Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Chair of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit, I present the annual report 2019-20 and the review of the operations of the Parliamentary Budget Office 2019-20, listed at item 13 on today's Order of Business. I will also make a statement concerning the appointment of the Parliamentary Budget Officer.

I'm pleased to report to the Senate that the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit has ratified the appointment of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Dr Stein Helgeby. He was appointed on 18 November 2020. Prior to this he was the deputy secretary of governance and resource management at the Department of Finance. Dr Helgeby joined Finance in February 2010 as the deputy secretary of the former financial management group. Before that, Dr Helgeby worked in the Victorian Department of Treasury and Finance, where he was responsible for budget and financial management, long-term policy research, taxation, business tax reform and intergovernmental relations. He also worked in the Department of Premier and Cabinet on national reform and climate change issues. Prior to joining the Victorian public service, he held various budget and corporate services senior executive positions within the then Commonwealth Department of Finance and Administration.

I'd also like to put on record the committee's thanks to Linda Ward and Colin Brown for their work over the last 12 months acting in the role of Parliamentary Budget Officer. The committee are excited to see the appointment of Dr Helgeby and we look forward to his work and the service that he will bring to this parliament.