The Auditor-General’s Report has highlighted millions of dollars being wasted on unused phones and other wasteful telecommunications policies and practices. A consultant’s review of just four agencies revealed there were 2335 fixed voice services and 396 mobile services which were not used at all during the six month survey period. The Auditor-General’s report notes that…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS (16:39): At the outset, can I say on behalf of Liberal members in this chamber that I am sure all members in this chamber and all in the community are committed to worker safety. No member of parliament wants to see a family devastated in the way many families have been…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS (17:24): I thank honourable members for their indication of support for the motion. In concluding, I congratulate the members of SA Superannuants for the assiduous way in which they have pursued this issue over a long period of time. It is a good indication of democracy at work. They have worked…
DetailsSA Water Chief Executive John Ringham should be forced to give urgent evidence to a parliamentary inquiry on the decision to mothball the Lonsdale desalination plant. Shadow Finance Minister Rob Lucas said the Liberal Party will move a motion at next week’s meeting of the desalination plant Select Committee that Mr Ringham not only give…
DetailsBusiness SA’s shock decision to change its policy on Labor’s controversial work, health and safety (WHS) laws has thrown Labor’s plan into disarray, Shadow Industrial Relations Minister Rob Lucas said today. “Minister Wortley has been claiming for weeks now that business supported Labor’s WHS changes after Business SA indicated support provided certain key amendments were…
DetailsShadow Finance Minister Rob Lucas today called on Premier Weatherill to justify why taxpayers had paid for an overseas trip for a senior public servant whose position had been abolished and was about to take a separation package. Transport Chief Executive Rod Hook told the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee taxpayers had paid $23,316…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS (16:11): I rise on behalf of the Liberal Party to support the second reading of the Statutes Amendment and Repeal (Superannuation) Bill 2012. As the member for Davenport outlined at some length in another place, the bill covers a range of issues. I do not propose to go into all the…
DetailsShadow Finance Minister Rob Lucas today accused the Weatherill Labor Government of a massive ‘cover up’ as most Ministers refuse to answer questions about the number of highly-paid public service positions that had been created and abolished. “In fact, 10 of 15 ministers have not provided answers to questions for 2010-11 and 7 of 15…
DetailsAn inquiry into the Royal Adelaide Hospital project by the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee has been confirmed for next month. Shadow Finance Minister Rob Lucas said representatives of the private sector project team and Health Department bureaucrats will be required to attend the hearing on October 8. “This committee inquiry has been necessitated…
DetailsMassive WorkCover levy increases on aged care providers in South Australia are a disgrace, according to Shadow Finance Minister Rob Lucas. Mr Lucas said the Liberal Party was deeply concerned by the feedback it had received from aged care providers right across the state, including: • LHI Retirement Services, located at Glynde, which advised their…
DetailsIndustrial Relations Minister Russell Wortley has embarrassed himself by claiming hotel ‘drive-throughs’ were dangerous for drivers and staff. In May this year Minister Wortley responded to a statement by Australian Hotels’ Association President Peter Hurley that SafeWork SA staff had told him his drive-through bottle shop staff had to wear high-visibility vests at work. In…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS (17:53): I move an amendment to that motion: That the Hon. J.A. Darley be substituted for the Hon. T. A. Franks. As I have explained to the Hon. Ms Franks, and I explain now to members in this chamber, the century-long convention or tradition of this particular chamber is that, going…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS (15:41): I am going to talk about government waste by Premier Weatherill in his own department. I will give a small example firstly and then a more significant one. A small example brought to my attention by officers within his own department is a decision that he and his chief executive…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS (17:23): I move: That this council: 1. n otes general community concern regarding the Electricity Industry Superannuation Scheme (EISS) and the set of documents providing the basis of that concern provided to members of parliament by the organisation SA Superannuants and Mr Richard Vear, a pensioner of EISS; 2. r efers…
DetailsThe Weatherill Labor Government is wasting millions of dollars on end of financial year spending binges by Ministers and Department Chief Executives, Shadow Finance Minister Rob Lucas said today. “Evidence provided to the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee shows some Departments are spending up to 54 per cent of their total capital works budget…
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