F75/ 3
TRA. 1_ 21 December 1975
FOR PRESS
A committee has been appointed to review Government expenditure
and recommend on ways to eliminate waste and duplication within
and between Government departments and between Commonwealth
and State Government departments.
The committee will be under the chairmanship of Sir Henry
: Bland, and will be known as the Administrative Review Committee.
It will begin its work immediately.
The Committee will investigate Government programmes and services
and examine ways that activities nmay be curtailed without a
significant effect on administration.
It will advise on activities whose benefits do not appear
commensurate with . their-costs,-and on changes in arrangements
that might be made to produce economies.
The Committee will examine and report on the degree of
Commonwealth Government involvement in supervising expenditure
by the States of funds supplied by the Commonwealth,. and on
avoiding unnecessary duplication and overlapping of
Commonwealth and State activities. / 2
PRIME M! MIST
2' he Government intends that the economies shall be made without
disrupting essential programmes and without disrupting programmes
for which contracts have already been let.
The Committee's work will be concentrated on specific activities.
It will be complementary to the work of the Royal Commission on
Australian Government Administration which is generally concerned
with principles.
Arrangements have been made to ensure that the Administrative.
Review Committee has access to material. already assembled by the-
Royal--Cornmission..
I will be writing to the State Premiers inviting the full
cooperation of their Governments in the work of the Committee.-
Other members are: Mr John Reid who is Chairman of James Hardie
Asbestos Limited, Hardie Trading Limited, Mercantile Credits
Limited and a Director of BHP Company Limited, Mr John Taylor
who is a Cgmmissioner of the Public Service Board and Mr Gerald
Gleeson, q~ member of the New South Wales Public Service Board.
Mr Gleeson will take part in the Committee's inquiries into
SCommonwealth/ State duplication.
The terms of reference are:.
1. In light of the Government's desire to effect economies in
the use of resources and improve Commonwealth/ State
administrative relationships, the Committee is requestedto
examine the programmes, services and other activities
of Departments and Agenicies, statutory or otherwise associated
with Departments, ( not being tribunals or trading corporations)
and to report to the Prime Minister
on possible meanis of improving Commonwealth/ State
administrative arrangements with particular reference
to the degree of Commonwealth involvement in the
supervision of State expenditure of Commonwealth financial
assistance, and to the avoidance of unnecessary duplication
and overlapping of activities.
those within the onwealth's administration
C a) that might be curtailed or terminated without
significant effect on administration
whose benefits do not appear commensurate with their
administrative costs.
iC where changes in administrative arrangements might
produce resource economies.
cases that come to notice where
Departmental or Agency practices or procedures
appear to prejudice the most effective, efficient
or economical discharge of activities.
there appear to be policy anomalies or conflicts.
2. The Committee should identify, in each case, the consequences
of implemeting its conclusions and the resulting economies.
3. The Committee should have regard to the Government's desire
that changes it proposes should not. compromise the efficient
delivery of social services.
4. The Committee should consult with the Royal Commission on
Australian Government Administration to obtain the benefit
of material available to it and judgements it may have made.
The Committee should report progressively.
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