❓ Mr L'Estrange questions the Minister regarding the Department's lack of cost tracking for local government inquiries, given the potential for cost recovery from local governments under the Local Government Act 1995. The Minister clarifies the costing practices for different types of inquiries.
AnsweredQoN 6487Legislative Assembly
Asked
15 October 2020
Member
Portfolio
Local Government; Heritage; Culture and the Arts
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Minister’s answer to Question on Notice 6287 in which he advised that the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries does not record specific costs for individual inquiries, and I ask: (a) Can the Minister explain this answer given s8.15A of the Local Government Act 1995 provides that a local government may have to meet inquiry costs which would make it a necessity for the Department to keep a record of the resources spent on any inquiry?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
19 November 2020
Responded by
Minister for Local Government; Heritage; Culture and the Arts
Response time
12 days
(a) There are 2 separate types of Inquiries allowed under the Act:
Authorised Inquiry:
Authorised by the Director General and undertaken by Authorised Officers from within the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries. These are considered core activities for the Department and as such they are not costed.
There are extraordinary situations where the Department may contract an external technical expert and the cost of this engagement will be recovered.
Panel Inquiry:
These are conducted through the contracted engagement of external personnel. The Act allows for the Minister to order the recovery of costs where there are adverse findings.
Authorised Inquiry:
Authorised by the Director General and undertaken by Authorised Officers from within the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries. These are considered core activities for the Department and as such they are not costed.
There are extraordinary situations where the Department may contract an external technical expert and the cost of this engagement will be recovered.
Panel Inquiry:
These are conducted through the contracted engagement of external personnel. The Act allows for the Minister to order the recovery of costs where there are adverse findings.
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