Public Accounts Committee (Queensland)
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| Public Accounts Committee (Queensland) | |
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| Name | Public Accounts Committee (Queensland) |
| Legislature | Parliament of Queensland |
| Type | Select committee |
| Formed | 1860s |
| Jurisdiction | Queensland |
| Chair | Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland |
| Meeting place | Brisbane |
Public Accounts Committee (Queensland) is a parliamentary select committee of the Parliament of Queensland responsible for oversight of public expenditure, accountability and audit matters within Queensland. The committee scrutinises reports from the Queensland Audit Office, reviews financial administration across portfolios such as Queensland Health, Queensland Treasury, and Department of Transport and Main Roads, and reports to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland. It operates within a framework that intersects with entities like the Attorney-General of Queensland, the Premier of Queensland, and statutory bodies including the Crime and Corruption Commission and the Auditor-General (Queensland).
History
The committee traces origins to parliamentary oversight practices in the 19th century in Australia and institutional reforms in the 20th century influenced by Westminster traditions in United Kingdom, New South Wales, Victoria (Australia), and Western Australia. Early precursors include budgetary control functions in the Colonial Secretary of Queensland era and later formalisation following reports from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Committee of Public Accounts (United Kingdom). Major milestones involved procedural modernisation in the 1970s, reform driven by inquiries related to Fitzgerald Inquiry and administrative changes under premiers such as Joh Bjelke-Petersen and Wayne Goss; later procedural updates reflected audit reforms led by successive Auditor-General (Queensland) incumbents.
Role and Functions
The committee examines Queensland Audit Office reports, reviews public sector financial statements from agencies including Queensland Health, Department of Education (Queensland), Department of Communities, Disability Services and Seniors (Queensland), and assesses compliance with statutes such as the Financial Accountability Act 2009 (Queensland). It conducts performance examinations touching on contracts with entities like Sunshine Coast Council, Brisbane City Council, and oversees implementation of bipartisan recommendations tied to national instruments like those advocated by the Commonwealth Auditor-General and the Australian National Audit Office. The committee liaises with officeholders such as the Treasurer of Queensland, the Controller and Auditor-General (Queensland), and the Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Commissioner.
Membership and Appointment
Membership is drawn from members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland and reflects party representation similar to select committees in New Zealand and Canada. Chairs have been drawn from both majority and opposition benches, reflecting precedents set in the House of Commons and the Senate (Australia). Members are appointed by resolution of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland and include representatives from parties such as the Australian Labor Party (Queensland Branch), the Liberal National Party of Queensland, The Greens (Australian political party), and independents affiliated with movements like Katter's Australian Party. Appointment processes reference standing orders of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland and comparable practice in the Parliamentary Service of Queensland.
Powers and Procedures
The committee exercises powers to summon witnesses, request documents, and conduct public hearings consistent with standing orders and statutory authority similar to powers granted to the Public Accounts Committee (United Kingdom). It may require attendance of officials including the Auditor-General (Queensland), the Treasurer of Queensland, and agency chief executives from bodies such as Queensland Rail and Energy Queensland. Procedures include evidence-taking, confidential deliberation, production of majority and minority reports, and tabling in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland; these practices mirror procedures in committees like the Senate Standing Committee on Public Accounts and Audit and incorporate legal advice from offices such as the Crown Solicitor (Queensland).
Notable Inquiries and Reports
High-profile inquiries have addressed issues in Queensland Health elective surgery backlogs, procurement practices involving contractors such as ABCD Contractors (example corporate participants), infrastructure delivery at ports including Port of Brisbane, and financial oversight of entities like Queensland Police Service capital programs. Reports have influenced policy changes adopted by premiers including Anna Bligh and Campbell Newman and have intersected with investigations by the Crime and Corruption Commission and audit findings from the Queensland Audit Office. The committee’s reports have been cited in debates before the Legislative Assembly, reviews by the Australian National Audit Office, and media coverage in outlets such as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, The Courier-Mail, and The Brisbane Times.
Relationship with Other Parliamentary Committees
The committee coordinates with committees such as the Estimates Committee (Queensland), the Ethics Committee (Queensland), and portfolio committees covering Health and Ambulance Services Committee (Queensland), Transport and Resources Committee (Queensland), and Education, Employment and Training Committee (Queensland). It shares oversight responsibilities with statutory review bodies like the Crime and Corruption Commission and interacts with federal counterparts including the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (Australia). Cross-committee referrals, joint hearings, and concordats with agencies such as the Queensland Audit Office and the Parliamentary Service of Queensland are customary.
Impact and Criticism
Proponents credit the committee with enhancing fiscal accountability across agencies including Queensland Health and Department of Transport and Main Roads and with prompting reforms adopted by treasurers such as Fitzgerald (Queensland Treasurer)-era initiatives; critics point to partisan use analogous to critiques leveled at the Public Accounts Committee (United Kingdom) and argue that resource constraints limit follow-up on recommendations, a concern echoed in reviews by the Queensland Integrity Commissioner and commentators in The Australian Financial Review. Debates continue over transparency, witness protections overseen by bodies like the Ombudsman (Queensland), and the balance between public scrutiny and administrative efficiency advocated by figures from the Business Council of Australia and academics from institutions such as the University of Queensland and Griffith University.