Bulletin

Issue: October 2005

News

Visit by South African Public Accounts delegation

La Trobe University's Public Sector Governance and Accountability Research Centre (PSGARC) has hosted a visit from six members of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts of South Africa's Gauteng Province Legislature.

The provincial legislature - which has a similar role to state government in Australia - encompasses South Africa's largest city, Johannesburg. The delegation was led by Mr Michael Seloane who has represented the African National Congress in the legislature since 1999.

Director of PSGARC, Professor Kerry Jacobs, says the delegation met on the University's main Melbourne campus at Bundoora and discussed research being carried out at the La Trobe Centre - the only one of its type in Australia. Topics included the role of auditor-generals, the scope of coverage of public accounts committees and general issues in public finance.

Other La Trobe representatives included Mr Peter Loney MP, Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly who chairs the PSGARC Advisory Board, and Research Fellow, Dr Kate Jones. Professor Jacobs says Gauteng's Public Accounts Committee is working with the University of South Africa to develop educational programs in public sector governance and accountability and is exploring possible research links with the La Trobe centre.

The South African Association of Public Accounts Committees has also invited representatives of PSGARC to their national conference in October.