Premier Jay Weatherill has once again taken the extraordinary step of gagging his Ministers regarding their support for a high-level nuclear waste dump in South Australia during question time in State Parliament today. “For the second day running the Premier has refused to allow his Ministers to record their views regarding his doomed nuclear waste…
DetailsPremier Jay Weatherill has taken the extraordinary step of gagging his Ministers regarding their support for a high-level nuclear waste dump in South Australia during question time in State Parliament. “Jay Weatherill’s refusal to allow his Ministers to record their views regarding his doomed nuclear waste dump is illustrative of just how desperate he is…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today the Weatherill Government’s much hyped ‘forced redundancy for public servants’ policy was virtually unworkable for government departments. In late 2014 the Weatherill Government introduced its new policy of allowing forced redundancy of surplus public servants after a 12-month period. The Government proudly boasted that this policy, detailed in Determination…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today that after a 14-month Freedom of Information battle Treasurer Koutsantonis had been forced to admit he had allowed two of his ministerial staffers to fly business class with him to Canada. In March 2015 Mr Koutsantonis took his media adviser and chief of staff to a four day Prospectors…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS ( 11:49 :22 ): After many days of waiting, I am pleased to be able to speak to the second reading of the Employment Tribunal bill. Over the last few weeks we have seen some three or four pages of amendments to the government’s own bill moved by the government in…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS ( 16:17 :15 ): I rise on behalf of Liberal members to support the second reading of the Supply Bill. The Supply Bill, as members will be aware, is a mechanism each year to provide appropriation of just over $3 billion to enable the continued payment of public servants and public…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS ( 15:27 :28 ): I rise to support the second reading of the Appropriation Bill. In doing so, I acknowledge, as is most often the case, that the parliament is asked, in considering the budget, to consider two companion bills: one is the Appropriation Bill and one, this year, is called…
DetailsShadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today another leak of a confidential Cabinet submission, this time one signed by Treasurer Koutsantonis, is a major embarrassment for Premier Weatherill and his government. This leaked submission was signed by Treasurer Koutsantonis on 4 August 2014 and related to the controversial issue of the resignation of the former Small…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS ( 15:50 :12 ): I refer to some extraordinary evidence that minister Koutsantonis gave to the ICAC inquiry into the Gillman land deal. That extraordinary evidence is based on the extraordinary claim that ministers and minister's officers do not make amendments to cabinet submissions that go to cabinet from their departments,…
DetailsThe 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…
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