Robert Oakeshott (Lyne, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

The contribution from the member for Mackellar was wrong: all three aspects of this bill as originally intended are in place. The intention of the Auditor-General Amendment Bill 2011 was to allow the Auditor-General to work with state auditors to work on either collaborative audits or individual audits to follow the money trail. A lot of Commonwealth business is now done through the states. That is an important reform for the taxpayers of Australia in looking for efficiency for their taxpayers' dollars.

Likewise, the ability to access government business enterprise is still in place. The government amendments remove the minister's right of referral to the Auditor-General. The Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit can still do a referral to the Auditor-General for a look at government business enterprises—again, a really important reform for the taxpayers of Australia looking for efficiency for their dollars.

The third aspect with regard to contractors is an important reform when we look at the amount of business done by contractors in delivering programs in Australian public policy today. Defence contracting, for example, is not small business; it is big business. It should have an audit trail and we should know on behalf of taxpayers where that money is being spent, why it is being spent and that it is being spent efficiently. This is an important reform for Australian taxpayers and Australian public policy. I would urge the House to support it on the third reading.

Question put:

That this bill be now read a third time.

The House divided. [12:05]

(The Speaker—Mr Harry Jenkins)

Question agreed to.

Bill read a third time.

See this speech in context