Inquiry into public sector appointments

Paul Harris MR

The Committee could also be charged with investigating the debacle concerning the appointment of a Magistrate last year and whether any inappropriate action may have occurred in light of the matters raised in parliament last week.

MEDIA RELEASE

PAUL HARRISS MLC

INDEPENDENT MEMBER FOR HUON

SUNDAY 13 APRIL 2008

INQUIRY INTO PUBLIC SECTOR APPOINTMENTS

Independent Huon MLC Paul Harriss has today flagged that he is considering moving for the establishment of a Legislative Council Select Committee into the processes surrounding
key executive public sector appointments.

“Recent key public sector appointments have rocked the community’s confidence in proper accountability and transparency in Tasmania and I believe an inquiry into world’s best practice is warranted”, Mr Harriss said.

“A Legislative Council Select Committee could inquire into best practice key executive public sector appointment processes and make recommendations for improvements where appropriate after taking evidence from a wide range of experts in the field.

“The Committee could also be charged with investigating the debacle concerning the appointment of a Magistrate last year and whether any inappropriate action may have occurred
in light of the matters raised in parliament last week.

“It is absolutely imperative that there is public confidence in the accountability and transparency surrounding key government appointments but at the moment people in the street are shaking their head.

“The Legislative Council has a responsibility to the people of Tasmania to review and scrutinize the actions of the government of the day – the upper house is not there to just review legislation.

“The Director of Public Prosecutions has said he cannot investigate the events surrounding the recent magisterial appointment unless he is requested to do so by the Attorney-General and that begs the question as to who then can force questions to be answered in the public interest.

“I believe strongly in the independence of the Legislative Council and its role to protect the public interest by compelling answers to questions through the Committee system that no-one else appears to have the power to do.

“When Parliament resumes this week I will give very serious consideration to whether a Select Committee is an appropriate vehicle to scrutinize processes surrounding executive public sector appointments.”