At the meeting on 3 November 2000, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to commission a review of the number and functions of current Ministerial Councils.

A working group of officials from all jurisdictions has been formed to carry out this review. A copy of the terms of reference is attached. The working group will prepare a draft report based on the information received and will offer options for rationalising and streamlining Ministerial Councils. COAG Senior Officials will consider the draft report before submitting it to the next meeting of COAG.

To gather information for this review, a questionnaire has recently been sent out to each Ministerial Council secretariat. In addition, each jurisdiction is seeking the views of its Ministers about the effectiveness of current Ministerial Council arrangements.

I therefore seek your views on how reorganising the current Ministerial Councils could improve the development of policy that requires cooperation across Australian jurisdictions. As well, for each Ministerial Council of which you are a member, could you give me comments on:

• its effectiveness;
• its roles and major achievements;
• any problems you perceive, particularly regarding overlap with other Ministerial Councils; and
• any proposals you may have for improvement in its overall operation.

Could you provide these comments by 26 March 2001.

Bob Carr
Premier

Updated by M2001-08

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ATTACHMENT

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE SENIOR OFFICIALS' REVIEW OF MINISTERIAL COUNCILS

On 3 November 2000, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) commissioned a review by Senior Officials of the scope for streamlining and rationalising the number of Ministerial Councils, for early consideration.

The review is to:

(a) identify areas of overlap between the functional responsibilities of Ministerial Councils;

(b) examine the scope for combining Ministerial Councils in related functional areas, including Councils, with specific statutory responsibilities or roles under a formal intergovernmental agreement;

(c) identify any Ministerial Councils which have outlived the rationale for their initial establishment; and

(d) make recommendations to COAG concerning measures that could be taken to streamline and rationalise the number of Ministerial Councils in the light of conclusions arising from (a) to (c) above, and any other relevant matter.

A high-level intergovernmental working group of officials chaired by Victoria will prepare a draft report for consideration by COAG Senior Officials. The working group is to consist of one nominee from each jurisdiction.

The review is to consider the views of individual Ministerial Councils.