AG should be granted ‘unfettered access’ to MUN: PCS
The Official Opposition wants the province’s auditor general to take a look at the books of Memorial University (MUN) to find cost savings before any tuition hikes are brought in.
Barry Petten, Progressive Conservative MHA for Conception Bay South, said even though MUN currently has the legislative right to deny the auditor general access to its finances, given the province’s critical fiscal situation the public should demand MUN comply.
“I think the minister has the ability and authority to bring action now,” Petten said. “I think MUN has the ability to deny the auditor general access under the exiting rules, but I think they are going to be hard pressed publicly now to deny access for the auditor general to come in.
“I really think the auditor general needs to go in there and get to the bottom of that part, before they can touch tuitions. They’ve got it backwards.”
In the recent provincial budget, the provincial government announced it is introducing a more balanced funding arrangement with MUN.
“One that supports Newfoundland and Labrador students, provides the university with greater autonomy over tuition which it has requested and makes better use of taxpayers’ dollars,” budget documents stated. “We will amend the Memorial University Act to provide the university with greater autonomy.”
Education Minister Tom Osborne said Wednesday that with that autonomy comes greater accountability.
“We have long said we felt there were efficiencies to be found at Memorial University,” Osborne said.
“We are taking action. We are amending the Memorial University Act. We are going to ensure the auditor general has unfettered access to Memorial University. We are going to ensure that Memorial University, with its greater autonomy, has greater accountability and part of that includes appearing before the estimates committee in the legislature, which currently they are not obligated to do.”
Petten said the government can’t afford to wait for the amendment to be passed, and should take action immediately.
“It’s time lost, really. I think action needs to be taken now,” Petten said. “We can always push it down. … You can bring legislation in in November, then something happens and it doesn’t get delivered. We’ve been around stuff that’s been kicked around forever.”