IT WAS difficult to read what Roads Minister Jaala Pulford allegedly said to Member for South West Coast Roma Britnell during this week's Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) hearing in Melbourne.
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"Allegedly" because there is no public record of what transpired. But according to Ms Britnell, the state government chose not to match the federal government's small (but welcome commitments) to upgrading the Princes Highway west of Colac because it was "not a priority".
PAEC is a necessary accoutrement of democracy, albeit one not well liked by members of government.
The idea behind PAEC was to provide an extra level of oversight on government administration and spending. Victoria's PAEC has been around since 1895 and sees nine members of parliament from both houses and across the spectrum of parties form a joint investigations committee, meeting irregularly but mostly around sittings days, budget cycles and so forth.
A good idea but one that has become debased by the attitudes of government and oppositions alike over many years.
At its best it allows for scrutiny, helps drive public sector reform and gives voice to those who need it via our elected representatives.
At its worst, it is an "ahhh gotcha" moments waterfall, a meaningless jibber jabber of he said-she said and a waste of money and time.
So what did happen this week? Did Ms Pulford wave away Ms Britnell's questioning with a dismissive "not our priority" question? Ms Britnell would obviously not have made it up. But what do we make of Ms Pulford's response questions from The Standard: "Once again Roma Britnell is making things up."
It can only be assumed then that there was many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip in the exchange between Ms Pulford and Ms Britnell. And what we get to read are the politically-edited excerpts.
While Ms Britnell's representations are to be applauded, they - like the vaporings of governments both state and federal, Liberal and Labor for two decades and more - have a hollow ring and look and feel like political pontifications that bring us no nearer to the improvements vitally needed to a highway that is a danger to lives and businesses.