Wednesday, 21 June 2023

Public Accounts and Estimates Committee

Report on the Appointment of a Person to Conduct the Financial Audit of the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office

Lauren KATHAGE (Yan Yean) (10:32): I rise to speak to the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee report tabled in May, Report on the Appointment of a Person to Conduct the Financial Audit of the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office. As so thoroughly summarised by the member for Point Cook, the committee resolved to recommend the appointment of Mr Kenneth Weldin to conduct the financial audit of VAGO for the financial year ending 30 June 2024. This is the first report tabled by PAEC in the 60th Parliament, and last week we concluded the first budget hearings of the 60th Parliament. I must say as a new member of the committee and indeed of Parliament I look forward to that report being tabled. What may not make the report are the incredible contributions by the opposition during the hearings. I say ‘incredible’ because they beggared belief. I guess we were all prepared for them to ask the Minister for Women ‘What is a woman?’ not just because of the fairly abhorrent views of some in their party but because with so few women amongst them perhaps they really do not know.

The SPEAKER: Order! I ask the member to come back to the committee report, please.

Lauren KATHAGE: Yes. Members statements perhaps would be more appropriate. In the budget hearings we decided that we would give them the benefit of the doubt, because with so few women perhaps they really do not know, as I said. The budget hearings were great. We had the Minister for Small Business there, who outlined some of the different investments they are making in multicultural precincts –

Cindy McLeish: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, I seek clarity about the report that the member is speaking on, because we have moved on to PAEC, and it is not one of the reports that is available.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, I will uphold the point of order. The report I believe you were speaking on was the Report on the Appointment of a Person to Conduct the Financial Audit of the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office. If you could come back to that, that would be appreciated.

Lauren KATHAGE: Yes. Thank you, Deputy Speaker. That was so thoroughly summarised by the member for Point Cook with our first report of this Parliament, and I am looking forward to future reports including things. The Auditor-General is dealing with an audit of the Auditor-General’s office to make sure that everything is true and correct. We have a lot of audits of grant programs, like the grant program for small businesses in multicultural precincts. When we were discussing those in the hearings the opposition asked, ‘What about Australians?’ ‘What about Australians?’ they asked. It seems that, for the esteemed members of the Liberal Party, they also need explained to them what is an Australian. Well, the answer to that is well known by members on this side of the chamber, where we value all Australians equally, where we recognise the incalculable contribution of migrants and those Australians whose parents were born overseas. Those on this side of the chamber are busy delivering what matters for all Victorians, and what matters to Victorians is cost-of-living pressures. That is what they are discussing at their kids’ netball games, in the staffroom, down at the shops at the check-out. I had a conversation with the check-out attendant – ‘Wow’ – a bit shocked when I saw the cost. That is what matters to Victorians.

Danny O’Brien: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker – I think you know where I am going to go with this – as important as the issues that are raised are, they do not relate to the appointment of an auditor for the Auditor-General.

Danny Pearson: On the point of order, Deputy Speaker, I have had to listen to this nauseating hagiography from the member for Euroa in relation to Pat McNamara. I have had to listen to this nauseating hagiography of Pat McNamara. This has been a bit of a wideranging discussion. You have got to give a little to get a little. I had to put up with that. I am enjoying listening to my member’s contribution.

James Newbury: On the point of order, Deputy Speaker, I agree with the minister and I understand why he feels his member’s contribution has been so nauseating – and it does not in any way relate to the committee report at hand.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: A point of order is not an opportunity for debate, and the Chair would appreciate your assistance in that. The member should be speaking on the committee report and will come back to it.

Lauren KATHAGE: Thank you, Deputy Speaker. And yes – (Time expired)