Office of the Speaker

Press release

For immediate release 18 September 2015

Australian Joint Public Accounts Committee visits New Zealand

A delegation from the Australian Joint Committee Public Accounts and Audit is visiting Parliament from Wednesday 23 to Thursday 24 September 2015. The visit is part of an annual exchange of select committees between the New Zealand and Australian Parliaments.

The delegation is led by Dr Andrew Southcott MP, and is focussed on public sector accountability and reform. The committee will explore the New Zealand Parliament’s role in overseeing the performance of the public sector.

Speaker Rt Hon David Carter is pleased to host this visit: “The annual committee exchange between New Zealand and Australia reflects the special relationship between our two countries and provides an opportunity to share information to the mutual benefit of both countries and our parliaments. Visits of this kind serve to strengthen ties between parliaments and also assist in enhancing relationships between countries.”

The committee will hold discussions around parliamentary oversight of public sector spending, with particular focus on Defence performance, and also hopes to learn more from New Zealand’s central agencies and the Office of the Controller and Auditor-General.

The delegation will meet with the Rt Hon David Carter, Speaker of the House of Representatives, as well as with New Zealand MPs from the Finance and Expenditure, Government Administration, and Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committees. The visiting committee will also meet with representatives of a number of organisations including Victoria University of Wellington’s School of Government, the State Services Commission, and the Serious Fraud Office.

ENDS

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