The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (17:01): I move: That this council notes the level of total state debt in South Australia since the early 1990s and the factors that have influenced that level of state debt. In speaking to this motion, I want to trace the history of the issues that relate to the level of the…
DetailsThe number of SA Water customers struggling to pay their water bills is on the rise, with more customers going onto the hardship program each month than are coming off it. In evidence to the Budget and Finance Committee this week, SA Water officials said approximately 3,000 customers were currently on the program, with a…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today both SA Water and the Courts Administration Authority have expressed concerns about possible cost increases from the Weatherill Government’s decision to transfer responsibility for managing workers’ compensation claims to ReturnToWorkSA. The CEO of SA Water Roch Cheroux last week told the Budget and Finance Committee that if they were…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today claims by Water Minister Ian Hunter that SA Water was spending an extra $55 million over 4 years in pipe network renewal has been ‘blown out of the water.’ Evidence from SA Water CEO Roch Cheroux to the Budget and Finance Committee has confirmed that SA Water spending on…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today another leak of a confidential Weatherill Government Cabinet document was a major embarrassment for Mr Weatherill. The latest leak relates to a decision taken by Cabinet on 31 October 2016 to transfer the management of all new workers compensation claims from 1 July 2017 to ReturnToWorkSA. This controversial decision…
DetailsThe resignation of the Chief Executive of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) Len Richards leaves Health Minister Jack Snelling with no option but to return from leave and take control of the move to the new Royal Adelaide Hospital. “The State Government is in the middle of the technical assessment period of the…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today that the Weatherill Government’s crazy shop trading laws were making us a ‘laughing stock’ around the nation. The Weatherill Government’s crazy laws ban specialist stores like Bed, Bath N’ Table from selling linen, quilts, pillows and towels today and other public holidays. However Mr. Weatherill allows big stores like…
DetailsAt a time when South Australia is facing a jobs crisis, sadly it appears the Weatherill Labor Government is more interested in finding jobs for Labor mates. “South Australians struggling to get a job will be furious at Jay Weatherill and Tom Koutsantonis’ warped priority in giving ex Labor MPs up to $100,000 a year…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas has written to the Auditor-General calling for an urgent investigation into a $757,500 Weatherill Government grant to an organization for a political campaign which included workers on polling booths handing out leaflets at the last Federal election. The Weatherill Government has already been criticized by the Auditor-General for its $1.1 million anti Federal Government advertising campaign. However,…
DetailsThe Weatherill Labor Government’s crazy shop trading laws have forced some stores to install roller doors because they are prohibited from selling some of their goods on public holidays. For example Harvey Norman stores have had to install internal roller doors to close the electrical and computer sections of their shops because they are only…
DetailsThe Labor Government’s contempt for democracy since being elected in 2002 is reflected by the fact a staggering 3944 parliamentary questions have not been answered. The following table shows more than half (54.52%) of all questions have been unanswered. Total Questions Answered Unanswered % Unanswered House of Assembly 4450 2191 2259 50.79% Legislative Council…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today the Weatherill Government’s crazy shop trading hours laws were stopping many stores like Moana IGA from trading at the same time as its competitors. At the peak of the summer holiday season for many tourists and holiday makers the Moana IGA is forced to close at 5:00pm on weekends…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today the fourth leak in three months of a confidential Weatherill Government Cabinet document was a clear indication of a deeply divided and dysfunctional government. The latest leak is a Cabinet submission drafted just prior to the last election from Minister Jack Snelling relating to keeping secret details of serious…
DetailsAs I indicated in speaking to the companion bill, and that bill has now passed, the Liberal Party is looking at these as cognate debate companion bills. I want to address some more considered and lengthy remarks to the second reading of this bill. As I have indicated to the Leader of the Government, I…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today a new expert study into the nuclear waste dump will cause major problems for Mr Weatherill as it raises significant concerns and questions about the financial assumptions of the project. The report by international nuclear experts Nuclear Economics Consulting Group was released today by the Joint Parliamentary Committee and…
Details