Parliamentary statement of public policy
30. We agree that it may be appropriate for Parliament to include a statement of public policy in legislation about a general area of administration. Submissions to that effect were made on the State Sector Bill, and the title to the State Sector Act does now "in fact set out more fully the legislative purposes. The Report of the Law Commission building on provisions in the present Accident Compensation Act 1982 similarly proposes purposive provisions about the promotion of safety and rehabilitation Personal Injury : Prevention and Recovery (1988) 109-110). We might note however that the foreign affairs, trade and industry and labour legislation is not written in such purposive terms, that it does not state responsibilities, and that it does not place the responsibilities (or even the functions) where they belong - on the relevant Minister.
31. There are of course many other ways in which Ministers and their departments can indicate their functions. One regular way is in their annual reports which all must now make to the House of Representatives (with its associated powers). (See paras 33-34.)