Inquiry into Public Sector Expenditure

Inquiry status:

Past

Date commenced:

03 Dec 2008

Deadline for submissions:

30 Jan 2009

Date Ended:

19 May 2009

Committee

Estimates and Financial Operations Committee

House:

Legislative Council

Media Statements:

10 Mar 2009
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17 Mar 2009
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03/23/2009
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03/24/2009

Important Information:

Terms of Reference:

The Committee is to inquire into and report on Government measures to audit the operational and financial performance of the Western Australian public sector, and any other means by which efficiencies in public sector expenditure can be gained and all the circumstances surrounding the implementation of a three percent efficiency dividend including -

the impacts of a three percent efficiency dividend on the general level of service delivery across all agencies; in particular any impacts on service delivery to regional areas;
consider alternative methods for achieving a three percent reduction in government expenditure, including:
1. the approach of the former Government;
2. whether certain agencies or functions of agencies should be exempt from the efficiency dividend; and
3. whether the rate of the dividend should vary according to agency size or function, and if so specific advice on which agencies or functions should contribute a disproportionate share of savings over the forward estimates.
whether a three percent efficiency dividend has a disproportionate impact on smaller agencies, including whether or not smaller agencies are disadvantaged by poorer economies of scale or a relative inability to obtain funding for new policy proposals;
what measures agencies are taking to implement a three percent efficiency dividend, and the effect on their functions, performance and staffing arrangements;
the impact of the current financial crisis on the state’s economy and finances;
the sustainability of the rate of growth in general government expenditure detailed in the 2008-09 budget;
the sustainability of the forecast decrease in operating surplus detailed in the 2008-09 budget;
the sustainability of the forecast increase in net debt detailed in the 2008-09 budget; and
the impact of failing to fully implement a three percent efficiency dividend on the operating surplus and net debt.

Submission Number	Submitting person/organisation
	West Coast TAFE received on 14 Jan 2009
	People with Disabilities (WA) Inc received on 2 Feb 2009
	Summary of responses received from Government Agencies received on 24 Feb 2009
	Hon Dr Kim Hames MLA (Acting Premier) received on 19 Jan 2009
	Peter Evans received on 9 Jan 2009
	The Developmental Disability Council of WA (Inc) received on 30 Jan 2009
	Professor Mike Daube (Director, Public Health Advocacy Institute of Western Australia, Curtin University of Technology) received on 11 Feb 2009
	Hon Troy Buswell MLA (Treasurer) received on 9 Feb 2009
	The Chamber of Minerals and Energy Western Australia received on 2 Feb 2009
	Colin Murphy (Auditor General) received on 2 Feb 2009
	Community and Public Sector Union/Civil Service Association of WA received on 2 Feb 2009
	John Mason Admin Solutions received on 9 Jan 2009
	Brian Bradley (Director General, Department of Commerce) received on 26 Mar 2009
	Hon Troy Buswell MLA, Minister for Commerce received on 23 Apr 2009
	Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia received on 29 Jan 2009
	Hon Norman Moore MLC, Minister for Mines and Petroleum received on 16 Apr 2009
	to Hon Colin Barnett MLA (Premier) from the Subcommittee in relation to the Inquiry into Public Sector Expenditure received on 24 Mar 2009
	Hon Colin Barnett MLA (Premier) received on 11 Mar 2009
	Ben Wyatt MLA on behalf of the Labor Opposition received on 30 Jan 2009
	Barry Blaikie received on 17 Feb 2009
	Tim Griffin (Acting Director General, Department of Mines and Petroleum) received on 30 Mar 2009
	Western Australian Council of Social Service Inc received on 3 Feb 2009
	Australian Medical Association received on 2 Feb 2009
	Dr Margaret Nowak (Chairman, Finance Committee, The Library Board of Western Australia) received on 2 Feb 2009
	UnionsWA received on 2 Feb 2009

Related Documents/Response to Questions on Notice:

Unless a venue is specified, hearings are held at the
Legislative Council Committee Rooms Ground Floor, 18-32 Parliament Place, West Perth

Date	Time	Organisation	Witness
25 Feb 2009	11:15 AM	Australian Medical Association	Peter Jennings
25 Feb 2009	12:00 PM	The Chamber of Commerce and Industry	John Nicolaou
25 Feb 2009	01:30 PM	Community and Public Sector Union/Civil Service Association of WA	Toni Walkington
25 Feb 2009	02:15 PM	UnionsWA	Dave Robinson
11 Mar 2009	09:30 AM	Western Australian Council of Social Service Inc.	Sue Ash
18 Mar 2009	11:30 AM	Department of Health	Dr Peter Flett, Director General
24 Mar 2009	10:15 AM	Department of Education and Training	Sharyn O'Neill and Peter McCaffrey
24 Mar 2009	11:00 AM	Department of Treasury and Finance	Tim Marney
24 Mar 2009	12:00 PM	Disability Services Commission	Dr Ron Chalmers
24 Mar 2009	01:30 PM	Department for Child Protection	Terry Murphy
24 Mar 2009	02:15 PM	Department of Corrective Services	Ian Johnson
24 Mar 2009	03:15 PM	Public Transport Authority	Reece Waldock and Peter King
25 Mar 2009	10:15 AM	Auditor General	Colin Murphy
01 Apr 2009	09:15 AM	Mr Barry Blaikie
01 Apr 2009	10:00 AM	Department of Fisheries	Stuart Smith
01 Apr 2009	11:00 AM	Department of Environment and Conservation	Kieran McNamara
02 Apr 2009	09:00 AM	Western Australia Police Service	Karl O'Callaghan, Greg Italiano, Les Bechelli
08 Apr 2009	09:30 AM	Department of Mines and Petroleum	Tim Griffin, A/DG
08 Apr 2009	10:15 AM	Department of Commerce	Brian Bradley, DG
08 Apr 2009	11:00 AM	Department of Housing	Grahame Searle, DG

Related Transcripts of Evidence:

Evidence by.. John Nicolaou (Executive Director (Economic Policy) and Chief Economist, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia) on 25 Feb 2009

Evidence by.. Mr Peter Jennings (Deputy Executive Director, Australian Medical Association (WA)) and Professor Gary Geelhoed (President, Australian Medical Assocation (WA)) on 25 Feb 2009

Evidence by.. David Robinson (Secretary, UnionsWA) on 25 Feb 2009

Evidence by.. Toni Walkington (General Secretary/Branch Secretary, Community and Public Sector Union, Civil Service Association, SPSF Group, WA Branch) on 25 Feb 2009

Evidence by.. Ms Sue Ash (Chief Executive Officer, Western Australian Council of Social Service) on 11 Mar 2009

Evidence by.. Dr Peter Flett (Director General, Department of Health), Dr Robyn Lawerence (Executive Director, Innovation and Health System Reform, Department of Health) on 18 Mar 2009

Evidence by.. Dr Ron Chalmers (Director General, Disability Services Commission) on 24 Mar 2009

Evidence by.. Mr Reece Waldock (Chief Executive Officer, Public Transport Authority) and Mr Peter King (Executive Director, Finance and Contracts, Public Transport Authority) on 24 Mar 2009

Evidence by.. Mr Ian Johnson (Commissioner, Department of Corrective Services), Mr Graeme Doyle (Assistant Commissioner Corporate Support, Department of Corrective Services) on 24 Mar 2009

Evidence by.. Mr Tim Marney (Under Treasurer, Department of Treasury and Finance) on 24 Mar 2009

Evidence by.. Mr Terry Murphy (Director General, Department for Child Protection) and Ms Jennifer McGrath (Executive Director, Corporate and Business Services, Department for Child Protection) on 24 Mar 2009

Evidence by.. Ms Sharyn O'Neill (Director General, Department of Education and Training) and Mr Peter McCaffrey (Deputy Director General, Finance and Administration, Department of Education and Training) on 24 Mar 2009

Evidence by.. Mr Colin Murphy (Auditor General), Mr David Gilchrist (Assistant Auditor General, Office of the Auditor General) and Mrs Sadie Godfrey (Assistant Auditor General, Strategy and Corporate Services, Office of the Auditor General) on 25 Mar 2009

Evidence by.. Mr Stuart Smith (Chief Executive Officer, Department of Fisheries) and Mr Bruno Mezzatesta (Director, Corporate Services, Department of Fisheries) on 1 Apr 2009

Evidence by.. Mr Keiran McNamara (Director General, Department of Environment and Conservation) and Dr John Byrne (Chief Finance Officer, Department of Environment and Conservation) on 1 Apr 2009

Evidence by.. Mr Barry Blaikie on 1 Apr 2009

Evidence by.. Dr Karl O'Callaghan (Commissioner of Police, Western Australia Police), Mr Greg Italiano (Executive Director, Western Australia Police) and Mr Les Bechelli (Acting Director of Finance, Western Australia Police) on 2 Apr 2009

Evidence by.. Mr Brian Bradley (Director General, Department of Commerce) and Ms Joanne Hunt (Manager, Policy and Executive Services, Office of the Director General, Department of Commerce) on 8 Apr 2009

Evidence by.. Mr Grahame Searle (Director General, Department of Housing) on 8 Apr 2009

Evidence by.. Dr Tim Griffin (Acting Director General, Department of Mines and Petroleum) and Mr Jeremy Hawke (General Manager Finance, Department of Mines and Petroleum) on 8 Apr 2009

Related Reports:

Report No	Title	Date tabled	Related documents
21	Report on the Inquiry into Public Sector Expenditure	19 May 2009	More...
16	Interim Report on the Public Sector Expenditure Inquiry: Request for Member of the Legislative Assembly to Appear before the Committee	7 Apr 2009