There must be a review of the processes being used by the Rann Government in offering targeted voluntary separation packages to public servants. Evidence given by the Education Department’s CEO, Chris Robinson, to the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee has raised a number of serious concerns including complaints from staff that improper and unacceptable…
DetailsThe Education Department’s CEO, Chris Robinson, had refused to answer questions from a Parliamentary Committee about Budget cuts recommended by the Rann Government’s Sustainable Budget Commission. “This was despite the Under Treasurer and the Health Department CEO both recently answering similar questions for their departments,” Shadow Minister for Finance Rob Lucas said today. “The Health…
DetailsShadow finance Minister Rob Lucas said today the CEO of SA Health, Dr Tony Sherbon, confirmed SA Health had over spent by $210 million last year and the Sustainable Budget Commission (SBC) had told it to prepare annual budget cuts of $360 million per year. It is clear that Treasurer Foley has lost control of…
DetailsShadow Minister for Finance Rob Lucas said today the head of Treasury, Jim Wright, had advised Treasurer Kevin Foley in May 2010 that ‘there was a significant risk that actual costs will be higher than the estimates.’ Mr Wright was giving evidence to the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee and a minute from Mr…
DetailsIt may be 12 months before a decision is made on the future of the Adelaide Oval upgrade. Appearing before the Parliament Budget and Finance Committee today, Mr Ian McLachlan, Chairman of the Stadium Management Authority (SMA), confirmed that at best there would only be a conditional agreement for the Adelaide Oval project by 31…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS (15:59): I move: That this council notes— 1.statements made by the Treasurer and Premier before the election about the state of the budget; and 2.with concern recent information about the state of the budget and the Rann government’s management of the state’s finances. In speaking to this motion, I note that…
DetailsEvidence given to the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee confirmed that almost everyone associated with the Adelaide Oval seemed to know about a cost blowout before the March election. “However, if you believe Mr Foley’s story, then either people didn’t tell him or if they did he quickly forgot what they told him,” Shadow…
DetailsEvidence given to the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee had revealed the Rann Government was trying to hide some of the Adelaide Oval blowout costs in other Budget lines. Government witnesses today confirmed that the following parts of the Adelaide Oval project were not included in the $535 million latest estimates for the project:…
DetailsMarket research of 1500 injured workers had given another massive “thumbs down” for the performance of WorkCover and its claims manager, Employers Mutual Limited. “Research conducted by McGregor Tan Research for the WorkCover Board has shown a further significant reduction in performance satisfaction levels,” Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations Rob Lucas said today. “The trend…
DetailsMarket research of 1500 injured workers had given another massive “thumbs down” for the performance of WorkCover and its claims manager, Employers Mutual Limited. “Research conducted by McGregor Tan Research for the WorkCover Board has shown a further significant reduction in performance satisfaction levels,” Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations Rob Lucas said today. “The trend…
DetailsSenior Rann Government Minister Paul Holloway yesterday misled Parliament by denying he had planned a trip to Europe supposedly for urban development purposes. “The joke is clearly on Mr Holloway who has misled Parliament by denying he had planned a trip to Europe to look at urban design initiatives,” Shadow Minister for Finance Rob Lucas…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS (15:50): Members will be aware that Mr Lance Worrell was a long-term economics and political adviser to the Premier. Members will probably recall that the thesis for his original degree at the University of Adelaide Department of Politics went under the title ‘Marxist Theory and the State’. In the middle of…
DetailsShadow Minister for Finance Rob Lucas today called on Premier Rann to introduce new controls of accountability on Ministers’ spending on overseas travel. “As a first step Ministers should be required to provide details of total costs, purpose and results of each overseas trip on the government website,” Mr Lucas said. “It’s ironic that Mr…
DetailsThe Rann Government will be abolishing the controversial Public Sector Performance Commission before the end of the year. “Senior government sources have told the Liberal Party that the decision had been taken to abolish the PSPC after two years of criticism about its lack of value and performance,” Shadow Minister for Finance Rob Lucas said…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS (16:47): I rise to support the second reading of the Supply Bill debate and, perhaps unsurprisingly, will devote my brief time this afternoon to an important part of public expenditure within the state of South Australia at the moment, an increasingly important part—the amount of money being spent on the Adelaide…
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