Towards a CHOGM communique

Draft:

Effective parliamentary oversight of public administration and finances

Heads of Government reaffirmed their belief that strong and independent parliamentary oversight plays an important role in preserving the trust of citizens in the integrity of government. They committed themselves to working with their Parliaments to ensure that these institutions have effective Committees of Public Accounts, or equivalent, which are chaired by a senior respected figure, operate apolitically, meet and report in public and are properly staffed to carry out their vital role. As part of Commonwealth wide efforts to strengthen and deepen democracy the Heads of Government are called upon to increase efforts to work in partnership with Commonwealth Committees of Public Accounts, or equivalent, to help them meet international best practices and to report the progress in the next Heads of Government meeting.

Background

• Conference of Auditors General • Westminster Seminar 2012• International pressures around governance• Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals• Role SAIs/PACs can play in reducing waste and

corruption – increasing resources for poverty alleviation

Key contacts

Australia – PACs• Shane.Armstrong.Reps@aph.gov.au• David.Brunoro.Reps@aph.gov.au

Malta – SAIs

Next steps

• Commonwealth Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on 26 September in New York where Ministers will discuss the CHOGM agenda

• the Committee of the Whole (COW) from 19-20 October, where senior officials will negotiate the Communiqué ahead of CHOGM