SA LOTTERIES

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:17): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Government Enterprises a question about SA Lotteries.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: SA Lotteries is an outstanding business, which also provides significant benefits as its profits go into our hospitals and sports each year. It is a constant that wherever you go in our state you can be sure to be able to buy a X-Lotto ticket. I am sure many of us enjoy the odd flutter and the thought of a big win when we buy a ticket at the local agent on a Saturday morning. While computer technology must play a large role in SA Lotteries' success, the other vital element is the agency network. Will the minister advise how SA Lotteries promotes excellence within the small business community?

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) (15:17): Our agencies are extremely important to the successful operation of SA Lotteries and are the backbone of lotteries. The SA Lotteries distribution network of more than 550 agencies is one of the most diverse lottery networks in Australia, a network of principally small business operators—the classic local newsagents and chemists, supermarkets, kiosks, delis, service stations, hotels and clubs. SA Lotteries' commitment to operating excellence is supported by extensive operating procedures. These are communicated to the network using their agent agreement, its supporting operational documentation, a comprehensive responsible gambling framework and an extensive training program.

SA Lotteries has an ongoing commitment to training its agency network. During 2009-10 training was delivered to 10 metropolitan and six regional training and information sessions for more 2,000 people, comprising agents and their staff. This training focused on ensuring agents were able to successfully transition to new point-of-sale equipment, with rollout to agents completed in February 2010. This was followed by the rollout of self-service ticket checkers to agencies providing greater customer convenience, which was completed in June 2010.

The training delivered by SA Lotteries itself was in addition to that provided by SA Lotteries accredited training partner, Business SA, in the training of 63 new agents and 60 agency staff in courses covering business management, customer service, essential skills in terminal operation and, of course, responsible gambling. SA Lotteries' training partnership with Business SA was established in 2009 to provide more training to new agents and their staff across the areas of business and terminal operation, selling skills and responsible gambling.

Each year SA Lotteries recognises operational excellence across their agent network at the SA Lotteries Agency Excellence Award gala presentation dinner. The annual Agency Excellence Awards program is designed to recognise and reward excellence within the SA Lotteries retail and licensed agency network, and the winners are determined on a set of performance criteria.

The performance criteria for these awards include relative sales performance, sales growth, audit review, corporate fit-out and agent initiative. Every eligible agency receives a final score based on these criteria, and the top performers from each sales channel are invited to the gala event. It is a particularly special night of celebration. A total of seven awards for outstanding performance in 2009-10 were presented to the following SA Lotteries agencies earlier this month at the gala awards on 16 October 2010:

Virginia Lotteries Kiosk—Best Retail Agency—Gold;

Rostrevor Pharmacy—Best Retail Agency—Silver;

Birdwood Newsagency—Best Retail Agency—Bronze;

Westland Hotel Motel, Whyalla Norrie—Best Licensed Agency—Gold;

Castle Tavern, Edwardstown—Best Licensed Agency—Silver;

Hotel Elliot, Port Elliot—Best Licensed Agency—Bronze; and

Para Hills Community Club—Community Service Award.

In addition, the Para Hills Community Club's Jayne Taylor was named Agency Employee of the Year for the second year in a row for outstanding commitment to customer service. During the evening, 27 agents were also recognised for achieving 20 years of service.

Research conducted by Synovate in June 2010, as part of SA Lotteries' self-evaluation and business improvement processes, has indicated that 98 per cent of players were either satisfied or extremely satisfied with the service received from SA Lotteries and its agencies throughout 2009-10. It is a remarkable agency network, and SA Lotteries should be congratulated for the way they continue to support and grow the skills of their small business partners.