Working Future. A Territory Government InitiativeEstimates Committee
The Territory Parliament established an Estimates Committee in 2002, which changed the way the Legislative Assembly dealt with the Appropriation Bill (or budget) each year. Rather than exhaustive debate in the Committee of the Whole, four days were set aside with specific time allocations given to Ministers. Members of the Estimates Committee question Ministers about spending within departments and agencies for which they have responsibility.
Government-owned corporations, such as the Power and Water Corporation, face similar questioning from the Government-Owned Corporations Scrutiny Committee.
Both the Estimates Committee and Government-Owned Corporations Scrutiny Committee are comprised of Members of the Public Accounts Committee, a Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly which is made up of Government, Opposition and Independent Members.
Chief executive officers and senior management staff from the Northern Territory Public Sector also appear before the Estimates Committee to assist their Ministers with responses to questions from the Committee.
