Premier Rann’s own department had spent half a million dollars on a “policy development” consultancy at a time when the state budget was cutting important programmes and services.
The Department of the Premier and Cabinet had engaged Boston Consultancy Group (BCG), a global strategic advice firm, to “deepen strategy and policy development capabilities across the public service”.
“Spending $500,000 on this navel-gazing consultancy at this time is a massive waste of taxpayers’ money,” Shadow Finance Minister Rob Lucas said today.
“The Rann Government boasts it already has a long term strategic plan for South Australia, so how can Mr.Rann justify wasting $500,000 on “improving the public service’s understanding of the most important long term, global trends affecting the state”?”
Evidently BCG is being paid $497,750 for a 12 month consultancy to:
• Deepen strategy and policy development capabilities across the public service;
• Improve the public service's understanding of the most important long-term, global trends affecting the state; and,
• Collaboratively generate a series of ideas that respond to the strategic needs of the state.
“It should also be remembered that Mr Rann has already wasted millions of dollars on a Government Reform Commission headed by former Queensland Premier Wayne Goss and is also spending $2.8 million per annum on a new Public Sector Performance Commission headed by his former Ministerial Adviser, Lance Worrall,” Mr Lucas said.
“Before wasting another $500,000 on consultants, Mr Rann should explain to South Australians what actual improvements in programmes and services have been delivered by the multi-millions spent on these two navel-gazing Commissions.
“There is something wrong with Mr Rann’s priorities when he spends $500,000 on this consultancy at a time when his budget has gone into deficit and he is still looking to cut at least 1,600 jobs and find $750 million in savings in the public sector.
“Perhaps Mr Rann can explain his warped priorities to families currently struggling with a lack of services to help family members with mental health problems.”