Canberra, 12 December 1967
Administrators Letter of 23rd June1
This can’t be considered sensibly without an agreed understanding of what the Minister must keep, and what can be left to the Ministerial Member.
2. How do we get a written down policy framework within which the Ministerial Members can work? Can someone list any examples of decisions the Ministerial Member can’t make e.g. budgetary framework, future financial commitments, etc., and those he can—? where the schools were placed, as distinct from how many there’d be.
3. ‘Policy’ is too vague a term. I think someone will have to do a more concrete paper.
Letter of 23rd November2
4. I think there should be no move to reduce the number of official members until we see what kind of a House we will have.
5. Bottom of page 1. I think the notion of a body of experts within the House of Assembly staff is a very doubtful one. Too easy for there to be the attraction of pulling the Administrator’s nose—and responsibilities of administration unlikely to be understood …
6. No particular comments on portfolio suggestions.
[NAA: A452, 1970/4519]
1 Document 124.
2 Document 149.