ASK JUST ONCE STRATEGY

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:10): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Government Enterprises a question about the Ask Just Once strategy.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: Under the Ask Just Once strategy, the state government is committed to providing a single source of information or a point of contact for citizens and business. The development of a common internet site for government provides for access to government services. Will the minister advise what information is currently available to members of the public through the government website?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (15:10): I was pleased when the single entry point online sa.gov.au was officially launched in November 2009, and I am sure that access to information on government services online has made it much easier for a lot of other people.

This website obviously benefits citizens, businesses and state government agencies by providing easily accessible information for customers online, with a much stronger customer service focus. It is great public value, as customers experience a reduction in time, effort and costs when transacting with government, reducing their frustration in getting around some of those sites. Another benefit is that there is a reduction in red tape by providing more streamlined and integrated information focusing on the service required by the customer rather than the government department.

Currently, there is a great deal of information on the website. For example, consumers can easily find out how to register their vehicle online; find train and tram timetables; find out how to request a birth or marriage certificate; find contact details for a range of government services such as health, housing and schools; and obtain a great deal of other information. I believe that the website is much more user friendly and offers commonly sought information. It means that members of the public do not have to navigate through a sometimes confusing range of departmental websites to get answers to commonly asked questions.

Further updates to the website will be made as government agencies begin to use the single website as a key way of providing information to the public, and I understand that the website will be fully implemented in the 2010-11 financial year. I look forward to providing the chamber with further updates as that service continues to develop.