Premier Statement: Premier Announces Parliamentary Committee Shake-up

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Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Anna Bligh
20/04/2009

Premier Announces Parliamentary Committee Shake-up

Premier Anna Bligh has announced the most significant restructure of the Government's Parliamentary committee system in decades.

Ms Bligh said the shake-up will establish four new super committees, merge two existing committees and abolish the existing Travelsafe Committee.

"The current system of committees performs an important role in scrutinising the actions of Government and that will be retained," said the Premier.

"Under this restructure, which will increase the total number of committees from eight to nine, we will see these committees perform a stronger role in generating policy ideas.

"That means this shake-up will create a committee system more focused on developing best practice policy and legislative solutions to issues facing Queenslanders.

"Just as governments require renewal, institutions like Parliament need to be refreshed to make them more effective and this is the most significant shake-up of these committees in decades."

Under the plan four new 'super' Committees will be established including;

    * Law, Justice and Safety Committee - this will replace the existing Legal, Constitutional and Administrative Review Committee (LCARC) and will take on expanded functions to consider issues such as public safety, emergency services and corrective services.

    * Economic Development Committee - this will address issues such as employment, infrastructure, transport, trade and industry and include the previous responsibilities of the Travelsafe Committee.

    * Environmental and Resources Committee - this will address issues such as environmental protection, mining, water security and energy.

    * Social Development Committee - this will address issues such as health, education, social welfare services, community development, housing and the Health Quality and Complaints Commission (HQCC) oversight role.

"These new committees will be tasked with considering the best practice policy and legislative solutions to broad issues within their areas of responsibility," she said.

"It is my belief that this system will produce better policy and better legislation for the people of Queensland.

"This also represents a significant opportunity to take advantage and put to the best use the new talent we have in the Parliament on both sides.

"There are 19 new Members of Parliament so we have a vast field of fresh faces to choose from when we select the best people from the ranks as Chairs and members of these Committees."

Under the restructure the existing Public Accounts and Public Works Committees will be merged.

The Members' Ethics and Parliamentary Privileges Committee (MEPPC), Scrutiny of Legislation Committee (SLC), Standing Orders Committee (SOC) and the Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee ( PCMC) will be retained in their current form.

The Premier said that the Parliament of Queensland Amendement Bill 2009 will be introduced this week to give effect to the new structures.

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