Further research is required to establish the functions and responsibilities of this agency.

MINISTER ASSISTING THE TREASURER ON STATE OWNED ENTERPRISES

Establishment

Machinery of Government January 1991, January 1992 and October 1992

Significant machinery of government changes have impacted on this agency in January 1991, January 1992 and October 1992. As a result several functions move back and forth three times eg: from Department of Property and Services to Department of Finance to Department of the Treasury and back to Department of Finance.

The following functions were transferred from the Treasurer's portfolio:

- government expenditure - monitoring and control of (back to the Treasurer in October 1992),
- Comptroller-General's division - management of the government's bank account (the Accounting Audit and Policy Unit was not transferred until January 1992),

- information technology policy (back to Treasurer in January 1992),

- supply of furniture, stores and equipment - including the State Supply Service and the State Tender Board (transferred to Treasurer in January 1992 and back to Finance in October 1992),

- LANDATA,

- land valuations and the Office of the Valuer-General (VA 2322),

- Government Employee Housing Authority (VA 1356) (transferred to Treasurer in January 1992 and back to Finance in October 1992),

- government courier service (VA 1858) (transferred from the Department of Finance (VA 3016) in January 1992 and back to the Department of Finance (VA 3016) in October 1992),

- government computing service (VA 1857) (transferred from the Department of Finance (VA 3016) in January 1992 and back to the Department of Finance (VA 3016) in October 1992),

- government printing (transferred to Treasurer in January 1992 and back to Finance in October 1992),

- government advertising (transferred to Treasurer in January 1992),

- government catering (transferred to Treasurer in January 1992),

- Office of Geographic Data Coordination (transferred to Treasurer in January 1992 and back to Finance in October 1992),

- mobile communications network (transferred to Treasurer in 1992 and back to Finance in October 1992),

- government vehicle pool - car hire (transferred to Treasurer in January 1992 and back to Finance in October 1992),

- VICFLEET - management of the government's vehicle fleet (transferred from the Department of Finance (VA 3016) in January 1992 and back to the Department of Finance (VA 3016) in October 1992),

- Vistel Ltd - government's telecommunications public company (transferred to Treasurer in January 1992 and back to Finance in October 1992).

CHECK TEXT BELOW AGAINST TEXT ABOVE COPIED FROM VRG 23

Following significant machinery of government changes after the election of the first Kennett Government in October 1992, the Department of the Treasury (VA 3007) gained the following responsibilities:

- Budget Division from the previous Ministry of Finance (VA 3016) and the offices and officers associated with government involvement in ALUVIC, Portland Smelter Trust, AMRAD, Victorian Medical Consortium, TRACE, AAII and RAMAX.

- Public Sector Workforce Management Unit from the Department of Labour II (VA 2777).

- The department transferred the following responsibilities to the Department of Finance: Financial Institutions Branch, Superannuation Policy branch, Information and Commercial Division.

- The Department of the Treasury manages the aggregated budgetary process to permit the allocation of resources according to Government priorities. The Department also provides advice to Government on the financial consequences of policies.

Functions

The following functions are undertaken by the Department:

- managing the collection of State revenues and advising on revenue raising issues,
- advising on an managing the Government's Debt Management Strategy,
- advising on the financial and economic aspects of inter-governmental relations,
- advising on the financial aspects of major infrastructure proposals,
- managing the financial assets of the State,
- monitoring the financial performance and position of major Government Trading Enterprises,
- overseeing public sector management reforms and Government Trading Enterprise reforms, and
- overseeing the performance of Government financial institutions.

State Revenue Office

The State Revenue Office was formed in April 1992, amalgamating the former Stamp Duties and State Taxation Offices. The principal purpose of the State Revenue Office is to collect duties and taxes imposed by a number of different Acts as listed below.

The Office administers the Stamps Act 1958, Land Tax Act 1958, Payroll Tax Act 1971, Business Franchise (Tobacco) Act 1974, Business Franchise (Petroleum Products) Act 1979, Energy Consumption Levy Act 1982, Financial Institutions Duty Act 1982, State Deficit Levy Act 1992 and the Debits Tax Act 1990. (Debits Tax is collected by the Commonwealth Government under an agreement with the State).

Land Monitoring

From 1978/79 until 1985 the Department of Property and Services (VA 430) had responsibility for the function of monitoring government land sales. This function was inherited by the Treasurer in 1985 and was the responsibility of the Land Monitoring Division of the Department of Management and Budget (VA 1022) until it was transferred to the Department of Planning and Urban Growth (VA 3006) in early 1990. In 1991 the function was transferred back to the Department of the Treasury (VA 3007) and remained with this agency until it was transferred to the Department of Finance (VA 3016) after the October 1992 election. In mid 1993 responsibility for land monitoring was transferred to the Department of Planning and Development (VA 3094).

Background

All purchases and sales of properties by Government of $100,000 or more require Land Monitoring approval to ensure that all Government requirements under the Land Acquisition and Compensation Act 1986 in relation to property transactions are met. The function was established to provide Government with an independent safeguard against further land dealings of the type criticised at the Gowans Board of Enquiry and later at the Frost Royal Commission. This function is completely separate from the budgeting and planning functions in relation to government real estate. The function encompasses:

- monitoring all purchases and sales of properties by Government of $100,000 including assessing submissions from agencies and monitoring of auctions.

- the development of policies for the management of government real estate
- assisting in identifying properties that are surplus to current needs. Administering the Government's decision in relation to the disposal of surplus railway land.