Question Time: Audit Tasmania - Funding

Ms BURNET question to TREASURER, Mr ABETZ

[10.52 a.m.]

In December 2025, you and the Premier wrote to Dean Harriss MLC promising that Audit Tasmania would receive sufficient funding to deliver at least six performance audits a year. You made that promise to secure his vote for the Macquarie Point stadium. On 10 April 2026, your office received correspondence from the Auditor-General setting out, in black and white, that an additional $800,000 of annual funding was needed to deliver on that promise. Your response: to cut the Auditor-General's funding by $300,000. The Auditor-General has said this will leave his office with no option but to cut back on the work it does, precisely at a time when transparency, accountability and trust in your government is at an alltime low. Treasurer, did you ever intend to keep that promise to Mr Harriss, or was it simply another case of your government doing and saying whatever it takes to get its stadium?

ANSWER

I thank the honourable member for her question. The role of the Auditor-General is a very important one in our system of democracy, but the independence of the Auditor-General does not allow that office to seek to determine their own budget. That is a very important principle. I don't blame agencies for trying to get as much funding as they possibly can, but it has always been, in our system of government, that government will determine funding. To claim that somehow independence is removed, unless the full request is provided, is something that does not sit easily with the way we do business in the Westminster system. Can I also point out -

Members interjecting.

Mr ABETZ - Can I also point out to those seeking to interject, have a look at the fulltime equivalent jobs in the Auditor-General's office over the past year: a 30 per cent increase. Oh, I wonder where that funding came from. So, please be very careful, when making assertions, that you look at the full total picture in relation to that which is being put out into the public arena.

In relation to the former member for Huon, Dean Harriss, can I assure you that that undertaking was given to him in the circumstances of that which had occurred in the previous year. Asking, 'How much does six audits cost?' is a bit like asking, 'How much does six houses cost?' It depends on the extent of the house, the size of the house, the quality of the house, et cetera. Therefore, it is our view that there is funding for six audits for the AuditorGeneral to be able to undertake.

The question is: do you want an audit 'this big' or 'that big'? Of course, that is where you can have some discussion. Our view is that the AuditorGeneral does a good job with all his staff, with all the powers that are available to that office. We are currently looking at amendments to the Audit Act to refine and enhance some of those matters that the AuditorGeneral has sought, and ongoing discussions are taking place. Speaker, in brief, we support the AuditorGeneral.

The SPEAKER - The honourable Treasurer's time has expired.

Supplementary Question

Ms BURNET - Honourable Speaker, the question to his answer: Treasurer, you've said that perhaps the AuditorGeneral doesn't need that extra $300,000 to do their job and to scrutinise. Have you actually read the AuditorGeneral's report. It says that the performance audits in 202425 were only two, and in 202526 there were four, but the number of audits has been reducing?

Mr ABETZ - I can provide some exact figures to the honourable member. The 202627 Budget provides appropriation revenue to the Tasmanian Audit Office of $2.43 million, increasing to $2.56 million in 202930. In addition, the office receives, reserved by law, appropriation revenue of $626,000 in 202627, and that will increase to $666,000 in 202930 for the salary and allowances of the AuditorGeneral.

Total forecast expenditure of the Tasmanian Audit Office in 202627 is $11.5 million, comprising the appropriation revenue plus the forecast retained revenue from audit services, and the forecast expenditure of the office is estimated to increase to $12.5 million in 202930.

The SPEAKER - Time has expired.

Before I give the call to the honourable Leader of the Opposition, I remind members of the members' guide to procedure that on page 33, it does state that members should be referred to as 'the honourable member for Bass' or 'honourable Treasurer', 'honourable Premier', 'honourable Deputy Speaker', et cetera. Also, when we refer to members in the upper House, we should call them 'honourable' as well. That includes previous members of the parliament. Please just try and remember. If you haven't read this in a while, I encourage you to read it  please use 'the honourable member', 'honourable minister', 'honourable Leader of the Opposition', et cetera, in your questions and in your responses.