Proof Committee Hansard

Page 24 House of Representatives Wednesday, 30 November 2016
Ms Wilson: It was to strengthen the integrity of the claims process and it was one of a number of changes that
took place under successive governments over about a five-year period.
ACTING CHAIR: I understand. One of the submitters made the point to us, and it is a values based point, I
suggest, that for an entitlement program where there is statutory criteria and the department's job is to provide the
right payment to anyone who meets the criteria, it is just as grievous an error or omission to deny a payment to
someone as it is to grant the wrong payment. It was an interesting point that I had not thought about. Would you
agree with that?
Dr Charker: As you have pointed out, that is a values based question.
ACTING CHAIR: The department, presumably, has an ethos and a set of values about how it administers. Is
that a point you agree with?
Dr Charker: Our set of values is that we will do all that we can to make the right decision and grant people
the correct payment in as far as practicable that we can for their circumstances.
ACTING CHAIR: I now close the public hearing and thank everyone for their submission. I think you can
note and convey back to your secretary the committee's earlier expressed disappointment—which is
unprecedented, our committee secretary advises us—that a department asked and agreeing to appear in an inquiry
does not do us the courtesy of providing a submission or an opening statement.
I would remind members, as per our resolution earlier, that further questions on notice can be lodged via the
secretariat. I ask a member to move that the opening statement made by the ANAO be accepted as evidence for
the inquiry into the Commonwealth risk management authorised for publication. Thank you, Mr Hart, for moving
that motion.
Committee adjourned at 10:43
PUBLIC ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT COMMITTEE