject to the sanctions of the Legislative Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act regardless of whether the witness takes or does not take an oath or affirmation. The Committee may, however, regarding any facts, matters or things relating to the subject of an inquiry to be verified or ascertained by oral examination, require a witness to be examined on oath or affirmation.
It is normal practice, when the swearing of a witness is not required, for the Chairman to read a statement which stresses the responsibilities of witnesses to provide accurate and complete answers and/or documentation to the Committee.
To facilitate briefings, an informative document "Notes for Witnesses", is available to each witness involved in an inquiry.
The evidence taken orally by the Committee is normally recorded by the parliamentary reporting staff (Hansard).
The corrected Minutes of Evidence form a part of the evidence on which the Committee's Report will be based.
All witnesses examined before the Committee are entitled to the protection of the Assembly in respect of anything that may be said by them in their evidence. All papers, including transcripts of proceedings, tabled as evidence before the Committee are subject to the Legislative Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act and pursuant to that Act, have the same protection as exists in the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth Parliament.
It should be noted that the Committee is not empowered to inquire into matters of government policy and witnesses are to refrain from providing either oral or written submissions on the subject of government policy except with the permission of the relevant Minister or to state what government policy is.
4.3 REPORTS OF THE COMMITTEE
The Committee is required to report to the Legislative Assembly on an annual basis as well as providing specific reports from time to time to report its proceedings and evidence taken.
C H A P T E R F I V E
ACTIVITIES 1986/87
Since first being established as a Sessional Committee of the Legislative Assembly on 16 August 1986, the Public Accounts Committee has had to determine rapidly its modus operandi, suffer a total moratorium on meetings due to a prorogation of Parliament for a General Election and withstand a 100 percent membership turnover; Messrs Palmer and Leo being the only original members remaining.
Mr Marshall Perron was elected the first Chairman and was replaced by Mr Mick Palmer following the General Election in March 1987. Other Members of the Legislative Assembly to have served as Committee Members during the year were:-
Mr Bob Collins (Member for Arafura)
Mr Terry McCarthy (Member for Victoria River) Mr Terry Smith (Member for Millner), and Mr Ian Tuxworth (Member for Barkly)
The Committee met on seventeen occasions during the year and received briefings from thirty eight witnesses.
No reports have been issued. However, inquiries have related to the following matters
5.1 PENSIONER CONCESSION SCHEME
On 12 August 1986 the Chief Minister required the Public Accounts Committee to inquire into the Pensioner Concession Scheme:-
"(a) to examine the administration of the Pensioner Concession Scheme with particular reference to controls on ensuring only those eligible receive benefits.
(b) to recommend changes to accounting and control procedures if considered
necessary."
STATUS: This Reference did not proceed to inquiry stage due to a significant administrative revision of the Scheme.
5.2 ACCELERATED YEAR END SPENDING
On 12 August 1986* the Chief Minister required the Public Accounts Committee:-
"(a) to examine the patterns of expenditure of Government Departments and Authorities that rely on annual budget appropriations to determine whether there is any evidence of accelerated year end spending and the circumstances that have led to such accelerated expenditure.
(b) to recommend changes where considered necessary.
(c) Local Government and Community Government Councils established under the Local Government Act are excluded from this Reference."
STATUS: Detailed information on expenditure patterns for all departments and authorities is to be collected and analysed for the year ended 30 June 1987. This data will supplement similar information collected for the three previous financial years.
A report is expected in early 1988.
5.3 ACTUAL AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES
As recorded in the Minutes of Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly for Thursday, 28 August 1986*, the Member for Arafura, Mr B. Collins, moved that the following matter be referred to the Public Accounts Committee:-
"The actual and contingent liabilities of the Northern Territory Government, in particular:
(a) the Yulara development;
(b) the Alice Springs and Darwin Sheraton Hotels;
(c) the Alice Springs and Darwin casinos; and (d) the proposed development on Myilly Point,
on and adjacent to the site of the old Darwin Hospital."
The motion was passed with an amendment put by the Chief Minister that:-
"In considering this reference the Public Accounts Committee shall not consider the appropriateness or otherwise of Government decisions or policies."
STATUS: The Committee will complete taking evidence on this Reference shortly and expects to submit its report during Assembly Sittings scheduled for November 1987.
5.4 AERO MEDICAL CONTRACT
During the sittings of the Legislative Assembly on 12 November 1986* the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Smith, moved that the following matter be referred to the Public Accounts Committee:-
"All matters concerning the recent decision of the Northern Territory Government relating to the aero-medical contract, including:-
(1) the adequacy of the tender documents;
(2) whether all relevant matters were considered in assessing the tender;
(3) whether proper procedures were followed in assessing the tenders;
(4) whether the Tender Board formed for the purpose was properly constituted;
(5) this matter shall not be considered by the Committee until such time as all litigation relating to the matter has been completed."
Paragraph 5 above reflects an amendment put by Mr Hanrahan.
STATUS: This Reference has not been proceeded with due to on-going litigation.
5.5 PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION RECURRENT EXPENDITURE (P.A.R.E.)
On 5 June 1987, the Chief Minister referred the following matter to the Committee:-
"To investigate and report upon the levels, patterns and efficiency of expenditure in all Government Departments, Statutory Corporations and
Instrumentalities in those areas which generally comprise recurrent administrative expenditure and which are more particularly described in the Treasurer's Directives as the following classifications of expenditure:
Salaries and payments in the nature of a salary;
Administrative Expenses;
Capital Items;
Repairs and Maintenance; and Property Management.
The Committee may at its discretion and from time to time report in full or in part on any matter raised in relation to this reference".
STATUS: Commenced.
5.6 AUDITOR-GENERAL'S REPORTS 1985/86
In accordance with the Terms of Reference establishing the Public Accounts Committee, "each statement and report transmitted to the Legislative Assembly by the Auditor-General" is subject to examination by the Committee and subsequent report where "the Committee is of the opinion that the attention of Parliament should be drawn."
The first two such Auditor-General's Reports were tabled in the Legislative Assembly on 25 November 1986 and 29 April 1987.
STATUS; A number of departments/authorities have been asked to provide reports to the Committee regarding specific comments made by the Auditor-General in his reports to the Assembly.
The Committee expects to be able to report any findings to the Assembly in early 1988.
*This reference was reinstated by motion of the Legislative Assembly on 5 May 1987.
C H A P T E R S I X
PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY
The Committee is of the opinion that the traditional methods of keeping and presenting Government accounts may, in view of a better educated and informed electorate, no longer satisfy the demand for public accountability.
Whilst the Committee is generally satisfied that expenditure is accounted for in a manner that meets the requirements of the Financial Administration and Audit Act and where required complies with the Treasurer's Directions, it is not satisfied that the mere meeting of those requirements properly accounts for Government expenditure.
The Committee is aware that in commercial accounting terms it is difficult for Government to present statements of profit and loss. However, it is of the opinion that Government accounts should be presented in such a manner that the reading of those accounts would give a clear indication of the past year's performance and productivity.
There is a growing trend within other Governments to require accountable officers to better account for expenditure in terms of physical achievement and it is the view of the Committee that the Government should closely monitor those trends to ascertain where they may have application to the Northern Territory.
The Committee is not critical of the current levels of performance or achievement within Government but rather of the lack of means by which such performance or achievement can be j udged.
The Committee recognises that there are limiting factors which would prevent a radical departure from the current system of account keeping and presentation but believes efficiencies could be obtained in requiring the various arms of government to regularly justify programs they may be administering in terms of stated objectives and progress towards such objectives.
It is not unusual in other places for accountable officers to be required to set criteria against which the performance of a department, instrumentality or a particular program can be judged nor is it unusual for an independent auditor to be required to report on the levels of performance achieved against such criteria.
The Committee recommends that the Northern Territory's system of account keeping and presentation be reviewed in order to reflect better the performance of the public sector in terms of productivity and achievement.
C H A P T E R S E V E N
ADMINISTRATION AND STAFFING
The Public Accounts Committee is supported by a Secretariat of two full time staff. It is intended that permanent staffing be kept to an absolute minimum with the ability to augment resources on an as-needed basis through secondment or contracting of specialised persons for specific projects.
Secretariat staffing is provided by the Department of the Legislative Assembly. Other facilities such as access to Hansard, photocopying and PABX is similarly provided.
All indirect administrative support as in personnel and finance matters is also provided by the Department of the Legislative Assembly.
MICK PALMER CHAIRMAN
A P P E N D I X 1
NORTHERN TERRITORY LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE
TERMS OF REFERENCE
T E R M S O F R E F E R E N C E
(Minutes of Proceedings - Tuesday 28 April 1987)
1. The following provisional Standing Order, to operate on a trial basis as a Sessional Order, be agreed to:
21A PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE
(1) A Standing Committee of Public Accounts to consist of five Members shall be appointed at the commencement of each Assembly.
(2) The duties of the Committee shall be -
(a) to examine the accounts of the receipts and
expenditure of the Northern Territory and each statement and report transmitted to the Legislative Assembly by the Auditor-General, pursuant to the Financial Administration and Audit Act;
(b) to report to the Legislative Assembly with such comments as it thinks fit, any item or matters in or arising in connection with those accounts, statements or reports, or in connection with the receipt or disbursement of the moneys to which they relate, to which the Committee is of the opinion that the attention of Parliament should be drawn;
(c) to report to the Legislative Assembly any alteration which the Committee thinks desirable in the form of the public accounts or in the method of keeping them or in the method of receipt, control, issue or payment of public moneys;
(d) to inquire into and report to the Legislative Assembly on any question in connection with the public accounts of the Territory -
(i) which is referred to it by a resolution of the Assembly; or
(ii) which is referred to it by the Administrator or a Minister; and
(e) to examine the reports of the Auditor-General laid before the Legislative Assembly with the accounts of a Public Authority of the Northern Territory (including any documents annexed or appended to those reports).
(3) The Committee shall examine only those accounts of receipts and expenditure of the Northern Territory and reports of the Auditor-General for financial years commencing after 30 June 1986: provided that this shall not prevent the consideration by the Committee of matters included in reports of the Auditor-General for the year ending 30 June 1986 which have or may have a continuing effect on the form of the public accounts; the method of receipt, control, issue or payment of public moneys.
(4) Prior to determining whether to undertake an inquiry into any matter which may have arisen in connection with the public accounts of the Territory, pursuant to paragraphs (2)
(a) and (e), with the concurrence of the Committee, the Chairman is empowered to write to the Chief Executive Officer of the relevant Department or Public Authority for a report on the matter.
(5) The Committee shall take care not to inquire into any matters which are being examined by a Select Committee of the Assembly especially appointed to inquire into such matters and any question arising in connection therewith may be referred to the Assembly for determination.
(6) The Committee shall elect a Government Member as Chairman.
(7) The Chairman of the Committee may, from time to time, appoint a Member of the Committee to be the Deputy Chairman of the Committee and the Member so appointed shall act as Chairman of the Committee at any time when there is no Chairman or when the Chairman is not present at a meeting of the Committee.
(8) In the event of an equality of voting, the Chairman, or the Deputy Chairman when acting as Chairman, shall have a casting vote.
(9) The Committee shall have power to appoint sub-committees and to refer to any such sub-committee any matter which the Committee is empowered to examine.
(10) Three Members of the Committee shall Constitute a quorum of the Committee and two Members of a sub-committee shall constitute a quorum of the sub-committee.
(11) The Committee or any sub-committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, to adjourn from place to place, to meet and transact business in public or private session and to sit during any adjournment of the Assembly.
(12) The Committee shall be empowered to print from day to day such papers and evidence as may be ordered by it and, unless otherwise ordered by the Committee, a daily Hansard shall be published of such proceedings of the Committee as take place in public.
(13) The Committee may proceed to the despatch of business notwithstanding that all Members have not been appointed and notwithstanding any vacancy.
(14) The Committee shall report annually and shall have leave to report from time to time and to report its proceedings and evidence taken; and any Member of the Committee shall have power to add a protest or dissent to any Report.
(15) Unless otherwise ordered by the Committee, all documents received by the Committee during its inquiry shall remain in the custody of the Assembly: provided that, on the application of a department or person, any document, if not likely to be further required, may, in the Speaker's discretion, be returned to the Department or person from whom it was obtained.
(16) The Committee shall be provided with all necessary staff, facilities and resources and shall be empowered, with the approval of the Speaker, to appoint persons with specialist knowledge for the purposes of the Committee.
(17) The foregoing provisions of this Resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the Standing Orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the Standing Orders;
and
2. That, unless otherwise ordered, Mr Ede, Mr McCarthy, Mr Leo, Mr Palmer and Mr Poole be appointed as Members of the
Committee.
A P P E N D I X 2
NORTHERN TERRITORY LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE
SUMMARY OF MEETINGS 1986/87
M E E T I N G N O . D A T E T Y P E O F M E E T I N G K E Y A G E N D A I T E M S W I T N E S S E S
NO. 1 19/6/86 DELIBERATIVE ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMITTEE ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN
STAFFING OF COMMITTEE BRIEFINGS
REFERENCES
NO. 2 5/8/86 DELIBERATIVE
BRIEFING
STAFFING (SECRETARY) REFERENCES
MEETINGS SCHEDULE OPERATIONS OF THE PAC
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER DR KEITH FLEMING MS JUDE MARTIN MS WENDY MacPHERSON DR RICHARD MADDEN MR KEN CLARK
NO. 3 6/8/86 BRIEFING CHIEF MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
AUDITOR GENERAL
MR ALLAN MORRIS MR RUDI ROODENRYS MR IVAN PERERA MR ELLIOT ISAACSON
NO. 4 13/8/86 DELIBERATIVE BRIEFING
OPERATIONS OF THE PAC
TRANSPORT & WORKS MR IAN GORDON MR BILL STEEL
MS SARAH BUTTERWORTH
NO. 5 27/8/86 DELIBERATIVE APPOINTMENT OF NEW MEMBER OPERATIONS OF PAC (PAPER) MEETINGS SCHEDULE
NO. 6 9/9/86 DELIBERATIVE
BRIEFING
NO. 7 28/10/86 DELIBERATIVE NOTES FOR WITNESSES
PENSIONER CONCESSION SCHEME YEAR END SPENDING
ACTUAL & CONTINGENT LIABILITIES
NO. 8 29/10/86 BRIEFING ACTUAL AND CONTINGENT MR OTTO ALDER
LIABILITIES MR RON CAVANOUGH
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY MR ALLAN SCOTT
DEVELOPMENT MR GRAHAN CARSWELL
MR KARL WELLAND
NO. 9 30/10/86 BRIEFING ACTUAL & CONTINGENT MR OTTO ALDER
LIABILITIES MR RON CAVANOUGH
SHERATONS MR MARK LEWIS
YULARA CASINO REFERENCES
ACTUAL & CONTINGENT LIABILITIES
NOTES FOR WITNESSES OPERATIONS OF PAC
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER DR KEITH FLEMING MS SHERI DUDLEY MS WENDY MACPHERSON MR DAVID BAKER
NO. 10 28/11/86 BRIEFING LEDGER SYSTEM STRUCTURES MR KEN CLARKE MR JOHN ROSIER
MR ELLIOTT ISAACSON MR MICK MARTIN MR GEOFF SPRING MR MONTY ANDERSON MR IAN CAMPBELL MR DOUG DENNIS MR ANTHONY THOMAS MR BILL GRIMSTER MR OWEN PEAKE MR BOG MAGIN MR KEVIN DAVIS MR GEOFF SYME MR PETER BLAKE MR BRIAN NEWELL
NO. 11 13/1/87 DELIBERATIVE ACCELERATED YEAR END SPENDING
ACTUAL AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES
AUDITOR GENERAL'S REPORT
NO. 12 30/4/87 DELIBERATIVE ELECT NEW CHAIRMAN BIENNIAL CONFERENCE
NO. 13 12/5/87 DELIBERATIVE NEW MEMBER
MEETINGS SCHEDULE - 1987 UNSOLICITED PRIVATE SUBMISSIONS
ACCELERATED YEAR END SPENDING
ACTUAL AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES
NO. 14 13/5/87 BRIEFING AUDITOR GENERAL'S REPORTS TO 30/6/87
MR ELLIOTT ISSACSON
NO. 15 3/6/87 DELIBERATIVE AUDITOR GENERAL'S REPORT PUBLIC SECTOR ADMIN.
EXPENDITURE
P.S.C. STAFF NUMBERS - NTPS ACCELERATED YEAR END
SPENDING
ACTUAL AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES
NEW REFERENCE: P.A.R.E.
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER MR SYD SAVILLE MR HAYDON HILL MR JOHN COSSONS
NO. 17 24/6/87 PUBLIC SESSION ACTUAL AND CONTINGENT MS ELIZABETH NOSWORTHY BRIEFING LIABILITIES
NO. 16 23/6/87 DELIBERATIVE BRIEFING
