Checking public expenditure
Paul Allsworth, the Head of the PAC Secretariat says the purpose of the Public Accounts Committee is to examine the financial affairs and accounts of Government agencies of the State which includes any statutory board, commission, authority, committee or trust established or appointed pursuant to any rule, regulation, by law, order, order in council, ministerial direction or any other like means. The PAC may inquire into and report to Parliament on any question which, it deems necessary to investigate, is referred to it by the Minister or a recommendation from Parliament and other statutory bodies such as PERCA.
The PAC will shortly meet with officials from MFEM to discuss and review the 2012/13 budget appropriation. It will also meet with the Audit Office to review critical financial and special review reports that require further action. Next month it plans to individually meet with all Heads of Ministries by each sector to explain its role, purpose and activities.PAC also has an oversight and scrutiny role over all Government Ministries. Chief Executives Officers of State Owned Enterprises and Crown Agencies will also be called to meet with the PAC to discuss their performance and expenditure of public funds.
The Chairman of PAC, Hon John Henry says that PAC will have a full workload ahead when Parliament is not sitting.
Parliament formally approved the establishment of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on the 15th of June 2012 and since then a lot of developments have taken place. The PAC visited the Western Australia Parliament as it has a twinning relationship that goes back some 15 years. The PAC has finalized its Perth Study Tour Report which will be tabled in Parliament at the next sitting. The PAC is made up of three Government members, John Henry, Chairperson, Mona Ioane and Kiriau Turepu and two Opposition members, Hon Wilkie Rasmussen and Jim Marurai.
The PAC convened it’s first meeting in Parliament on the 18th of July 2012.
The agenda matters included;
1.Approving it’s Perth Study Tour Report.
2.Finalizing it’s terms of reference according to Parliament standing orders.
3.Discussing it’s work plan for the period, July-December 2012.
4.Approving it’s membership into GOPAC, which is the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption, and
5.Preparation meetings with senior officials of MFEM for the Budget and the Audit Office for Audit Reports.
The PAC plans to next meet in Parliament on Wednesday 22nd August 2012.

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