And indeed, the PM seems to be in no rush to bring those Ministers back, because politically that's a hot potato.
But it's a far less complicated political calculus to consider whether he will support an initiative being led by the Auditor-General's office. As we told you last night, her office is preparing a Cabinet paper which is asking the Executive to consider changing the law to make it so that her office can publish audit reports without waiting on delayed government financial statements from the Accountant General.
We asked the PM if he would support it:
Courtney Menzies:
"Is this something the Cabinet would support?"
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Well, I think we first have to see what would come before us. We have no issue when it comes to the issues of transparency and to be able to account, that is why we have the Auditor-General. But before I could comment, I really would need to take a look and see what is in that document."
Reporter:
"Do you think that the Cabinet would in fact approve more independence for the Auditor-General, the office, which is something that's being requested from forever?"
"More independence in terms of them having more finances and so, so they're properly resourced."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Well, that is always the challenge with Government. The pie is the pie, there's only so much and there's so many needs-education, health, infrastructure, water, electricity, housing, house lots, the list can go on. And just like the Integrity Commission and the Auditor-General, the Contractor General, all of these offices need more people. It has to be a balancing act, how we'll be able to provide the necessary resources if we can do more. I'm sure we can do more, I'm not sure we could do all that they ask. For instance, when you look at the issue of the Ombudsman Office, the changes that they want to do, you will have to be hiring a whole battery of lawyers to be able to be in that office, and can we afford it at this time? It would be a challenge, so we have to find that balancing act."
