Senate Order on Government Agency Contracts

On 20 June 2001, the Senate agreed to an order requiring each Minister to table a letter of advice that a list of contracts, in respect of each agency administered by that Minister, has been placed on the Internet, with access to the list through the departments home page. The letter must be tabled no later than the 10th day of the spring and autumn sitting each year.

The order requires that the list of contracts include details of:

• each contract entered into by the department which has not been fully performed or which has been entered into the previous 12 months, and which provides for a consideration to the value of $100,000 or more;
• the contractor and the subject matter of each contract;
• whether each such contract contains provisions requiring the parties to maintain confidentiality of any of its provisions, or whether any provisions of the contract are regarded by the parties, as confidential, and a statement of reasons for confidentiality and
• an estimate of the cost of complying with this order.