It was hard to believe claims by some Rann Government Ministers that there were no records of guests they took at taxpayers’ expense to the Government Corporate Box at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. “Documents released under Freedom of Information (see attached) showed Minister Pat Conlon and then Minister Steph Key invited guests to a performance…
DetailsPremier Mike Rann had again changed his defence in the debate over conflict of interest allegations against him. In a statement released late last week, Mr Rann now says the Deputy Crown Solicitor had previously advised that the simple fact that an organisation was located in a Minister’s electorate does not give rise to a…
DetailsPremier Mike Rann had condemned himself by his own words in the debate over conflict of interest allegations against him, Shadow Minister for Finance Rob Lucas said today. “Yesterday, in an attempted defence over conflict of interest allegations about a $50,000 grant to the Port Power Football Club, Mr Rann told The Australian: “If it…
DetailsRemuneration for some key Rann Government Boards and Committees had in the last 12 months exploded by as much as 200 per cent. “At a time when Mr Rann is asking public servants to restrict wage increases to 2.5 per cent per annum, it demonstrates how out of touch Mr Rann and his Government are…
DetailsShadow Minister for Finance Rob Lucas said today that recent estimates of the total cost of government advertising “significantly underestimated” the real total cost of government advertising to taxpayers. Evidence given today to a Legislative Council Select Committee by senior Health Department officers confirmed that the Rann Government had allocated $2.2 million for an advertising…
DetailsThe Rann Government was paying former Adelaide 36ers boss Mal Hemmerling about $1000 per day for a job even though there was no valid current contract for his job. Evidence to the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee by Ian Nightingale, CEO of the Department for Planning and Local Government, confirmed that Mr Hemmerling had…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS (16:11): When the Premier returned recently from his 23rd overseas trip he lodged FOI applications for the water contract of the former government and the contracts in relation to the electricity privatisation as well and indicated that from his viewpoint privatisation would be a major issue at the next election. I…
DetailsContrary to the chest beating last week – and over the last 10 years – by Premier Mike Rann and Treasurer Kevin Foley over the supposed evils of the SA Water “privatisation” contract, the Rann Government had already taken the secret decision to continue the “privatisation” if re-elected in March 2010. “Prior to the 2002…
DetailsThe CEO of the Department for Education and Children’s Services had confirmed the Rann Government was implementing “budget savings” of $120 million over the budget forward estimates period. “Mr Chris Robinson told the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee that savings required this year were $10 million, increasing to annual savings of $49 million in…
DetailsEvidence today from officers of the National Audit Office to a Parliamentary Committee had confirmed that many of Mr Rann’s controversial government advertising campaigns would be banned if federal guidelines were applied. Mr Robert Holbert and Mr Michael White, from the National Audit Office, today gave evidence to the Legislative Council Select Committee on Government…
DetailsAdmissions by Health Minister John Hill about the confidential information missing on a lost USB memory stick meant an inquiry by the Auditor General was essential. This morning on ABC Radio, Minister Hill finally confirmed confidential information was on the USB and that “there is always a risk that somebody has found it and somebody…
DetailsClaims made last weekend by the Premier – through a spokeswoman – about probity concerns with Labor Party fundraisers and bidders for major government contracts were WRONG. “Last weekend, Mr Rann was under attack because he and his Ministers were involving themselves in major Labor Party fundraisers with bidders and advisers during the actual bidding…
DetailsThe Auditor-General should provide advice urgently on whether it is appropriate for the Premier and other Ministers to be involved in Labor Party fundraising events organised through SA Progressive Business with bidders and advisers involved in a public-private partnership bidding process. “For example, documents obtained under Freedom of Information demonstrate that during the expressions of…
DetailsThe Rann Labor Government would still be able to spend millions of taxpayers’ dollars on political government advertising under its supposed new policy. “Whilst this small change is supported, it is a cynical move by Mr Rann,” Shadow Minister for Finance Rob Lucas said today. “After almost eight years and millions of dollars that have…
DetailsStunning revelations at a Parliamentary Committee had revealed massive breaches of the Rann Government’s own advertising guidelines and, in particular, that 24 separate advertising campaigns in the last three years had not been approved by the government body established for approval. “Mr Chris Eccles, Chief Executive of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (DPC),…
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