External Consultants

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Leader of the Government in this chamber about consultant advisers.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: It has been reported that Premier Peter Malinauskas has been utilising the services of a private consultant adviser for a job in the Premier's Delivery Unit to the tune of $600 per hour. The media reports out at the weekend also note that public sentiment is unaligned with this spend during a cost-of-living crisis.

My question is to the Leader of the Government. Has the leader received advice relating to any of his portfolios from non government employed external advisers and, if so, what has been the cost to South Australian taxpayers for the consultancy service?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:21): I thank the honourable member for her question. I don't have any information in relation to that and the hiring that is often done at a departmental level, but I am absolutely certain there will be external consultants that provide advice in my portfolios—for example, actuaries (I think Finity is one that is mainly used for return to work).

I have absolutely no doubt external consultants are used in portfolios I am responsible for. I will check, but I believe they are proactively published. If they are not, I will bring back a reply to the honourable member.