SA Water Chief Executive John Ringham should be forced to give urgent evidence to a parliamentary inquiry on the decision to mothball the Lonsdale desalination plant. Shadow Finance Minister Rob Lucas said the Liberal Party will move a motion at next week’s meeting of the desalination plant Select Committee that Mr Ringham not only give…
Business SA’s shock decision to change its policy on Labor’s controversial work, health and safety (WHS) laws has thrown Labor’s plan into disarray, Shadow Industrial Relations Minister Rob Lucas said today. “Minister Wortley has been claiming for weeks now that business supported Labor’s WHS changes after Business SA indicated support provided certain key amendments were…
Shadow Finance Minister Rob Lucas today called on Premier Weatherill to justify why taxpayers had paid for an overseas trip for a senior public servant whose position had been abolished and was about to take a separation package. Transport Chief Executive Rod Hook told the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee taxpayers had paid $23,316…
Shadow Finance Minister Rob Lucas today accused the Weatherill Labor Government of a massive ‘cover up’ as most Ministers refuse to answer questions about the number of highly-paid public service positions that had been created and abolished. “In fact, 10 of 15 ministers have not provided answers to questions for 2010-11 and 7 of 15…
An inquiry into the Royal Adelaide Hospital project by the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee has been confirmed for next month. Shadow Finance Minister Rob Lucas said representatives of the private sector project team and Health Department bureaucrats will be required to attend the hearing on October 8. “This committee inquiry has been necessitated…
Massive WorkCover levy increases on aged care providers in South Australia are a disgrace, according to Shadow Finance Minister Rob Lucas. Mr Lucas said the Liberal Party was deeply concerned by the feedback it had received from aged care providers right across the state, including: • LHI Retirement Services, located at Glynde, which advised their…
Industrial Relations Minister Russell Wortley has embarrassed himself by claiming hotel ‘drive-throughs’ were dangerous for drivers and staff. In May this year Minister Wortley responded to a statement by Australian Hotels’ Association President Peter Hurley that SafeWork SA staff had told him his drive-through bottle shop staff had to wear high-visibility vests at work. In…
The Weatherill Labor Government is wasting millions of dollars on end of financial year spending binges by Ministers and Department Chief Executives, Shadow Finance Minister Rob Lucas said today. “Evidence provided to the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee shows some Departments are spending up to 54 per cent of their total capital works budget…
Department for Communities and Social Inclusion employees are still owed more than $2 million, 15 months after the Auditor-General identified the problem. Audit staff raised concerns in April 2011 about errors in rostered staff leave records. Departmental officers advised audit staff that errors had occurred ‘over many years’ in leave loading payments, which were estimated…
Minister Paul Caica must clarify statements made by DEWNR Chief Executive Allan Holmes on the ‘Cartridgegate’ scandal. “At this week’s Budget and Finance Committee meeting, Mr Holmes confirmed he told the media in March he had moved an officer out of Minister Caica’s office prior to allegations of ‘Cartridgegate’ abuses being raised in the Budget…