Service SA

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (15:02): My question is to the Minister for Transport. What process was undertaken to determine the Modbury branch of Service SA was to be earmarked for closure? With your leave and that of the house—

Leave granted.

Ms BEDFORD: There are 20 Service SA branches in South Australia, 10 of which are in metropolitan Adelaide. The Modbury branch services the entire area of the Tea Tree Gully council, with a population of 100,000-plus, the adjacent part of the Adelaide Hills and half of the Salisbury council. It is always busy, with queues frequently out the door, and no-one in that office would ever say it could be considered surplus to requirement.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL (Schubert—Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, Minister for Planning) (15:02): It's wonderful to get this question from the member for Florey so that I can actually update her on exactly why it is that we have had to take these very difficult decisions. In a very short way, the reason that we chose those centres was done on a spatial basis. So the idea that if I look at—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left! Order! The member for Florey has asked a question; the minister is entitled to be heard in silence. The Minister for Primary Industries will not interject, please. The minister has the call.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: In relation to the people that are currently accessing the Mitcham centre, they would be able to go down to the Marion or the Tranmere centres. In relation to Modbury, the people from Modbury—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: The people at Modbury would be able to still access the Tranmere, Regency Park and Elizabeth centres—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I'm trying to listen to the minister's answer.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: —and for those who use the Prospect centre, they will be able to use Regency Park—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Waite is warned. The minister will be seated.

The Hon. T.J. Whetstone: If the shoe fits, wear it.

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Primary Industries is warned. The Minister for Transport has the call.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: Mr Speaker, this is not an easy decision. Member for Florey, this is not an easy decision. There are a number of other alternatives that we're currently looking at putting in place, and we're working with those alternate service delivery partners at the moment to provide that solution.

Can I say that these centres are not going to close tomorrow. They are going to close after we have an alternative arrangement that has been put in place to make sure that there still is the ability to provide these transactions. It's just that as the budget stands we need to make those announcements as part of the budget process and then work from there.

The reason that these difficult decisions have had to be taken is largely because this is the legacy that we inherited. Can I say that prior to this budget, in the Mid-Year Budget Review, it was envisaged that Service SA would have to cut $11.68 million from their budget over this corresponding four-year period. Now, as a result of the tough decisions that we have had to make, we have had to increase that savings task to about $16 million over the same period, but three-quarters of the savings tasks was already in the Mid-Year Budget Review before our budget was even handed down. That is the legacy that we were left by the former government, and they are the difficult decisions that we have had to take.

There is a lot more work that will be done over the coming months to make sure that there are alternative arrangements put in place. We are not trying to hide from the fact that this is a tough and difficult decision that we have had to take. This is what happens when you try to balance the books. This is what happens when you are a responsible government that realises that you can only spend what you raise in tax revenue. This is what happens when you actually make good on what your budget says.

I think it is extremely clear that three-quarters of this savings task we inherited from the former government. If the former government didn't have that savings task in the budget, these decisions that we have made with this budget would have been very, very different. But, as prudent and strong financial managers on this side of the house, these are the difficult decisions that we have had to take. I say to the people of the north-east, the people of the south and the people in the inner north: we are working to make sure that we can provide these transactions in an alternative way.

There are a huge number of options already available now, either online or using Australia Post. We are seeking to expand those opportunities, and we will be communicating very thoroughly with those affected communities when those decisions are made.

Ms BEDFORD: Supplementary.

The SPEAKER: Supplementary, and then the member for Hurtle Vale.