Senior Transport department executives yesterday gave evidence which conflicted with claims by Premier Rann about the state of readiness of South Australian projects being considered for funding under the $20 billion Building Australia Fund. Liberal MLC Rob Lucas said that on 29 October 2008, Premier Rann issued a media release listing South Australia’s five priority…
DetailsMinister Pat Conlon and his senior departmental executives were refusing to implement a key ruling by the Auditor-General which led to an audit qualification of the Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure’s (DTEI) 2006-07 financial accounts. Mr Jim Hallion, CEO of the DTEI, and other senior executives were questioned at today’s meeting of the Legislative…
DetailsIn excess of $200,000 dollars had been wasted on a consultant developing a “new model” to handle surplus public servants, which was now not being used. “Senior executives from the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (DPC) gave evidence to the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee that consultant Hunters Management & Consultants had been…
DetailsThe Auditor-General has indicated the Premier was wrong to dismiss Randall Ashbourne, in evidence today to the Atkinson-Ashbourne-Clarke Affair Select Committee. Mr Ken MacPherson has also indicated that South Australian taxpayers, through the Rann Government, have been exposed to a significant unfair dismissal claim and liability, according to Shadow Treasurer Rob Lucas. HON R.I. LUCAS:…
DetailsThere was a battle looming over WorkCover’s attempts to keep secret key changes to its multimillion dollar contract with its claims manager. “WorkCover Chairman Philip Bentley today told the Statutory Authorities Review Committee hearing that WorkCover believed critical contract changes provided to the Committee should not be made public,” Liberal MLC Rob Lucas said today.…
DetailsThe Rann Government was wasting millions of taxpayers’ dollars through slack management of IT projects whilst at the same time cutting important services for disadvantaged families. Evidence given today by senior executives from the Department for Families and Communities (DFC) to the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee confirmed there had been a $12 million…
DetailsThe Rann Government had secretly deferred $9 million in announced cuts to government advertising whilst still insisting all departments, including Health, had to cut their budgets due to the global financial crisis. “This is an act of absolute hypocrisy by Premier Rann and will be greeted with anger by the community as well as departments…
DetailsThe Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee and the Auditor-General would need to investigate growing concerns about the Rann Government’s mishandling of the State Aquatic Centre Project, Liberal MLC Rob Lucas said today. “In June 2008 Cabinet approved and Premier Mike Rann announced that an agreement had been reached with Aqua43 (comprising Candetti Constructions and…
DetailsEvidence given today to the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee confirmed that Rann Government plans for budget and staff cuts in departments were in disarray. Senior executives from the Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH) told the Committee today they expected to be advised this month their share of 1200 full-time equivalent job cuts…
DetailsThe Rann Government’s funding of the Australia Day Council of South Australia was the worst of any state or territory government in Australia. “It is embarrassing to note that even the Northern Territory Government provides more than double the level of funding provided by the Rann Labor Government,” Liberal MLC Rob Lucas said today. Mr…
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