Write off debt, Government told

INDEPENDENT SENATOR KEITH “Tony” Marshall has suggested that Government should move to write off much of the debts owed to it that were on its books for several years and for which there was little chance of collecting.
Speaking in the Upper House today, he contended that what was needed was legislation “with teeth to be able to pursue delinquent people”.
He said: “As it now stands I would suggest that the collection of Government debt is a joke . . . . People pay little attention to it.”
Marshall added that it had become clear that the Auditor General’s Department “seemed to lack the capacity to undertake the auditing of the several departments and boards as is necessary”.
Marshall said he would not put the entire blame on the Auditor General’s office but stressed that within many of the state agencies and boards, “there were problems”. (GE)