Admissions 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),…
DetailsThe South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) had made the first in a series of budget cuts by slashing an annual grant of $521,000 to the racing industry. Chief Executive Andrew McEvoy told the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee that the annual payment to Thoroughbred Racing SA for advertising and promotion, together with cuts in…
DetailsPremier Mike Rann’s office had today attempted to make an issue of the Liberal Party’s legitimate fundraising activities to deflect from a series of concerning reports in newspapers regarding Labor Party fundraising. “Given that his office has now begun to address the issue of fundraising, after a long silence, he must now come clean with…
DetailsIn excess of $200,000 dollars had been wasted on a consultant developing a “new model” to handle surplus public servants, which was now not being used, Shadow Minister for Finance Rob Lucas said today. “Senior executives from the Department of the Premier and Cabinet gave evidence to the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee that…
DetailsPremier Rann’s own department had spent half a million dollars on a “policy development” consultancy at a time when the state budget was cutting important programmes and services. The Department of the Premier and Cabinet had engaged Boston Consultancy Group (BCG), a global strategic advice firm, to “deepen strategy and policy development capabilities across the…
DetailsA massive scandal was brewing over the $1.7 billion hospital project given confirmation today that confidential costing information was lost on a missing USB memory stick, Shadow Minister for Finance Rob Lucas said today. “Whilst the Rann Government has been coy for weeks about what information was on the missing USB memory stick, information from…
DetailsUnder Treasurer Jim Wright today confirmed that for the third consecutive Budget year, the Health Department had overspent its budget by between $50 million and $100 million, Shadow Minister for Finance Rob Lucas said today. “In evidence to the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee, Mr Wright today confirmed that the Health Department had again…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS (15:43): I refer to a story in this morning’s newspaper that was headed ‘Tweets make twit of Rann’, a story by Michael Owen. Members will be aware that Mr Rann tells everyone, and prides himself on the fact, that he personally handles his Twitter account—and that is important in terms of…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS (15:30): I want to talk about a major factional brawl within the Labor Party at the moment in relation to the Legislative Council preselection. Mr President, as you would well know, based on seniority the four sitting members would be endorsed: minister Holloway, if he goes on (although he will be…
DetailsThe Rann Government had not spent at least $100 million of its 2007-08 Transport budget and was also likely to underspend significantly its 2008-09 capital works budget. Evidence to the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee from Jim Hallion, CEO Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure (DTEI), confirmed that in 2007-08 actual capital works spending…
DetailsEvidence to a Parliamentary Committee had confirmed public service job cuts would be greater than the announced 1600 and that there were concerns that savings targets would not be met if the number of separation packages was restricted to 1600, Liberal MLC Rob Lucas said today. Ray Garrand, CEO Department of Further Education, Employment and…
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