SERVICE SA

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (15:07): I have a supplementary question. Can the minister advise how many government agencies have call centres operating independently of Service SA? Does this move intend to incorporate some of those call centres within Service SA?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for Gambling) (15:07): I thank the honourable member for his important question. Indeed, there have been significant developments to consolidate a range of government information services through Service SA services; for instance, the coordination of the online site is just one of those. Service SA is now taking responsibility for a number of agencies and for the management of their online information services. That has been consolidated, and we believe it is a very effective and efficient way to do things.

Service SA is an agency that has the skill and expertise to do these things extremely well, and it has a very good customer focus in terms of its overall services. There are a number of services that have now been channelled through Service SA; some of those are online and some revolve around the managing of transactions, the payment of various licenses, registration, the filling out of forms, and such like.

There are a large number of services that are now being channelled through Service SA but in terms of the actual number, I am happy to try to get those details and bring the information back. I can assure the honourable member that many services have now been directed through Service SA, and we continue to explore opportunities with agencies right across government to improve efficiencies and effectiveness. Where there is the potential to do that, we continue the negotiations with those agencies.