A Public Interest Map for Queensland Government Bodies
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Brokering Balance: A Public Interest Map for Queensland Government Bodies An Independent Review of Queensland Government Boards, Committees and Statutory Authorities Part B Report by the Independent Reviewers: Ms Simone Webbe and Professor Patrick Weller AO March 2009 i Contents 1. Introduction ................................................................................................ 4 2. Executive Summary .................................................................................... 9 3. A Public Interest Map for Queensland Government Bodies ..................... 11 3.1 Reducing bureaucracy and red tape ............................................. 13 3.1.1 Meanings ............................................................................... 13 3.1.2 Causes ................................................................................... 14 3.1.3 A Public Interest Map in response ............................................ 16 3.2 The Threshold Test ........................................................................ 21 3.2.1 Threshold Questions ............................................................... 21 3.2.2 Public Interest Case ................................................................ 23 3.2.3 Sunset or Review .................................................................... 24 3.3 The Organisational Form Guide .................................................... 30 3.3.1 Committees and Councils ........................................................ 32 3.3.2 Statutory Authorities and Statutory Bodies ................................ 39 3.3.3 Corporations Sole ................................................................... 41 3.3.4 Trusts .................................................................................... 41 3.3.5 Companies ............................................................................. 42 3.3.6 Board, or no board ................................................................. 48 3.4 The Good Governance Framework ................................................ 50 3.4.1 Role of Parliament .................................................................. 55 3.4.2 Public Servants on Boards ....................................................... 55 3.5 In review of bodies ....................................................................... 58 4. Economic .................................................................................................. 61 4.1 Commercial ................................................................................... 61 4.2 Financial ........................................................................................ 69 4.3 Industrial Relations ...................................................................... 71 4.4 Tourism ......................................................................................... 79 4.5 Trade ............................................................................................. 81 Brokering Balance: A Public Interest Map for Queensland Government Bodies Contents ii 5. Environment and Resources .................................................................... 85 5.1 Water ............................................................................................ 85 5.2 Primary Industries ........................................................................ 93 5.3 Natural Resources ....................................................................... 100 5.4 Environmental and Sustainability ............................................... 103 5.5 Land ............................................................................................ 112 6. Infrastructure ........................................................................................ 117 6.1 Main Roads .................................................................................. 118 6.2 Transport ..................................................................................... 121 6.3 Planning ...................................................................................... 126 7. Law and Justice ...................................................................................... 137 7.1 Legal ............................................................................................ 137 7.2 Police ........................................................................................... 145 7.3 Corrective Services ..................................................................... 146 7.4 Licensing ..................................................................................... 147 8. Social ...................................................................................................... 149 8.1 Arts/Culture ................................................................................ 150 8.2 Communities ............................................................................... 159 8.3 Education and Training ............................................................... 171 8.4 Emergency Services .................................................................... 181 8.5 Health/Medical ........................................................................... 183 8.6 Housing ....................................................................................... 197 8.7 Sport ........................................................................................... 198 9. Brokering Balance: A future perspective ............................................... 201 Brokering Balance: A Public Interest Map for Queensland Government Bodies Contents iii Figures Figure 3.1 A Public Interest Map for Queensland Government Bodies .................... 19 Figure 3.2 Spectrum of function, autonomy and form ........................................... 30 Figure 3.3 Board Model Indicator ........................................................................ 49 Figure A.1 Public Interest Map for Queensland Government Bodies – Summary Form ............................................................................. 204 Figure A.2 Public Interest Map for Queensland Government Bodies – Concept Form ............................................................................... 205 Figure A.3 Threshold Test ................................................................................ 207 Figure A.4 Public Interest Risk Principles Guide .................................................. 209 Figure A.5 Organisational Form Guide ............................................................... 211 Figure A.6 Board Model Indicator ...................................................................... 214 Appendices Appendix A A Public Interest Map for Queensland Government Bodies .................. 203 Appendix B Recommendations for change to current bodies captured by the Review............................................................................................. 224 Appendix C Appointment process to Queensland Government Boards, Committees and Statutory Authorities .................................................................. 249 Appendix D List of Government Bodies for Inclusion in Review (by portfolio) ......... 251 Appendix E List of Submissions - Terms of Reference and the Part A Report .......... 265 Appendix F Terms of Reference: Review of Government Boards, Committees and Statutory Authorities ....................................................................... 268 Bibliography ............................................................................................ 269 Brokering Balance: A Public Interest Map for Queensland Government Bodies Contents 4 1. Introduction Last year, the Premier of Queensland announced a major public sector reform program with five new public sector reform initiatives. One of the five reform initiatives was this Review of Queensland Government Boards, Committees and Statutory Authorities. The Premier said the public sector reform initiatives would result in the most wide ranging changes to the Queensland public sector than any in the past decade. The reform objective was to ‘create a more modern, efficient, and effective public service’ with the review of government bodies to reduce ‘both number and cost’. The Premier said, ‘I want to cut unnecessary red tape and identify and free up people and funding for the delivery of core public services’.1 The purpose of this Review is to reduce bureaucracy and red tape, whilst improving efficiency and maintaining regulatory integrity.2 The Review commenced in July 2008 and was conducted in two parts. Part A was required to consider the current framework of government bodies and recommend a governance decision-making model for improving the relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of the roles and functions currently performed by government bodies. On 1 December 2008, the Reviewers released a report for public consultation. The report, A Public Interest Map: An Independent Review of Queensland Government Boards, Committees and Statutory Authorities (the Part A Report), made preliminary recommendations for a Public Interest Map decision-making model for both review of the 4593 government bodies within its scope and as a future framework for public sector governance of non-departmental government bodies in Queensland. The terms of reference for Part B required in respect of its list of 459 government bodies- Informed by the recommended option delivered in Part A, Part B will identify and recommend to the Premier: • those government bodies that are working efficiently;