Matters of Interest

Government Performance

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:26): The Marshall Liberal government's mantra during the election was 'lower costs and better services'. What Mr Marshall has delivered so far has proved that these slogans were only very shallow promises and a vote-grabbing exercise.

The Liberals' first budget in 17 years was a hatchet job on services. Likewise, yesterday's budget is a further escalation of cuts to services that will see South Australians worse off than ever before. The new round of cuts that have been delivered are wideranging in scope and include cuts to grants payments to the South Australian Housing Authority, sports infrastructure, regional airports and the Living Neighbourhoods program. The government has also delivered a wide range of efficiencies to Adult Community Education, the History Trust of SA, Carclew youth arts and the Windmill Theatre Co. and a review and reprioritisation of grant programs in the Department of Human Services.

In addition to these cuts, the Marshall Liberal government have proven that they are not serious about fighting crime in South Australia. Under their watch, crime has risen in our state, and their recent round of budget cuts could see a further escalation of crime. In an appalling move the Liberal government has scrapped the New Foundations program trial and have cut the APY lands staffing model in SAPOL. The New Foundations program was used to help reduce recidivism in our prisons, and the cut to the staffing model is a cut to policing in regional areas. These two cuts highlight that the Marshall Liberal government are not serious about fighting crime in South Australia.

As well as failing to protect our citizens against crime, the Marshall Liberal government are letting down the most vulnerable South Australians. In a callous move, the Liberal government has reduced the grants to the Victim Support Service by $1.2 million. This important service provides support for South Australians affected by crime.

The budget also removes 31 full-time equivalents from the Department for Child Protection, which poses a lot of questions for the minister. Will these cuts be to front-line staff or administrative staff? If the cuts are to the administration staff, would that require the front-line staff to take on more administration work? What will be the impact of this reduction on the children and young people in state care? We do not yet know the answer to these questions, but what we do know is that vulnerable South Australians will be worse off thanks to this budget.

The Marshall government and the Hon. Rob Lucas are also coming after the hard-earned money of South Australians to prop up their surplus. Every day, South Australians bear the cost of an unprecedented increase of $353 million in taxes, fees and charges. These increases are going to impact on many South Australians, who will now be paying more for motor registration, drivers licence renewals and hospital car parking.

The Liberals also continue their attack on the public transport system. Having cut $46 million from the system you would think the Liberals could not do much more damage to the transport system but, as the saying goes, where there is a will there is a way. In this budget the Marshall Liberal government has raised bus fares, including scrapping the two-section fare and the reintroduction of the $5 regular Metro card fee and the $3.50 concession card. Thanks to Steven Marshall, South Australians are now paying more for less.

It is time the Marshall Liberal government comes clean to the people of South Australia. It is time for the Marshall Liberal government to stop misleading the public and admit that, thanks to their policy decisions, South Australians are facing higher costs and downgraded service.

I note the Hon. Mr Pangallo's absolute horror at the increase granted to us last year, the outrage expressed before accepting it. Well, I have to be the bearer of bad news: while all these increases are occurring there is going to be another wage increase for members of parliament in July. I am sure that before accepting the extra increase the Hon. Mr Pangallo will express more outrage at this disgraceful increase in our salaries.

Considering these cuts and fee increases it is astounding that the Treasurer has the cheek to say that this budget continues to deliver on their election promise to create jobs.