Questions without notice and ministers statements
Public sector review
David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:00): (813) My question is to the Treasurer. Treasurer, I refer to the razor gang you have announced today, to be headed by Helen Silver. You have said that capital expenditure is not included in the review. Given the waste and inefficiency in so much of Labor’s capital works – indeed pointed to directly by the Auditor-General yesterday – why were these capital works, including the Suburban Rail Loop, your $200 billion-plus white elephant, excluded from the review?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:01): Mr Davis, I do not accept your characterisation of the review, nor do I accept the premise of your question in basically anything that you said. In relation to the review, this is about recurrent and operational expenditure. They are the terms of reference that have been provided to Helen Silver, and I look forward to her report.
David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:01): I ask: will the Silver razor-gang review be public in its processes and final report?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:02): It is not unusual for those opposite to seek to provide inappropriate commentary on independent processes and indeed independent agencies, and I think I could turn to many examples. I think undermining quality individuals that are prepared to do important work is just demeaning and just reflects on the types of characters that ask the question. Having said that, as I have indicated, Ms Silver will provide interim recommendations that will form part of this year’s budget, and those recommendations will be evident in the budget papers. Her final report is due to me in June and will be made public.