GOVERNMENT SPENDING

Mrs GERAGHTY (Torrens) (15:34): My question is to the Minister for the Public Sector. Can the minister inform the house about the savings achieved regarding travel expenditure in the SA government?

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN (Napier—Minister for Finance, Minister for the Public Sector) (15:34): I thank the member for Torrens for her question. I am pleased to inform the house that the South Australian government has achieved $891,000 in savings in airfares, accommodation and car hire over the six-month period from January 2012 to June 2012 compared with the same period last year.

The Hon. I.F. Evans interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Davenport, order!

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN: This represents an 8 per cent reduction. In early 2012 I asked that a range of measures be implemented to reduce the government's overall spend on travel services. This included an increased focus on utilising the lowest logical fare and consideration of alternatives to travel such as videoconferencing. The lowest logical airfare includes applying a sensibility check, and this also applies to members of the parliament in booking their travel. For example, if a traveller needs to attend an early-morning meeting in the Melbourne CBD, then an airfare to Avalon Airport is not logical.

From January 2012 to June there was an increase in the number of lowest logical fares purchased for interstate and intrastate trips compared with the same period in 2011. The total reduction in average ticket price was 13.5 per cent. Savings were further achieved through travel arrangers booking fares in advance at least seven days prior to departure. Currently, 76 per cent of domestic air and intrastate air travel is booked in advance.

Savings can also be attributed to a reduction in the total number of journeys across government. From January 2012 to June 2012, compared to the same period in 2011, the total number of air transactions was reduced by 6.5 per cent. The government has also identified opportunities to save money through increased use of online bookings. If you have not accessed the website I recommend that you do, because we can make further substantial reductions in the cost of providing travel facilities to members of parliament. The potential savings from these initiatives, which have been instigated through Shared Services, are in the order of $2.75 million a year. The government will continue to act in cutting unnecessary expenditure wherever possible to maintain funding for the delivery of important community services.