The Hon. R.I. LUCAS ( 15:46 :14 ): We had the embarrassing and demeaning situation in question time today of the Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council not only making a paper plane for himself but launching a paper plane as part of his response to some difficult questions on the Northern Economic…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS ( 15:28 :05 ): I rise on behalf of Liberal members to support the motion. The Liberal Party's position in relation to proposals for the establishment of committees of inquiry to seek information, provide further information or seek facts is generally to support them. It is not 100 per cent, but generally…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS ( 15:32 :57 ): I rise to speak at the second reading of this bill. I am delighted to be able to address some comments to the general issue covered by the bill but also the specific nature of some aspects of the proposed legislation. The bill does give members in…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS ( 19:46 :56 ): I rise on behalf of the Liberal members to speak to the second reading of the Steel Industry Protection Bill. In doing so, I reflect the views of all of my Liberal colleagues to say that our thoughts are with the ongoing battle of industry and workers,…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today a leaked confidential Cabinet submission signed before the last election by Premier Weatherill conflicted with his public statements about the total cost to taxpayers of the Rolling Stones concert at Adelaide Oval. The leaked Cabinet submission signed by Mr Weatherill on 12 August 2013 included the recommendation that Cabinet…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today the Chief Executive of Renewal SA (RSA) John Hanlon had revealed massive multimillion dollar losses and financial write downs on key government development projects. Mr Hanlon told the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee that RSA had lost $153 million last year following losses of $123 million in 14/15…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas today slammed Premier Weatherill and Treasurer Koutsantonis for planning to spend hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars in a belated attempt to sell their discredited State Budget. The Weatherill Labor Government has released a tender for a communications campaign for its 2016-17 State Budget. The tender says the budgeted costs just…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas today slammed the Weatherill Government and TAFE SA for financial mismanagement and incompetence that will cost taxpayers millions of dollars. TAFE SA confirmed today at a Budget and Finance Committee meeting that 40 staff had been declared as “excess” and some of those staff had been excess for up to 5-6…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today budget papers revealed Treasurer Koutsantonis had broken his promise CTP premiums would only have “CPI like” increases under his MAC privatisation. “One of the major concerns when the Weatherill Government broke its promise and privatised the MAC was the impact it would have on CTP premiums for families,” said…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today Treasurer Koutsantonis had been caught out in a series of embarrassing blunders trying to defend his self-proclaimed ‘God’s Work’ budget. Today Mr Koutsantonis claimed his supposed jobs budget last year had created 6000 new FULL TIME jobs. However the independent ABS (Publication 6202.0 – Labour Force, Australia, Table 7)…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas today accused the Weatherill Government of financial mismanagement and incompetence which led to SA missing out on an estimated $300-375m from the Federal Government’s Asset Recycle Bonus Fund. The Asset Recycle Bonus Fund paid a 15% bonus to the states for approved privatisations which were then spent on eligible new infrastructure…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today one major factor in South Australia having the worst unemployment rate in the nation had been a “litany of disasters” in Weatherill Government job programs. “The sad reality for unemployed South Australians is the Weatherill Government seems more intent on political spin and the publicity value of announcing new…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas today accused the Weatherill Government of an “obscene waste of money” after it was revealed they were spending $13.6 million on public servants to distribute $15 million in grants to businesses. Evidence to the Budget and Finance Committee this week has revealed the Weatherill Government is spending $4.9 million this year…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today the Weatherill Government had been ‘slack, lazy and incompetent’ in implementing major components of the $24 million Northern Economic Plan. Having launched the Northern Economic Plan in a blaze of publicity in January the Weatherill Government still hasn’t finalised guidelines for the $10 million Small Business Development Fund or…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today that the Federal Budget included massive increases in Federal funding to South Australia next year and each year of the forward estimates. Total Federal payments to SA next year will actually be $1,137 million more than this year and by 2018-19 total payments will be $1,756 million more than…
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