Department for Infrastructure and Transport, $1,086,425,000

Administered items for the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, $6,293,000

Membership:

Mr Tarzia substituted for Mr Teague.

Minister:

Hon. K.A. Hildyard, Minister for Child Protection, Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing.

Departmental Advisers:

Ms K. Taylor, Chief Executive, Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing.

Mr T. Nicholas, Director, Corporate Strategy and Investment, Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing.

Mr A. Trottman, Director, Infrastructure and Planning, Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing.

The CHAIR: We are moving on to the portfolio of the Office of Recreation, Sport and Racing. The minister appearing is the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing. I advise that the proposed payments are open for examination. I call on the minister to make a statement, if the minister wishes, and to introduce advisers. I call on the lead speaker for the opposition to make a statement, if the member wishes. I call on members for questions.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: Thank you very much, Mr Chair. I am pleased to continue to be here today as part of this important process. I thank all members of the committee for your involvement. With me today to my left is Ms Kylie Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing. To my right is Mr Tim Nicholas, Director, Corporate Strategy and Investment, and Mr Adam Trottman, Director of Infrastructure and Planning. I thank them and everybody at the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing for all of their efforts in preparing the budget and also in their preparations for this estimates hearing.

I am very proud to be the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing, a portfolio that can make a positive impact on the lives and wellbeing of South Australians. I am pleased to take on this role and, together with the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing and a range of community leaders, to lead the way in supporting and empowering South Australians to live a more active life and pursue and achieve their sporting dreams.

I am focused on delivering on the commitments our government took to the election when in opposition and I look forward to the difference that will be made through delivery of them as part of this budget and for the future. These include:

a review of the previous government's grant structure;

the recognition of recreational fishing as an activity in the recreation and sport sector to enable access to funding and the further promotion of the health and wellbeing benefits of recreational fishing, to increase and diversify community participation in recreational fishing and grow participation in fishing clubs;

the establishment of a new program of $500,000 per year to support South Australian car clubs. This funding will assist with the hosting of events and activities, improve safety and operations, and increase participation;

the provision of $1 million per year to the South Australian Sports Federation Incorporated (Sport SA), the peak sports industry professional association for South Australians sports. Sport SA will deliver training and other opportunities which will build the capacity, resilience and sustainability of supporting clubs and organisations;

an additional $1.5 million per year for South Australia's state sporting organisations; and

the re-establishment of the women in sport task force, to advise the government on issues which inhibit gender equality in every aspect of recreation, sport and racing.

The Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing plays an integral role in the community, constantly working to achieve the goal of an active state, whether it be by working with clubs and organisations to improve their governance environments, training some of the world's best athletes like Kyle Chalmers and Maeve Plouffe at the South Australian Sports Institute, or providing funding through numerous programs to strengthen the sport and recreation sector as it recovers from the COVID pandemic.

The next three years will also be significant for sporting infrastructure in the state, with a number of key infrastructure projects to be progressed, including the rebuilding of the Adelaide Aquatic Centre, the new home of the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing, the South Australian Sports Institute at Mile End and the National Centre of Sports Aerodynamics wind tunnel.

With just over a month until the Commonwealth Games commence in Birmingham, we are thrilled to have 44 South Australian Sports Institute or South Australian-based athletes selected in the Australian team so far to compete at the games. With an anticipated team size of 425, this again sees our contribution to the team being more than 10 per cent and well above our 7 per cent per capita level.

The athletes selected compete across 13 sports and range in age from 16 years old to 39 years old. I am really looking forward to cheering them on when the games commence. Currently, there are three South Australian Sports Institute or South Australian-based athletes with a disability selected to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games, representing three sports.

The FIFA Women's World Cup is just over a year away and Adelaide is set to play a part in this wonderful tournament. The Coopers Stadium upgrade is due for completion in late 2022, which will see Adelaide host games. The new home of football at Gepps Cross has been completed and will be officially opened in July and international teams will use it as a training venue as part of the 2023 tournament.

These upgraded and new venues not only secure the right to host 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup matches in Adelaide but provide a legacy for the growth of women's football in South Australia. I am proud that we are driving gender equity through this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Finally, the government is committed to continuing to work with the racing codes to ensure their viability and sustainability into the future. I am happy to take questions.

Mr TARZIA: Chair, we began this session at 2:36, so with your indulgence I would like to move that we can conclude at 3:36?

The CHAIR: I have demonstrated flexibility in the past, so we will add another five minutes to it.

Mr TARZIA: Thank you very much. I have no opening statement, so I am happy to get straight into questions. Minister, I refer to Budget Paper 4, Volume 3, pages 140 to 142, and also Budget Paper 5, page 69, local sporting club upgrades. On page 142, it advises that local sporting club facility grants totalling $97.7 million were budgeted in 2021, that is this financial year not next financial year, to be paid from this program.

I have asked a number of questions about this matter. I first sought to raise the matter with you in the house last Tuesday when I asked what the role of your office was in the administration of these grants. The Premier did not let you answer the question. Instead, he answered, referring to the involvement of Treasury and the Premier's Delivery Unit, but not to the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing.

The Treasurer, in answering another question in the house last Tuesday, also referred to the role of his agency and the Premier's Delivery Unit but said nothing about the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing, so the story seems to be somewhat changing here. Will the minister now advise the committee whether the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing is involved in the administration of these grants?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: Are you talking about the election commitments?

Mr TARZIA: The local club facility grants. That is what they are called in the budget document.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: First of all, I am really proud that local MPs and candidates listened to their communities about their needs and engaged with clubs about the role that they felt they could play with the right support to improve people's health and wellbeing and sense of belonging. I am also really proud that we will deliver on the commitments that those local candidates—many of whom are now local members—made that we will honour the promises that we made.

Mr TARZIA: I refer you to Budget Paper 4, Volume 3, pages 140 to 142. When did the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing first become involved in the administration of these grants?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: These commitments were election commitments made by the Labor opposition. They were then endorsed by the people of South Australia at the election, and we are now delivering them as the government.

Mr TARZIA: When did the office first become involved in the administration of the grants?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: As I said, they are election commitments, so the commitments were made prior to the election. On becoming government, and once the commitments are budgeted for, the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing plays a role in making sure that those agreements in relation to election commitments are delivered.

Mr TARZIA: The same budget line. The Premier advised his estimates committee in this place yesterday that these grants were required to go through the cabinet budgetary process, so did the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing prepare the cabinet submission for that purpose?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: As I just said, once these particular commitments were budgeted for, the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing has a role. I absolutely respect cabinet confidentiality in terms of particular submissions to cabinet and I will not deter from my responsibilities in that regard.

Mr TARZIA: Budget Paper 4, Volume 3, again pages 140 to 142. Will the minister provide, for the information of the committee, an itemised list of each approved grant showing the name of the recipient and the purpose for which the grant is to be applied?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: As the projects are delivered certainly the relevant community, and the public more broadly, will be aware of the detail. I mean, the communities have already been involved. Sorry, I am not understanding your question. Is your question about—

Mr TARZIA: It is a very simple question, minister. Are you going to provide an itemised list of each approved grant, showing the name of the recipient and the purpose for which the grant is to be applied?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: Provide to?

Mr TARZIA: A list.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: To?

Mr TARZIA: To the committee now, if you have it on you, or to the parliament or to myself.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: Sorry, now I understand your question.

Mr TARZIA: A list, yes.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: When you kept saying 'to' I was not quite sure what you meant because of course we are working with communities and the relevant bodies—

Mr TARZIA: Yes, I appreciate that.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: —to deliver the election commitment and, as you can appreciate, those agreements are being executed and delivered and we are in the process of doing so, of delivering the election commitments as we said we would prior to the election.

Mr TARZIA: Again referring to Budget Paper 4, Volume 3, pages 140 to 142, will the minister provide, for the information of the committee, the documentation that each grant recipient is required to complete, confirming the acceptance of the grant and the compliance with the terms and conditions?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: As I said, there is a range of election commitments, and you have the detail of the quantum of those election commitments. Election commitments will be monitored through the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing. Obviously, in our desire to make sure that all of those election commitments are delivered, we are working through that process and the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing is working through those agreements with the various organisations, as has been spoken about in this house before. We will deliver on those election commitments. We aim to do that as quickly as possible. Certainly, the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing continues to work through delivering those commitments.

Mr TARZIA: On the same budget line, which chief executive is responsible for ensuring compliance with clause 15.11 of Treasurer's Instruction 15, requiring certification that each grant is justified by the particular circumstances and is in the public interest?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: Just to be really clear, the election commitments and agreements will be delivered in accordance with the environment in which we are required to operate in.

Mr TARZIA: The Budget Overview, Budget Paper 1, clearly refers to these grants as grants, not commitments. Why do you keep calling them commitments and not grants?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: Because all of these projects were commitments that were made prior to the election. They are election commitments. Of course, there will be an agreement to put in place the provisions that are needed to deliver that election commitment.

Mr TARZIA: Referring again to Budget Paper 4, Volume 3, pages 140 to 142, does the minister have any association with any sporting club which has subsequently applied for or received a grant?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: All members of cabinet, including myself, have complied with all obligations under the Ministerial Code of Conduct.

Mr TARZIA: So you are not telling the committee whether you do or do not; is that right, minister?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: As I said, all members of cabinet, including myself, have complied with obligations under the Ministerial Code of Conduct. I can assure you that I have complied with every requirement in relation to that code of conduct.

Mr TARZIA: I refer again to Budget Paper 4, Volume 3, pages 140 to 142. In estimates yesterday, when questioned about the administration of these grants, the Premier said, and I quote, 'I have very firm expectations of each of my cabinet ministers to be declaring any relevant conflicts where they are required to do so'. Have any ministerial conflicts been declared in relation to the administration of these grants?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: As I just said, all members of cabinet, including myself, have complied with every obligation under the Ministerial Code of Conduct.

Mr TARZIA: But have any ministerial conflicts been declared?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: As I said, all members of cabinet, including myself, have complied with any and all obligations under the Ministerial Code of Conduct.

Mr TARZIA: So you will not tell the committee whether any ministerial conflicts have been declared. It should be a very simple answer.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: I am saying that all the obligations have been complied with.

Mr TARZIA: I refer again to Budget Paper 4, Volume 3, pages 141 and 142. Has the Premier informed the minister of any mistake in the budget papers in their reference to these grants? In his estimates committee yesterday, the Premier insisted, on a number of occasions, that these payments were election commitments and not grants, despite the fact that they are referred to throughout the budget as 'local sporting club facility grants'.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: They are election commitments. I do not think that I or other ministers who have answered questions could be clearer. These are election commitments.

Mr TARZIA: I refer again to Budget Paper 4, Volume 3, pages 140 to 142. In the estimates committee last Friday, the Treasurer admitted that, because of rising inflation, it was possible that many of these grants may ultimately not be adequate to fulfil their intended purpose. Will the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing have the responsibility for dealing with requests from grant recipients for additional payments?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: The election commitment amounts are very clear; that is, the commitment that we have made to any particular organisation is the amount that will be provided to any particular organisation. The election commitment is the election commitment; that is the amount that will be delivered.

Mr TARZIA: I refer to Budget Paper 5, page 84, under local sporting club upgrades. Could the minister explain why she has elected to not list the clubs and a breakdown of the expenses? This is in comparison to the previous government, whereby a list was provided.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: You have an issue with the way it is presented; is that correct?

Mr TARZIA: Budget Paper 5, page 84.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: Can you repeat the question? Is it an issue about how it is presented?

Mr TARZIA: Yes. Usually, there is a list provided of clubs and the amount of money provided, and that has not been given. Why is that?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: I think we have been very clear about the amount of the election commitments. That is absolutely open and has been listed in the budget.

Mr TARZIA: Referring to Budget Paper 4, Volume 3, page 118. I note that the Athletics Stadium renewal and upgrade has been delayed by six months until December. Is the minister able to explain the reasoning behind that delay?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: It is really exciting to see the needs of various state sporting organisations and sporting communities being met through the various infrastructure projects. It is really pleasing to see development occurring at the Athletics Stadium, the State Basketball Centre and, of course, the redevelopment at Hindmarsh. We all want a first-class athletics facility that people of all ages and abilities can come to, to compete and achieve their best.

Delays can occur on particular developments for a range of reasons. I think that the works were originally planned to occur during the 2021-22 athletics season, for completion in April 2022. The amended completion date of October 2022 was agreed to at the request of Athletics SA, Little Athletics SA and other stakeholders to ensure that their 2021-22 athletics season was not disrupted by construction. So we are responding to that request.

Mr TARZIA: The minister, in her opening statement, referred to supporting the racing industry. How many times in the hundred or so days since being a minister has the minister visited Angle Park or Globe Derby Park?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: I have met on various occasions with leaders in the racing industry on multiple occasions, and I have also attended a number of events additionally. I am incredibly supportive of the racing industry. The South Australian racing industry and clubs across the state are at the heart of many communities. They bring people together through various events, and they certainly bring communities together in regional areas.

I was very pleased a few weeks ago to visit the Mount Gambier Racing Club, as I have done on a number of occasions. As I said, I always enjoy meeting with people from the racing community and have done so on many occasions in the past 100 days. Every time I meet with someone from the racing community, their passion for the industry and the communities in which they bring racing to life is absolutely apparent.

As you would be aware as the shadow minister, more than 3½ thousand people are employed through the racing industry and approximately $400 million annually is injected into our economy through the activities of the racing industry. Our government and certainly I personally understand and value the contribution of racing to South Australia and acknowledge the challenges faced by all clubs, especially during recent times with the pandemic. As I said, I have met with a number of racing industry leaders, some in my office, some at particular venues and some at particular events.

Mr TARZIA: Minister, are you telling the committee that, in a hundred days since being the minister, you have not been to Angle Park or Globe Derby Park?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: What I am saying to you is that I have been meeting regularly with racing industry personnel. I maintain good relationships with racing industry personnel. Have I seen you at some of the events that I have been to? I think one, in particular, at Morphettville.

Mr TARZIA: I have been to an event at Angle Park and Globe Derby Park, and it sounds like you have not been to either venue in a hundred days as minister, which is pretty poor.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: I have seen you at one event, I think, at Morphettville. Was it the Carbine Club that I saw you at? I am not sure if I have seen you at a race meet at Morphettville or—

The CHAIR: I think we are getting away from the budget lines.

Mr TARZIA: We will move on. I refer to Budget Paper 4, Volume 3, page 140, under targets. Coming back to the grant program that we were talking about at the start of estimates, will this funding go primarily towards facilities in Labor-held seats?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: Sorry, which funding? The election commitments?

Mr TARZIA: Yes. What you call election commitments and what we call grants.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: What I can say, and I think this may also have been spoken about during the course of question time as well, is that we will deliver proudly on those election commitments. Unlike the former government, we are going to deliver on every commitment that we made prior to the election. I am glad the member for Torrens is here because I want to speak about a particular circumstance that both her and I were very frustrated with in relation to the previous government.

Just before the 2022 election, the Gaza Sports and Community Club at Klemzig were still waiting for the desperately needed funding for female change room facilities that was promised by the unsuccessful Liberal candidate at the 2018 state election, a promise that was never delivered on despite the member for Torrens and I repeatedly asking the former Liberal Minister for Recreation and Sport about when that commitment would be delivered.

The club was also unsuccessful in the former government's controversial football, cricket and netball program. If you have been to the Gaza clubrooms, you will have seen that they are in desperate need of new lighting and female change room facilities, but they were simply snubbed by the former government, despite the Liberal candidate making that commitment prior to the 2018 election. As I said, a visit to the club, and in particular the change rooms, highlights just how desperate the need for improvement is. As was openly committed by Labor in the lead-up to the election, Gaza will be receiving $750,000 from our government to fund their much-needed upgrades.

In contrast, and to get to your question, commitments made by unsuccessful Labor candidates prior to the 2022 election for various upgrades are now being honoured by this government. I am sure the Leader of the Opposition and his community are absolutely thrilled about the $2.5 million committed to the Cove Sports and Community Club, which we are honouring and delivering, as well as, I think, $200,000 to upgrade tennis courts in Kingston Park.

Similarly, I am sure that you are very pleased that the Hectorville Hounds will receive the $320,000 committed to them for their needs. I know that you and the leader are committed to your local clubs, and I really look forward to working with you to deliver these upgrades and to celebrating their successful completion with you. I think you have already written to me about the election commitment in relation to Hectorville Hounds, and from memory I think I have already responded to your inquiries about that election commitment that we are delivering.

I look forward to delivering all of the commitments with all of the members who made them, and I know that other ministers are also looking forward to delivering commitments that were openly made in their areas in particular budget lines. I have said to a number of members from both sides of the house who have approached me about particular sporting club needs that I look forward to working with members to hear more about those.

I just wanted to say that when I was in Mount Gambier a few weeks ago at the suggestion of the member for Mount Gambier, I greatly relished visiting the speedway track there, even though, sadly, we were not able to get onto the track that afternoon. I did relish that visit and I am looking forward to talking more with all members about particular needs in their areas.

Ms CLANCY: Thank you for talking about improving female facilities. My question relates to Budget Paper 4, Agency Statements, Volume 3, page 140. Can you tell us more about how the government will be investing in and promoting opportunities for women and girls to be involved in sporting and recreational activities?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: Thank you very much for your question and for your commitment to your local clubs and to the advancement of girls and women in sport, and indeed every aspect of community life. Seeing women and girls celebrated for being strong, skilful and physical is powerful. It can absolutely change perceptions about the role of women and girls in our community, and it gives us a wonderful opportunity to shift attitudes about girls and women and the roles that they can play.

Many women and girls find expression through sport and recreation activities and have gone on to achieve local, national and international success. That must continue to be supported and celebrated and, importantly, we need to ensure that women and girls have access to training facilities and the equipment they need to pursue their particular sporting passion.

The previous government, shamefully, did great damage to this by scrapping the dedicated female facilities program. It was established to ensure access to facilities to meet the rapidly growing number of women and girls wishing to participate in their local community sporting club. We need to do what we can to encourage more girls and women to equally and actively participate in the sport that they love, and being serious about that, being serious about backing girls. Women in sport means taking clear action to provide that support.

I am really pleased that our government has committed to developing particular female facilities, and I am also really pleased that we will continue the program that we started in 2016. Thankfully, one thing the former minister and I agreed on, was the need to increase gender diversity on sporting club boards. I was very pleased that he continued our program to look at how that diversity can be improved. That has continued and we will also continue that program.

Again, we are very serious about backing girls and women in sport and will work to ensure that girls and women can equally and actively participate in the sport they love. As part of this focus, we are bringing together cross-government effort to drive legacy on gender equality from the Women's World Cup. We are proudly re-establishing our women in sport task force to consider and advise government on any issues which prevent women and girls from fully participating in their sporting passions.

As was asked in the previous session, we will certainly keep our community abreast of the scope of that task force, the membership of the task force, the remit of the task force and what particular activities it will focus on, and we will continue our work to improve diversity in the decision-making bodies of sport. I look forward to advancing all of those efforts with the now 14 women Labor members of the House of Assembly.

I am so proud that in so many areas of policy we, as a government, absolutely have a plan to achieve gender equality. We have executed that plan and that has resulted in that record number of women representatives in the House of Assembly. We always say about many issues that diversity in decision-making makes for better decisions and that when you have gender equality in a particular community, in a particular place, that it shifts culture.

I wanted to put on record that it was incredible—that first day in parliament—when we did achieve equality. Yes, we know that in theory that changes things, but the feeling was absolutely palpable, it was wonderful. It certainly rejuvenates and renews all of us to continue our vigorous efforts to achieve gender equality in every aspect of community life, including in sport.

Mr TARZIA: Supplementary to that, minister, regarding female facilities: Budget Paper 5, Budget Measures Statement, page 69, female facilities. There is an allocation in the 2021-22 year, and obviously female facilities are very important. Why is there no allocation past the 2021-22 year?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: As you will see, we are delivering $13.2 million of election commitments around female facilities. I am very pleased about that. We are absolutely committed to bridging the gap and breaking down the barriers for girls and women to participate in sport, and that particular significant commitment will certainly assist with that.

As I said, we are also looking to re-establish the women in sport task force to look at all the issues that may inhibit girls and women from participating in sport. We will certainly advance any of the objectives that task force comes up with or any of the recommendations and discussions that the task force comes up with, to continue our quest to achieve gender equality in sport.

The other thing that I can say, and I will also ask Kylie as the CEO to respond to this as well, is one of the things that we have commenced is reviewing the various grants programs, which is something that we spoke about before the election. You would have noted that one grant program has already opened in terms of state sporting organisations. There will be a number of grant programs that open, including a program that will focus on recreation and sport infrastructure.

I will certainly keep the house abreast of when that particular grant program opens. Indeed, I will certainly keep the house up to date as multiple other grant programs also open. Quite a number will be announced and I will keep you up to date with those. I will just ask Kylie to add something.

Ms TAYLOR: The next round of the facilities program will open in August and obviously an element of that assessment process will be who the facility actually caters for, so it will be built in there that equality will need to be part of that assessment process. Across the broader suite of grant programs, the minister has already been speaking to us about what they look like moving forward and what we will consider, potentially, as future initiatives.

Mr TARZIA: What programs have been discontinued and what happens in the event that one of the clubs may have applied for a grant program that has been discontinued? There was a partnership program, for example.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: I can speak about the partnership program. I am not sure if you are aware that the partnership program was quite controversial. It actually attracted some fairly negative feedback from a number of sporting organisations, including state sporting organisations, I think it would be fair to say. That program has been paused.

One thing that we are very clear about in terms of the partnership program, or the new reiteration of the partnership program, is that it will not be open to private companies, as the previous program was under the previous minister. We want funding to go to organisations that focus on sport in our communities. The partnership program is being replaced by the Active State Collaboration Program and that will bring organisations together to work together to build a more active South Australia.

Through this new iteration of the program we will be focusing on making sure there is a focus on fostering inclusive communities. Eligible organisations for that new iteration, the Active State Collaboration Program, which deals with the problems of the partnership program, will be state sport and recreation organisations, national sport organisations, sport and recreation clubs and associations, and not-for-profit non-sport and recreation organisations.

We listened to the sporting community and, as I said, for-profit organisations will no longer be eligible to apply for Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing grants. Councils and any other not-for-profit non-sport recreation organisations will be limited to applications with a specific inclusion focus. As I said, the Active State Collaboration Program replaces the partnership program, and we anticipate that opening in July 2022 and closing in September 2022.

Certainly, any organisations that had begun to prepare applications for the partnership program will be able to use that material for those applications unless they are a private business, because they are now excluded, but we are not aware of any private businesses I do not think.

Ms TAYLOR: Not at this stage.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: But they are excluded.

Ms TAYLOR: Yes.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: That is the change, but the funding is going to be in the Active State Collaboration Program. That responds to really direct, really clear feedback from the sporting community about the problems with the partnership program. The funding is not lost; it is being redirected into what I say is absolutely a better program.

Mr TARZIA: I refer to Budget Paper 4, Volume 3, page 141, local sporting club facility grants. What does the minister say to the Centre for Public Integrity asserting that spending should have gone through an independent process? You would have heard that criticism last week.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: I will just say again that the commitments were election promises made by the then Labor opposition, they were endorsed by the people of South Australia at the election and we are now delivering them as a government. I and all members of cabinet have complied with any and all obligations under the Ministerial Code of Conduct.

Mr TARZIA: Supplementary to that: did ministers sign a form declaring their interest in the matter as the grants were brought before cabinet?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: As I said, I and all members of cabinet complied with all our obligations under the Ministerial Code of Conduct. I absolutely complied with any and all obligations under that code of conduct.

The CHAIR: I think the minister has been clear repeatedly on this. Your time might be better spent going on to something else and if you have anything to pursue to pursue it in question time. It might well be that come the next estimates you might have some questions. Things might have evolved since then, but I am mindful of the time and it is running out.

Mr TARZIA: Thank you, Mr Chair, for your guidance, which I very much appreciate. I refer to Budget Paper 4, Volume 3, page 140, targets, dot point 5, 'Develop and administer a new grants program to support South Australian car clubs'. Can the minister please elaborate on what that grant would entail?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: Absolutely. As you have pointed out, the government will establish a new grant program providing $2 million of funding over four years to support various local car clubs across South Australia so that they can better meet the growing operating costs, including managing the conditional registration scheme.

The grant funding, more specifically, of $500,000 per year will be available to clubs to help them meet costs of administering the conditional registration scheme, costs associated with hosting events and activities, purchasing any new safety and operational equipment systems and improvements, e.g., IT systems, software upgrades, membership portals and data collection systems. It can also help to provide training for instructors, officials, administrators and volunteers, and also it can be directed to initiatives to increase the participation of girls and women.

Mr TARZIA: Is the car grant subject to Treasury Instruction 15, and is the minister able to describe her responsibility under Treasurer's Instruction 15 in the context of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1987?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: All grants are administered in alignment with the requirements of the statutory responsibilities etc., so yes.

Mr TARZIA: Referring to Budget Paper 4, Volume 3, page 140, again under targets, dot point 6. Is the minister able to advise when the government exactly intends to reinstate the women in sport task force?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: I just had this question in the last session, so I am happy to.

Ms PRATT: We are very interested.

Mr TARZIA: In a different session?

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: I am very happy to—

Mr TARZIA: If you are able to briefly explain it to me.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: Sure. We are currently going through the process of scoping members and a process for designing the objectives and remit of the taskforce. You would probably be aware that when we were previously in government we had a women in sport task force—

Mr TARZIA: Yes.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: —and it focused on a number of objectives. Those objectives, very broadly speaking, were to advance gender equality in all aspects of sport, so that may been in pay, in media coverage, in equal access to particular ovals etc., but to advance gender equality across the board. It also focused on improving diversity in decision-making bodies, and we conducted a range of activities to improve gender equality on sporting boards, and offered a range of supports to women who were interested in taking on leadership roles or administrative roles in their particular sport.

We also focused on how we could better attract women's events to South Australia, and we also looked at how we could ensure that through sport we were able to engage with different communities, and tackle particular issues pertaining to gender equality. That is a very broad summary. There is still much to do to achieve equality for girls and women in sport, so in considering the scope, and in consulting with various leaders and communities about the scope of the taskforce, we are looking at, and really wanting to make sure we are focusing on the right issues, and acknowledging some of the work that has already progressed.

As I said previously, we will be very public when we launch the task force, and we will make sure that information as it is finalised is available. It is certainly something that I am very passionate about, and I know many people in our community are passionate about, and I look forward to advancing the equality of girls and women in sport, and we will certainly keep the house up to date about progress in that regard.

Mr TARZIA: Thank you, minister. I might move now to the omnibus questions, sir, for the estimates committee:

1. For each department and agency reporting to the minister, what is the total cost of machinery of government changes incurred between 22 March 2022 and 30 June 2022?

2. For each department and agency reporting to the minister, which administrative units were created, abolished or transferred to another department or agency between 22 March 2022 and 30 June 2022, and what was the cost or saving in each case?

3. For each department and agency reporting to the minister, how many executive appointments have been made since 22 March 2022, and what is the annual salary and total employment cost for each position?

4. For each department and agency reporting to the minister, how many executive positions have been abolished since 22 March 2022, and what was the annual salary and total employment cost for each position?

5. For each department and agency reporting to the minister, what has been the total cost of executive position terminations since 22 March 2022?

6. For each department and agency reporting to the minister, will the minister provide a breakdown of expenditure on consultants and contractors with a total estimated cost above $10,000 engaged between 22 March 2022 and 30 June 2022, listing the name of the consultant, contractor or service supplier, the method of appointment, the reason for the engagement and the estimated total cost of the work?

7. For each department and agency reporting to the minister, will the minister provide an estimate of the total cost to be incurred in 2022-23 for consultants and contractors, and for each case in which a consultant or contractor has already been engaged at a total estimated cost above $10,000, the name of the consultant or contractor, the method of appointment, the reason for the engagement and the total estimated cost?

8. For each department and agency reporting to the minister, will the minister advise whether it will be subject to the 1.7 per cent efficiency dividend for 2022-23 to which the government has committed and, if so, the budgeted dollar amount to be contributed in each case and how the saving will be achieved?

9. For each department or agency reporting to the minister, how many surplus employees were there at 30 June 2022, and for each surplus employee, what is the title or classification of the position and the total annual employment cost?

10. For each department and agency reporting to the minister, what is the number of executive staff to be cut to meet the government's commitment to reduce spending on the employment of executive staff by $41.5 million over four years and, for each position to be cut, its classification, total remuneration cost and the date by which the position will be cut?

11. For each department and agency reporting to the minister:

What savings targets have been set for 2022-23 and each year of the forward estimates;

What is the estimated FTE impact of these measures?

12. For each department and agency reporting to the minister, will the minister advise what share it will receive of the $1.5 billion the government proposes to use over four years of uncommitted capital reserves held in the budget at the time it took office and the purpose for which this funding will be used in each case?

13. For each department and agency reporting to the minister:

What was the actual FTE count at 30 June 2022 and what is the projected actual FTE account for the end of each year of the forward estimates;

What is the budgeted total employment cost for each year of the forward estimates; and

How many targeted voluntary separation packages are estimated to be required to meet budget targets over the forward estimates and what is their estimated cost?

14. For each department and agency reporting to the minister, how much is budgeted to be spent on goods and services for 2022-23, and for each year of the forward estimates?

15. For each department and agency reporting to the minister, how many FTEs are budgeted to provide communication and promotion activities in 2022-23 and each year of the forward estimates, and what is their estimated employment cost?

16. For each department and agency reporting to the minister, what is the total budgeted cost of government-paid advertising, including campaigns, across mediums in 2022-23?

17. For each department and agency reporting to the minister, please provide for each individual investing expenditure project administered, the name, total estimated expenditure, actual expenditure incurred to 30 June 2022 and budgeted expenditure for 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26.

18. For each grant program or fund the minister is responsible for, please provide the following information for the 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 financial years:

Name of the program or fund;

The purpose of the program or fund;

Budgeted payments into the program or fund;

Budgeted expenditure from the program or fund; and

Details, including the value and beneficiary, or any commitments already made to be funded from the program or fund.

The CHAIR: Thank you.

Mr TARZIA: One more question, if we have time?

The CHAIR: I did allot you an extra five minutes, so you have two minutes.

Mr TARZIA: I refer again to Budget Paper 4, Volume 3, page 140, the last dot point under targets, 'Commence the support of sporting organisations to build capacity'. It seems quite broad. How will that money be administered to sporting organisations and clubs? Who determines it? How will that work? It is quite broad.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD: I will ask Kylie to give you some detail, but from memory this is the grant program I spoke about in the house a few weeks ago. There was some detail there at that time, but I can certainly pass to Kylie to give you any further—

Ms TAYLOR: That program is open at the moment. It is one of the re-profiled programs that actually has a little bit more money in it, so that fundamentally provides for the sustainability and, I guess, the core operations of the state sporting organisations to make sure they are viable and financially sustainable. Probably the other work we do with them is some benchmarking work around their governance.

We have just commenced that project as part of the obligations of the current financial year funding to do the benchmarking and then we will work with that data to look at the areas where each of those organisations need to improve over the next 12 months. It is kind of a combination of some funding to help with their sustainability and also some work alongside them to build their capability and their capacity.

The CHAIR: Having reached the allotted time, I declare the examination of the portfolio of the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing completed. The examination of proposed payments for the Department for Infrastructure and Transport and Administered Items for the Department for Infrastructure and Transport are adjourned until tomorrow. I thank everyone once again for their participation, especially the public servants for all the work that they have put in, and, of course, always the great support staff at the parliament.

At 15:36 the committee adjourned to Wednesday 21 June 2022 at 09:00.