John McVeigh (Groom, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present Eighty-third annual report (2019) of the committee.

Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e).

by leave—On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present the committee's 83rd annual report, as I mentioned, which examines the committee's activities undertaken in the 2019 calendar year. Despite it being an election year, 2019 was yet another busy year for the committee. During this time the committee of the 45th and the 46th parliaments inquired into 10 projects with a combined estimated value of more than $2.9 billion. We tabled six reports and one annual report, examined 201 medium works proposals with a combined value of more than $1.1 billion and held 21 meetings, both in Canberra and around Australia.

The Public Works Committee Act requires the committee to consider and report on referrals as expeditiously as practicable. The committee takes this very seriously and acts to ensure that all referred works are scrutinised and reported on in a timely manner and without compromising the rigour of the scrutiny. To ensure the committee meets the statutory requirements under the act, the committee has at times had to hold a more detailed scrutiny process so that all committee members were satisfied they had sufficient information to support a recommendation of expediency. In particular, the committee has often found it difficult to identify critical information from a detailed statement of evidence. The committee will now be asking for a one-page executive summary that clearly addresses the information required under section 17(3) of the act at the front of every statement of evidence. That is simply to ensure that witnesses focus on the requirements under the act. Details of the changes to the format of statements of evidence will be included in an updated procedure manual as well as in new templates for medium works, and medium works for defence purposes in particular.

I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to my fellow committee members from the 45th and 46th parliaments for their hard work during 2019. It was a privilege to work with all of you, and I look forward to continuing the committee's important work in 2020. I commend this report to the House.

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