Joint Committee on Public Accounts and Estimates

Full description

The Public Accounts and Estimates Committee is a Joint Investigatory Committee of the Parliament of Victoria. The Committee was established under Parliamentary Committees Act 1968 according to the amendments specified in the Parliamentary Committees (Amendment) Act 1992. This was one of two Committees established by this Act which effectively replaced the Economic and Budget Review Committee (VA 3138), the other being the Economic Development Committee (VA 3139).

The Public Accounts and Estimates Committee has three main functions; public accounts, estimates and oversight. The Committee aims to:

• promote public sector accountability
• deliver reports that promote improvements to public administration and financial management of the State
• follow-up on Auditor-General recommendations
• ensure the Auditor-General and Parliamentary Budget Officer are accountable and remain independent
• enhance MPs’ understanding and decision making of State financial management matters
• contribute to the local and global community of public accounts committees and like agencies.

The Committee is not an alternative review body and as such, it cannot investigate, review any decision to investigate, nor review any findings, recommendations or determinations regarding a particular complaint made to the Victorian Inspectorate.

The committee’s functions were initially to inquire into and report on matters relating to public sector finances and budget papers, estimates and payments. In 1997 the committee was given additional auditing functions under the Audit Act 1994 and in 1999 the committee’s responsibilities were extended again to include further functions under the Audit Act 1994 and Constitution Act 1975, which included recommending the appointment of as well managing and monitoring the work of the Auditor-General. In 2012 the committee’s functions were extended to the monitoring, reviewing, and reporting on the performance of the Victorian Inspectorate regarding Victorian Auditor General Officers. In 2017 the committee was given further functions under the Parliamentary Budget Officer Act 2017, which include recommending the appointment, suspension, or removal from office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, as well as managing conflict of interest, monitoring and managing annual work plans and reviewing Parliamentary Budget reports.

Joint Investigatory Committees

Joint Investigatory Committees are groups of members appointed by the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly to conduct investigations and make recommendations about topics of particular interest to Parliament. Some committees have ongoing functions to scrutinise legislation and finances, and others conduct inquiries into specific subject matters. A key feature of committee work is the taking of evidence from the public and expert witnesses as part of the inquiry process. Committee investigations result in reports to Parliament.

Joint committees have between five and ten members of whom at least one is a member of the Council, and one is a member of the Assembly. Joint committees can inquire into matters referred to it by a resolution of either House or by order of the Governor-In-Council. They may also inquire into, consider, or report to Parliament on any annual report or document relevant to its functions laid before either House. Recommendations made joint investigatory committees are not automatically accepted by Parliament. The responsible Minister must however, table a report stating action to be taken regarding the recommendations within six months of the tabling of the Committee’s report.