Parliamentary Committees

Statutory Authorities Review Committee: Annual Report 2013-14

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (15:58): I move:

That the annual report of the committee, 2013-14, be noted.

As members would be aware, the Statutory Authorities Review Committee is a multipartite parliamentary standing committee, whose five members are drawn solely from the Legislative Council. This report is the 61^st report of the committee and my first as Presiding Member. It provides a summary of the committee's activities for 2013-14. Throughout 2013-14, the committee met on 14 occasions, completed its inquiry into Funds SA and continued its inquiry in the State Procurement Board.

In 2013-14 the committee continued to hear evidence for the Inquiry into Funds SA and undertook a cross-jurisdictional study of Australian investment fund managers. It visited Victoria and New South Wales to hear from the Victorian Funds Management Corporation, Victoria's Emergency Services and State Super Board, the New South Wales Treasury Corporation, State Super and First State Super in New South Wales. This evidence proved to be invaluable as it allowed the committee to compare the South Australian funds management model with those of its interstate counterparts. The committee's report on the Inquiry into Funds SA was published in January 2014. The committee's recommendations included that:

the Treasurer consider amending the South Australian investment framework to include the adoption of a formalised tripartite relationship between the Department of Treasury and Finance, the client and Funds SA;

the Treasurer, in conjunction with the Department of Treasury and Finance, conduct a review with a view to the resolution of any issues between Funds SA and the Motor Accident Commission;

the government continue to monitor broad industry trends in investment funds management; and

common performance criteria be set to be adopted by all government agencies involved in funds management.

For the Inquiry into the State Procurement Board, in 2013-14 the committee commenced hearing evidence and published an interim report. Following the state election in 2014 the composition of the committee changed, and I am very pleased to have been appointed as the Presiding Member. I would also like to thank the committee's former presiding member, the Hon. Carmel Zollo, and its former members the Hon. Ann Bressington and the Hon. Terry Stephens for their contribution to the committee. I welcome the Hon. Dennis Hood, the Hon. Tung Ngo and the Hon. Stephen Wade to the committee. I also look forward to working with all current committee members into the future.

During 2013-14 the committee also welcomed Peter Dimopoulos as its new secretary. It farewelled Mr Gareth Hickery, the committee's secretary, and Ms Linda Eckert, who acted as the secretary while Mr Hickery was on leave. The committee thanks both of them for their service and wishes them well into the future. In 2014 we saw the committee's research officer, Ms Debbie Bletsas, move on from her role. The committee thanks Ms Bletsas for her service and also wishes her well for the future. The committee welcomes our new research officer, Ms Emma Moulds, who I am sure will acquit herself very well.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. T.T. Ngo.