David Bradbury (Lindsay, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer ) Share this | Hansard source

I thank all members who have contributed to the debate on the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Bill 2013. The bill is the cornerstone of a broader reform agenda that commenced in December 2010 as part of the Commonwealth Financial Accountability Review. The review started because of concerns about the efficiency and effectiveness of the public sector and a recognition that a dollar saved on process is a dollar that can be spent on better services to our citizens.

The review process has involved extensive consultation both within and outside of government. These consultations have indicated broad support for the reforms which seek to modernise government and create a streamlined and adaptable Public Service that is able to meet Australia's changing needs into the future. The bill recognises that, while the existing framework was best practice when it was introduced and has served governments well, it is now outdated and our APS is falling behind the expectations of government and the community. We are aiming to put the APS back at the forefront of public sector performance and governance. Specifically, we are putting the management of risk and performance at the heart of government operations.

The bill has been amended to take account of the views of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit. I wish to express my appreciation to the committee for its speedy review and reporting on the bill to allow for this debate to proceed. I thank the member for Lyne for his contribution as the chair of that committee. As noted in correspondence to the committee from the Minister for Finance and Deregulation, I would also like to reiterate on behalf of the government our commitment to a transparent and accountable process for developing the rules that will underpin this bill. This includes that the government will consult widely on the development of the rules, with extensive consultation within government but also with other sectors and interested stakeholders; specifically, this will focus on the not-for-profit sector and the business sector and also academia and professional stakeholders.

Once the rules are settled by government they will be made publicly available for no less than 30 days for public comment and further consultation with government entities to ensure that they are rigorously tested. The rules and explanatory memorandum will be made available on the Department of Finance and Deregulation's website. Following the public consultation phase, the rules will also be made available to the JCPAA for scrutiny. The government will await a report from the committee prior to tabling in the parliament. The government expects and encourages the committee to have a strong and ongoing role in the formation of the rules, reflecting its position in the parliament. This is a more rigorous and transparent process than under current arrangements.

Finally, the rules are disallowable instruments and so, following their tabling in parliament, there is a further opportunity for scrutiny. This process will ensure that the workings of this bill are fully accountable to the parliament and that the processes are transparent and inclusive. Parliament's role is further enhanced through the inclusion of a review provision which requires the act to be reviewed after three years. This process addresses a specific recommendation in the JCPAA report. The committee's report has added to the quality of the bill and will ensure that the parliament will have an active role in the review of the legislation and its operation. I commend the bill to the House.

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