Estimates and scrutiny
10 April 08
ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey has reiterated her support for close scrutiny of the ACT Government budget, but voiced concern about the process of establishing the 2008 Estimates Committee.
“In the first instance an estimates committee should be chaired by a non-government member” Dr Foskey said today.
“But the ACT Government has used its numbers, once again, to ensure the committee chairperson is a Government MLA.”
“The motion I supported proposed three members from the Government, two from the Opposition, and one from the Crossbench.”
“I have served on the Estimates Committee for the past three years but offered the crossbench position to newly independent Richard Mulcahy this year, as he professes such a strong claim to economic acumen.”
“Mr Mulcahy however wasn’t prepared to take on that work. As a result, the committee will have only five Members.”
“I would like to reassure constituents that I will contribute to the Estimates hearings in any event, as a visiting Member.”
“And as always, I will be applying a Greens lens to the ACT budget, when it is delivered in the next sitting week” Dr Foskey said.
