Legislative Council Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1) 54 1 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Career Employment Services Funding Career Employment Services Funding The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN Legislative Council Career Employment Services Funding The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (14:34): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question— Members interjecting: The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition, I cannot hear your own frontbencher speak. Hon. Ms Scriven, please recommence. The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN Legislative Council The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: Mr President, I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Treasurer. The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: What is the topic? The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN Legislative Council The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: The Treasurer's review of government funded programs. Leave granted. The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN Legislative Council The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: The Minister for Industry and Skills sent a letter to Northern Futures Incorporated advising that, as a result of the Treasurer's review of government funded programs, funding for the Jobs First Employment programs and Career Services programs will cease on 30 June 2018. Will the Treasurer confirm whether funding for Northern Futures has been cut as a result of the Treasurer's review of government funding? When was this decision made and how was it communicated to stakeholders? What other programs are being cut as a result of this Treasurer's review? The Hon. R.I. LUCAS Legislative Council Treasurer The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:35): As Treasurer, I accept responsibility for everything that goes on in relation to budget and finance related issues, but there is a collaborative role with ministers in relation to the implementation of budget related decisions. The budget will be released on 4 September. I don't propose, even after the very kind invitation from the honourable member, to outline all the decisions that are currently being contemplated, and in some cases already taken, in terms of the presentation of the 4 September budget. I thank the honourable member for the invitation, but I won't be taking up that invitation at this stage. If there are decisions which are taken in terms of the process of formulating the budget—and in some cases one can understand that they have to be because if funding is to be continued or discontinued as of 30June or 1 July of this year, which clearly pre-dates 4 September, then the responsible minister would need to implement that particular decision by way of corresponding to the impacted stakeholders. There will be some programs and projects where decisions will be taken in terms of the presentation of the budget and therefore they will be advised to stakeholders by ministers. In other cases they will be part of the more normal process, which will be the presentation of the budget on 4 September, when all will be revealed to stakeholders and to the general community and to members of parliament as to the decisions that the new government has taken.