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FOR MEDIA TUESDAY, 15 DECEMBER 1981
REVIEW OF CABINET PROCEDURES
Cabinet procedures will be further streamlined as a result of
the recent review. In general, the Cabinet system is working
well although Ministers in Australia, as in'other countries,
are under intense and increasing pressures.
But the Cabinet system of government serves Australia well
and suits Australian principles of Parliamentary responsibility.
Fundamental changes have not been shown to be necessary.
Changes made following the ' last review of Cabinet procedures
in 1978/ 79 in general have been shown to be working effectively.
There is now to be greater emphasis on individual Ministerial
responsibility within the Cabinet framework. Because of the
increasing number of Cabinet papers, Ministers will be asked
to settle more matters on their own responsibility or in
consultation with other interested Ministers without Cabinet
time being taken up.
A number of procedural changes will be made in particular
some tightening of guidelines for Departments to ensure
adequate notice of matters comning forward and improved Cabinet
papers and handling arrangements.
There will be a streamlining of the preliminary handling of
Budget issues., At appropriate points Cabinet will give
guidance on parameters and priorities. There will be a greater
emphasis on the role of the Minister f6xt Finance in the Budget:
process. Against the background of the Cabinet guidance,
the Minister for Finance will discuss and settle individual
expenditure items with the responsible Minister in advance
of the final Budget Cabinet meetings. Any matters outstanding~
relating to on-going expenditure, together with new policy
proposals, will be examined in mid-year by the Budget Committee
which will make recommendations, to Budget Cabinet.
Expenditure restraint in Commonwealth -administration -remains
a priority * of the Government. All expenditure proposals will.
receive the closest examination and every effort will be made
to realise savings and to absorb cost increases. The
Minister for Finance will be scrutinising rigorously any
case put for additional appropriations in the current year.
Such requests will not normally be supported unless additional
estimates are essential -to meet approved salary and wage
adjustments. / 2
The Cabinet Committee changes proposed come as a result of
practical experience. It has been shown that the dividing
line between the present General Policy Committee and the
Industry Policy Committee is blurred and amalgamation of
these two Committees into a General Administrative Committee
will give a more even workload and a more predictable
program to those Ministers involved. Major industry policy
decisions, as usual, will be taken in Cabinet. The
membership of the General Administrative Committee will bEt:
Sir Phillip Lynch
Mr Nixon
Senator Guilfoyle
Mr Viner
Senator Durack
Mr Fife
Mr Hunt
Mr MacKellar
Mr Macphee
Mr Thomson
Mr Newman
Mr Brown
Mr Moore
Mr Hodgman
Senator Messner
Senator Baume
Mr McVeigh
Mr Wilson
The public presentation of Government policies has been
handled by the Public Information Committee. Experience
shows that public presentation issues are best handled when
the main policy issues are being considered. In future,
discussion of public presentation questions will be taken
in the relevant Cabinet or Cabinet Committee meeting and the
Public Information Comnmittee will be abolished.
The workload on Federal Ministers is considerable,
especially when their parliamentary, electorate and
community responsibilities are taken into account. The
changes that are now being made should help Ministers in
handling the substantial burden of ministerial office.
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