Parliamentary Committees

Budget and Finance Committee: Annual Report 2014-15

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (16:56): I move:

That the report on the operations of the committee, 2014-2015, be noted.

In moving the motion standing in my name, I rise to speak briefly to note the report of the work of the Budget and Finance Committee 2014-15. I do not propose to go into detail in relation to the work of the committee. As I have indicated on many previous occasions, I think the worth of the committee is apparent to all members of the chamber.

I think one of the valuable aspects of the work of this particular committee was the provision originally moved when it was first established to have participating members in the committee. I believe it is the only committee that we have established which allows that particular provision. I think it is worth merit consideration in terms of potentially the work of other committees. I think over its period probably most members of the Legislative Council have either served as members of the committee or have participated and come along and asked questions on particular policy areas or portfolio areas of interest to those particular members.

In addition to its usual work of looking at the budgets and finances of the departments and agencies, it has continued its oversight work on the new Royal Adelaide Hospital project. Again, to refresh members' memories on that, the reason it picked up that particular issue was that the Public Works Committee decided that it would not undertake its normal process of looking at a major public work undertaken on behalf of the government of the day and the taxpayers of the state, and so the Budget and Finance Committee has picked up an ongoing body of work in relation to the new Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Again, I think the worth of the committee has been demonstrated in recent hearings, both late last year and early this year, when the spotlight was able to be thrown on some aspects of the operation of the process of managing the contract and the process of moving to the new Royal Adelaide Hospital site. The committee will take further evidence on that issue again next week.

Another ongoing issue the committee has taken evidence on has been the issue of water pricing in South Australia. Again, there has been a separate motion to establish an inquiry into water pricing in South Australia. The government was not disposed to supporting that so the Budget and Finance Committee has picked up a modest body of work there in relation to allowing a number of the major stakeholders with differing views on water pricing in the state to put their views. The witnesses who gave evidence on that issue before the committee included both past and present members of ESCOSA, SA Water and Treasury. With those few words, I move that the report be noted.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. S.G. Wade.

At 17:02 the council adjourned until Thursday 11 February 2016 at 11:00.