Conroy gags himself over National Broadband RFP

Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 27 May 2008 05:50

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

As the outcome of the RFP could be to commit the government to shelling out close to $5b of taxpayers' money, questioning in estimates would seem to be entirely in order.

The site explains that: "Twice each year, usually in May and November, the estimates of proposed annual expenditure of government departments and authorities are referred by the Senate to the relevant legislation committees for examination and report. At the estimates hearings senators may directly question ministers and public officials not only about the details of proposed expenditure but also about the objectives, operations and efficiency of the programs for which they are responsible.

"All evidence is taken in public. In the Australian system of government, ministers and public servants are accountable to the Parliament for the use of the public resources with which they have been entrusted. The detailed scrutiny of estimates by the Senate's legislation committees is one of the Parliament's most effective avenues of accountability. During the past three decades this process has 'opened the books of government' and contributed significantly to the improvement of management in the public sector."