2004‑2005-2006

The Parliament of the

Commonwealth of Australia

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Presented and read a first time

Payment of Accounts by Government Bill 2006

(Mr Bowen)

A Bill for an Act to require annual reports of departments and agencies to report on the payment of accounts

Contents

1............ Short title............................................................................................ 1

2............ Commencement.................................................................................. 1

3............ Schedule(s).......................................................................................... 1

Schedule 1 — Reports on the payment of accounts by departments and agencies        2

Parliamentary Service Act 1999                                                                               2

Public Service Act 1999                                                                                             2

                                            `

A Bill for an Act to require annual reports of departments and agencies to report on the payment of accounts

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

1  Short title

                   This act may be cited as the Payment of Accounts by Government Bill 2006.

2  Commencement

This Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

3  Schedule(s)

                   Each Act that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1 — Reports on the payment of accounts by departments and agencies

Parliamentary Service Act 1999

1  Subsection 65(2)

Add

                        “, but it must also

                     (a)           include details of the department’s performance in paying accounts to small business (assessed in accordance with Procurement Guidance issued by the Department of Finance and Administration from time to time) during the year, including the number and percentage of accounts not paid within 30 days of receiving the correct products and a correctly rendered invoice and including details, where appropriate, of action taken to improve performance in paying accounts”.

Public Service Act 1999

2  Subsection 63(2)

Add

                   “, but it must also

                     (a)           include details of the department’s performance in paying accounts to small business (assessed in accordance with Procurement guidance issued by the Department of Finance and Administration from time to time) during the year, including the number and percentage of accounts not paid within 30 days of receiving the correct products and a correctly rendered invoice and including details, where appropriate, of action taken to improve performance in paying accounts”.

3  Subsection 70(2)

Add

                   “, but it must also

                     (a)           include details of the department’s performance in paying accounts to small business (assessed in accordance with Procurement Guidance issued by the Department of Finance and Administration from time to time) during the year, including the number and percentage of accounts not paid within 30 days of receiving the correct products and a correctly rendered invoice and including details, where appropriate, of action taken to improve performance in paying accounts”.