Question - ACT Public Service

(UPT page 38)

MS CASTLEY: Sure, okay. Chief Minister, I am just wondering if I can have some questions for you now. Outside the caretaker period, what is the usual process by which an agency would inform Chief Minister or Treasury about expenditure that is significantly exceeding forecasts that have been made, and/or risks to the financial position?

Mr Barr: Well, that would vary depending on the agency and its appropriation and the terms in which it operates; whether it has own source revenue, for example. Probably best I take that on notice to provide you with a—rather than just an off the top of my head answer.

MS CASTLEY: Yes, okay, and is it something that your office would be informed directly by another minister’s office, or would the information come to you in your office through Treasury and then to—

Mr Barr: Well, generally through Treasury, and more often than not on the formal quarterly reporting, or half-yearly reporting requirements. Many agencies have own source revenue, and so their budget management involves both their government payment for output—that is what comes off the budget that is appropriated for them—as well as their own source revenue. And so they are expected to operate within the revenue resources that they have that are multiple, often, and are not just the territory government. In some instances there is a stream of commonwealth funding as well. So it is a much more devolved set of financial arrangements in that directorates and agencies within directorates are responsible for their own financial management, for their own reporting. We do not have a large commonwealth finance department-style operation when it comes to ACT Treasury.