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Canberra Today 14°/19° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Gallagher to face committee

CHIEF Minister Katy Gallagher’s role in the appointment of the new auditor-general will be examined by a Select Committee of the Legislative Assembly.

Chief Minister Kay Gallagher.
Deputy Opposition Leader Brendan Smyth, who resigned from the powerful Public Accounts Committee in protest at the way the auditor-general’s appointment was processed, had written to Speaker Shane Rattenbury outlining his concerns, the Assembly was told this morning.

Symth accuses Gallagher of circumventing the PAC, which  is the responsible Assembly committee charged with approving the appointment.

By early evening, Gallagher issued a statement saying Smyth was wrong, inaccurate and misleading.

“The subject matter of [Smyth’s] media release will be taken up by me in the ACT Legislative Assembly where this matter should properly be addressed, not in the media,” she said.

In his original statement Smyth said: “The Government cannot simply pick their own candidate and install them without proper approval.”

“However, in this case, Katy Gallagher chose her own appointment and announced her conclusion in the media before even informing the correct committee.

“This was followed by a pattern of behaviour that placed extraordinary pressure on the committee. So clear was the improper behaviour, that the multi-party Public Accounts Committee found there was interference, that, if left unchecked, could create serious interference in the future.

“Katy Gallagher behaved in a way that indicated this Government believes that normal rules and procedures don’t apply to them. Worse still, Katy Gallagher does not seem to be aware how serious this breach is, or of the importance of proper process.

“That’s why the Chief Minister now faces a Select Committee.

“I look forward to the Select Committee examining the interference in this process and putting in place stronger rules to prevent similar interference in the future.”

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Ian Meikle, editor

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