By Daniel Hurst
Senior public servants in Queensland could be hauled before beefed-up parliamentary panels under sweeping changes proposed for the committee system.
And bureaucrats would be made more accountable around budget time when they could be forced to answer questions about their department's performance.
A review of the state's parliamentary committees – made up of members from both sides of politics – has resulted in 55 recommendations to strengthen their ability to scrutinise government decisions.
Proposals include an overhaul of committee structures and a requirement that all but the most urgent legislation is sent for review and opened up to public input before being passed.
The bipartisan team that prepared today's report called for nine committees to be set up based on key portfolio areas, including one for health, one for education and one for transport and infrastructure.
These new committees would have the ability to report on all aspects of government activities, including investigating and reporting on events, incidents and operational matters.
Judy Spence, a former Labor minister who headed the committee system review, today volunteered the health payroll bungles as an issue that could be probed if the new structure was adopted.
Ms Spence said she expected committees would be able to compel senior public servants to attend hearings and answer for their actions.
While the new accountability may be “tough” for public servants, senior officials were well paid and “should be able to perform this task”, she said.
Another recommendation called for senior public servants, chief executive officers and statutory officer holders to be able to be directly questioned at budget estimates hearings.
Budget estimates hearings are held mid-year and give government and non-government parliamentarians a chance to ask questions about spending decisions.
But at present, questioning is restricted to ministers and the parliamentary speaker.
This is big, bold reform and that is precisely what I was looking for when I established this committee.
The review team report said public servants could be directly questioned in similar estimates processes in Federal Parliament and in New South Wales and Victoria.
It backed a submission that suggested senior public officers should be accountable for the actions they take, including directly answering questions at such sessions.
Other proposed changes would ensure the appointment of key public officials, such as the Ombudsman, the Integrity Commissioner and the Auditor-General, would require the bipartisan support of a committee.
The Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee, which oversees the Crime and Misconduct Commission, would for the first time be chaired by a non-government MP rather than a government representative.
Ms Spence said the review team also wanted to give the public “an unprecedented opportunity” to comment on government legislation before it was voted on in State Parliament.
Under the proposal, all but the most urgent bills would be referred to portfolio committees for inquiry and report, with the community given its chance to have a say during this process.
Ms Spence said if a bill was so pressing it could not go to a committee before being passed, the government would have to justify the “extraordinary” reasons.
It would be up to the government of the day to act on the committee's recommendations for changing proposed legislation.
Deputy Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg, who was assistant head of the review team, said he was confident the proposed new process would lead to positive changes.
“I have little doubt that we are going to get better legislation,” he said.
Mr Springborg and Ms Spence appeared at a joint press conference together to back the proposed recommendations, which they said had unanimous support among the review committee.
The nine-member team produced today's report included four Labor MPs, four Liberal National Party MPs, and Independent Member for Nanango Dorothy Pratt.
In a statement, Premier Anna Bligh said the government would carefully consider the 55 recommendations.
She said the landmark report recommended the most significant parliamentary overhaul since the 1920s when the upper house was abolished.
“This is big, bold reform and that is precisely what I was looking for when I established this committee,” she said.
“Queenslanders want stronger checks and balances in their Parliament.”
Ms Bligh said she hoped new systems could be put in place early in the new parliamentary year.