GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATIONS CENTRALISATION

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (15:23): I seek leave to make a brief explanation prior to directing a question to the Leader of the Government on the issue of centralising communications.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: In the 2012-13 Mid Year Budget Review—just over 12 months ago—the government announced a budget saving of centralising communications functions to achieve $2.6 million in savings this year and $5.3 million next year. In summary, all the agencies would be asked to centralise communications-related functions across government so that communications officers would be taken out of the agencies and placed in some central location with a subsequent reduction of 50 full-time equivalents.

Can the minister indicate in relation to departments and agencies reporting to her how many officers have been transferred and what progress has been made in terms of centralising communications functions in accordance with the Mid Year Budget Review announcement?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (15:24): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. Indeed, this government has worked very hard under the leadership of our Premier, Jay Weatherill, to look at a whole range of different initiatives to assist this government in streamlining and improving efficiencies, reducing duplication and replication of services wherever possible, and trying to ensure that we develop and maintain a highly efficient and highly effective public sector. We know that the opposition, if they were to win government, secretly plan to slash the public sector and slash up to 35,000 jobs. We know that that translates to essential community public services and amenities, and we know that is what they secretly mean to do. The member for Heysen (Mrs Isobel Redmond) let it slip, so we know what their secret plans are.

In relation to the centralisation of communication, I do not have those details with me today. They are mainly operational issues. I am happy to take those on notice and bring back a response as expeditiously as the question deserves.