Supplementary statement by Coalition Members of the Committee
Coalition Members of the Public Works Committee (PWC)
express in the strongest possible terms their objection that the normal role of
the Committee in supervising the expenditure of public monies has been
deliberately usurped by an act of the majority of the Parliament in respect to
the rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN).
The NBN represents the largest financial commitment to a
work in the history of the Parliament and it is a travesty that the PWC’s
normal good work in scrutinizing the activity of Government Departments in the national
interest has been prevented on this project.
Notwithstanding that this Annual Report makes reference to
this particular exemption, the Report waxes lyrically on the need for
Departments to provide the PWC with the following:
(a) the stated purpose of the
work and its suitability for that purpose
(b) the necessity for, or the
advisability of, carrying out the work
(c) the most effective use that
can be made, in the carrying out of the work, or the monies to be expended on
the work
(d) where the work purports to be
of a revenue producing character, the amount of revenue that it may be
reasonably expected to produce
(e) the present and prospective
public value of the work
(f) that procurement processes
satisfy the high standards of probity for Commonwealth projects.
Notwithstanding that a special Joint House Committee has
been established for the NBN, this new Committee does not possess the power of
the PWC.
The PWC prides itself on the rigorous pursuit of all the above
principles and has the capacity to refuse projects if it is not satisfied on
any of them.
Opposition Members of the PWC are not confident that all of
the above principles are being observed in respect to the NBN nor that the new
Joint Committee has the equivalent power of the PWC including the consideration
of commercial in confidence information.
Coalition Members therefore record their protest in this
supplementary statement at this blatant repudiation of the good work of the PWC
and its vigorous oversight of public expenditure over many Parliaments
John Forrest MP (Deputy Chair)
Member for Mallee
Karen Andrews MP
Member for McPherson
Patrick Secker MP
Member for Barker
Senator Sue Boyce
Senator for Queensland