Accountability

 

Procedural orders and resolutions of the Senate of continuing effect

41 - Statutory authorities

The committee is of the opinion that, unless the Parliament has expressly provided otherwise, there is no area of expenditure of public funds by statutory authorities which cannot be examined by Parliament or its committees, and in this regard confirms the opinion expressed in the report to the Senate by Estimates Committee B, viz.: “The committee is of the opinion that whilst it may be argued that these bodies are not accountable through the responsible minister of state to Parliament for day-to-day operations, statutory corporations may be called to account by Parliament itself at any time and that there are no areas of expenditure of public funds where these corporations have a discretion to withhold details or explanations from Parliament or its committees unless the Parliament has expressly provided otherwise.”.

(9 December 1971 J.846)

Note: Resolution of a committee of the whole agreed to on 2 December 1971, adopted by the Senate on 9 December 1971.

42 - Statutory authorities

The Senate reaffirms the principle expressed in the resolution agreed to in committee of the whole on 2 December 1971 and adopted by the Senate on 9 December 1971, viz.: “That whilst it may be argued that statutory authorities are not accountable through the responsible minister of state to Parliament for day-to-day operations, they may be called to account by Parliament itself at any time and that there are no areas of expenditure of public funds where these corporations have a discretion to withhold details or explanations from Parliament or its committees unless the Parliament has expressly provided otherwise.”.

(23 October 1974 J.283)

43 - Statutory authorities

The committee, having considered the report of Estimates Committee B, ... recommends ...

  1. that the principle, espoused by the Senate in 1971 and 1974, that there are no areas of expenditure of public funds where statutory authorities have a discretion to withhold details or explanations from Parliament or its committees unless the Parliament has expressly provided otherwise, be reaffirmed;

  2. the affirmation, in accordance with this principle, that the right to privacy of individual counsel accepting a brief on behalf of the Commonwealth for which money is appropriated by Parliament is supervened by such acceptance, subject to the reasons for the information being clearly defined and to the proviso that injudicious or unwarranted invasion of privacy is not the intention of the Parliament or its committees; and ...

    (18 September 1980 J.1563)

    Note: Resolution of a committee of the whole, adopted by the Senate on 18 September 1980. Part of a longer resolution dealing also with other matters.

44 - Statutory authorities

The committee, having considered the reports of Estimates Committees, recommends –

  1. that the Senate again reaffirm the principle – first adopted by the Senate following consideration of the report by Estimates Committee B in 1971, and reaffirmed in 1974:

    “That whilst it may be argued that statutory authorities are not accountable through the responsible minister of state to Parliament for day-to-day operations, they may be called to account by Parliament itself at any time and that there are no areas of expenditure of public funds where these corporations have a discretion to withhold details or explanations from Parliament or its committees unless the Parliament has expressly provided otherwise.” ...

    (4 June 1984 J.902)

    Note: Resolution of a committee of the whole, adopted by the Senate on 4 June 1984. Part of a longer resolution dealing also with other matters. The above principle was again reaffirmed by the Senate on 29 May 1997 (J.2042).

45 - Public funds

The Senate reaffirms the principle, stated previously in resolutions of 9 December 1971, 23 October 1974, 18 September 1980, 4 June 1984 and 29 May 1997, that there are no areas in connection with the expenditure of public funds where any person has a discretion to withhold details or explanations from the Parliament or its committees unless the Parliament has expressly provided otherwise.”.

(25 June 1998 J.4075)

Note: Part of a longer resolution agreed to by means of an amendment to the motion that the Stevedoring Levy (Collection) Bill 1998 and the Stevedoring Levy (Imposition) Bill 1998 be read a second time.

46 - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

The Senate ...

  1. agrees with the committee’s conclusion that the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) approach to the committee’s inquiry was incorrect and that the ABC and any summoned officers of the ABC should have answered the committee’s questions;

  2. asserts that the ABC and any other witnesses before Senate committees have an obligation to co-operate and to answer questions within the terms of reference of Senate standing committees and Senate estimates committees alike; ...

    (19 November 1986 J.1424)

    Note:  Part of a longer resolution taking note of a report by the Standing Committee on Education and the Arts.

47 - Public servants

The Senate is of the opinion that all heads of departments and other agencies, statutory office holders and Senior Executive Service officers should be required, as part of their duties, to undertake study of the principles governing the operation of Parliament, and the accountability of their departments, agencies and authorities to the Houses of Parliament and their committees, with particular reference to the rights and responsibilities of, and protection afforded to, witnesses before parliamentary committees.

(21 October 1993 J.684, reaffirmed 1 December 1998 with adoption of Committee of Privileges 73rd report, paragraph 2.42, J.226)