❓ Mr. Nalder questions the government on savings made from reducing external consultant and contractor use, a key election commitment. The government claims $300 million in net debt savings through budget measures, exceeding estimated savings, but detailed breakdowns by project and department are not readily available.
AnsweredQoN 3647Legislative Assembly
Asked
14 August 2018
Member
Portfolio
Treasurer; Minister for Finance; Energy; Aboriginal Affairs
QuestionView source ↗
In relation to the Government’s election commitment to stop the excessive use of expensive and unnecessary external consultants and contractors as part of its Debt Reduction Strategy: (a) Has the Government made any savings in regards to the abovementioned election commitment; and (b) If yes to (a), what is the dollar value of consultant and contractor savings made, listed by project and its related department?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 September 2018
Response time
9 days
(a) As noted in response (a) to the Member’s Question on Notice number 3646, the 2017-18 Budget removed the then 1% per annum indexation applying to non-salary expenses for appropriation-funded general government agencies, over the period 2017-18 to 2020-21, as a discrete Budget repair measure. Non-salary expenses captures consultant, travel costs and advertising as such, the associated $300 million in net debt savings more than met the election commitment estimated savings.
(b) The full $300 million was removed from agency budgets over the period 2017-18 to 2020-21 under this measure as part of the 2017-18 Budget, with a detailed agency schedule tabled in response to item (b) of the Member’s Question on Notice number 3646. As noted in that response, detailed application of savings at agency ‘program’ level is not provided to the Department of Treasury.
(b) The full $300 million was removed from agency budgets over the period 2017-18 to 2020-21 under this measure as part of the 2017-18 Budget, with a detailed agency schedule tabled in response to item (b) of the Member’s Question on Notice number 3646. As noted in that response, detailed application of savings at agency ‘program’ level is not provided to the Department of Treasury.
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