Reforms would avoid 'land-grab' mentality
PROPOSED States reforms are a 'recipe for anarchy' by removing departments from the most senior government committee, former Treasury minister Charles Parkinson has warned.
The former States member and minister, pictured, said he could see a greater move towards a single-minded 'silo mentality' within States departments if they have no representation on the proposed new five-person Policy and Resources Committee that would replace T&R and the Policy Council.
He added that without executive powers, this new committee would be powerless to stop departments putting forward their own proposals regardless of the agreed overarching policy direction of the States. 'We saw only last week the Education minister, who is a member of the Policy Council, brought a report on pre-school education despite reservations from T&R and the Policy Council,' he said.
'That will be the norm if the proposals move ahead.'
