This Circular contains guidelines on the provision of transport by public organisations, at public expense, for non-official passengers.

The Auditor-General raised the need for such guidelines in Volume One of his Report to Parliament for 1999. The Auditor-General focussed on the use of public funds to transport media representatives, but similar issues arise generally in respect of non-official passengers being transported at public expense.

The Auditor-General said at page 20 of his Report:

'There are no specific guidelines which address the appropriateness or otherwise of agencies expending funds to facilitate media coverage of an announcement…. Given the absence of guidance, it must be assumed that the Government does not envisage that public funds would be expended to transporting members of the media. To consider otherwise would allow all departments considerable flexibility to approve payments which seem not to be for a public purpose. … The Audit Office is of the view that the issuing of specific guidelines on this area would be helpful to all agencies.'

These comments raise the important point of whether the absence of guidelines on an issue should be regarded as an indication that the Government does not envisage the expenditure of public funds in respect of that issue. This is not a statement of Government policy. All expenditure of public funds should be for appropriately authorised purposes, approved in accordance with relevant statutory requirements. The absence of guidelines in respect of an issue should not be regarded as a limitation on the authority of a Minister, or a Minister's delegates, or other public officials with the necessary authority, to approve expenditure of public funds in appropriate circumstances.

The Ministerial Handbook provides guidelines on the circumstances in which a Minister may be accompanied on a charter flight by non-official passengers and related matters, which are not altered by the contents of this Circular. The Ministerial Handbook is the authoritative source of guidance in respect of travel by Ministers.

In respect of public organisations, the issue of whether transport may be provided for non-official passengers at public expense is a matter for the authorised decision-maker in individual circumstances. It can be expected that decisions to provide transport for non-official passengers will attract Parliamentary and public scrutiny. Such decisions should be considered carefully; be made by an appropriately authorised officer; be documented adequately; and be made in accordance with the principles of necessity and economy in expenditure of public funds.

C. Gellatly
Director-General