Motions

Regional Impact Assessment Statements

Adjourned debate on motion of Mr Griffiths:

That this house—

(a) supports the referral to the Economic and Finance Committee of all regional impact assessment statements, with the ability to call witnesses, and

(b) urges the Minister for Regional Development to ensure the state government—

(i) guarantees full compliance by all state government departments, agencies and statutory authorities of the regional impact assessment statement policy and process to ensure the government undertakes effective consultation with regional communities before decisions which impact community services and standards are implemented; and

(ii) makes public the results of all regional impact assessment statements undertaken prior to any change to a service or services in regional South Australia.

(Continued from 6 August 2014.)

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Frome—Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Local Government) (11:47): I would like to move an amendment to this motion by the member for Goyder, as follows:

Delete paragraph (a) and amend paragraph (b).

The amended motion would then read:

That this house notes the Minister for Regional Development in conjunction with the state government—

(i) requires full compliance by all state government departments, agencies and statutory authorities of the regional impact assessment statement policy and process to ensure the government undertakes effective consultation with regional communities before decisions which impact community services and standards are implemented; and

(ii) makes public the results of all regional impact assessment statements as soon as practical having regard to cabinet confidentiality.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Before we go on could the minister supply a copy of that to the table.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: The Regional Impact Assessment Policy and Guidelines were launched in July 2003 as part of the broader commitment to ensure that regional impacts and issues are considered in government decision-making processes. This policy requires that when a significant change in services is proposed the proponent must give detailed consideration to regional impacts before implementation that can be both negative and positive. The government opposes part (a) of the motion put by the member for Goyder. There would be no additional benefit obtained from expanding the processes for a regional impact assessment statement to include referring the statement to the Economic and Finance Committee. Such referral would only add to the length of time taken to initiate, assess, consult, analyse and report on a proposal. Regional impact assessment statements are already subject to in-depth consultation and communication with the regional community or communities that may be affected by any proposal.

The regional community represents, after all, the people who should be provided the greatest opportunity to subject government proposals to scrutiny. Parliament itself is already able to scrutinise government decisions and programs by means such as question time, estimates committees and tabling of agency annual reports. Individual members of parliament whose electorate is within the regional community covered by a regional impact assessment statement would be consulted as part of the consultation process.

Should it wish to do so, this house can refer any particular matter of public sector operation or service delivery to the Economic and Finance Committee and the committee can look into such matters on their own motion. There is, therefore, no need to refer every regional impact assessment statement to the committee. It can choose to examine these matters for itself. In summary, there is no case for routinely referring regional impact assessment statements to the Economic and Finance Committee and this part of the motion is opposed.

With regard to the honourable member's motion, government departments are already required to comply with the regional impact assessment statement policy. This is also part of my agreement with the Premier, as has been tabled in this house previously. Agency chief executives are responsible for ensuring there is a process in place to identify when a significant change is proposed that will trigger the preparation of a regional impact assessment statement. This policy is in addition to the requirement that cabinet submissions consider and include comment of the regional impacts of any proposed decisions. A regional impact assessment statement can be initiated in a number of ways, including:

a departmental officer advising a chief executive that a proposal will have a significant impact and, therefore, the regional impact assessment statement is necessary;

a chief executive of a department requests a regional impact assessment statement be prepared; or

a minister requests that a regional impact assessment statement be prepared.

In addition, Regions SA, a division of PIRSA, may advise an agency that a regional impact assessment statement should be prepared. In that case, Regions SA will advise the Minister for Regional Development that it has recommended an agency prepare a regional impact assessment statement and the Minister for Regional Development will write to the relevant minister or ministers to inform them of that recommendation. Agency chief executives have been reminded of the importance of regional impact assessment statements and the continuing requirement for their preparation.

In addition, regional impact assessment statements are required to include consultation and communication with the regional community affected by the proposed implementation of any significant change to a service or services, in line with government engagement principles. The regional community that may be affected by a significant change is consulted and communicated with throughout their process and is advised of the outcome of the consultation in a timely fashion. All completed regional impact assessment statements are published on the Regions SA website and are therefore accessible to all.

I have spoken to the shadow minister and we all need for the government to be as transparent as possible but, certainly, I would encourage this house to support this amendment.

Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (11:53): I appreciate the minister's putting forward that amendment and the opportunity to have some discussion with him about it. It is not the ideal solution for me, which was a direct referral back to the Economic and Finance Committee. It is true that the committee can choose to do so but it relies on a vote that we cannot win—unless we get your support continuously for that.

The committee can, of course, make that decision itself, but I have been on the Economic and Finance Committee and, with the 4:3 number, government and opposition, it does not always happen when a direct request for an investigation occurs. I appreciate that the minister has put an emphasis on this in his discussions on it. I think it was rather frustrating for the minister when I asked him a question in estimates about the number of regional impact assessment scheme reports undertaken in 2013-14, and there were none.

The Hon. G.G. Brock: That was before my time.

Mr GRIFFITHS: Yes, the minister notes before his time, and I acknowledge that also, and that he has continually talked about this since. I suppose on the basis of that, in the desire to have an opportunity to win a vote, even in an amended form, I am prepared to indicate that the opposition and I will accept that, but keep a close eye on it, minister, I think it is fair to say. I indicate that the opposition is prepared to accept the amendment at this stage.

Amendment carried; motion as amended carried.