One quarter of SA government boards, committees and tribunals face the axe

Updated

The South Australian Government is set to abolish 105 state boards, committees and tribunals.

Of the current 429, those to go are expected to include the state's Advanced Manufacturing Council, the Business Development Council, the Equal Opportunity Tribunal and the Fisheries Council.

Also earmarked to go are the Motor Sport Board, the Alpaca Advisory Group and the Dolphin Sanctuary Advisory Board.

Of those remaining, 18 boards or committees will merge and another 117 will be reclassified.

Premier Jay Weatherill said 72 would be retained in their current form and 58 were to face a further investigation about their future.

Mr Weatherill released a whole-of-government audit and said he expected more than $1.3 million in annual savings from the planned changes.

"We've been on a process of actually getting rid of boards and committees, others have grown up but we thought now is the time to do some spring cleaning and that's what we've done," he said.

Modern communications can bypass board processes

Mr Weatherill said many boards and committees had become unnecessary because modern communications with stakeholders could be achieved more directly.

"This is about finding new ways of governments being informed on policy issues, as too often this advice is confined to a select group of people," he said.

I am interested in finding new and innovative ways to develop this advice, ensuring it flows more directly from citizens and businesses alike. Jay Weatherill

"I am interested in finding new and innovative ways to develop this advice, ensuring it flows more directly from citizens and businesses alike."

The Premier said some key boards would keep operating.

"While some boards, such as the Economic Development Board and Defence SA will be retained, it is clear that many others no longer have relevance or they should be replaced," he said.

"Some boards will be merged to remove duplication and others will be subject to reform, for example those recommended by the expert panel on planning reform."

The Premier said the audit report would guide the drafting of legislation to remove particular boards and committees.

The Government said a final report and the subsequent legislation were to be finalised before the end of the year.

Former Labor government MPs Kevin Foley, Grace Portolesi and Chloe Fox were recently appointed to boards that were being spared from the axe.

Concern for future tourism direction

Independent MLC John Darley said the Government was making a mistake by abolishing boards such as the one for the Tourism Commission.

Mr Darley was not guaranteeing the legislation his support in the upper house of State Parliament.

"To suggest that the South Australian Tourism Commission board would be abolished would be cutting off your nose to spite your face," he said.

"I mean tourism is a big industry in South Australia and so who are we going to rely on for our advice now? Minister [Leon] Bignell, I think not."

Trent Zimmerman from Australia's peak tourism industry association said abolishing the Tourism Commission board would make South Australia the only state without such as body.

"We're seeing the Government take a retrograde step by abolishing the extensive commercial and industry experience that it currently receives by having an independent board," he said.

Lee Sadler is on the Alpaca Advisory Group and is upset it is set to go.

"I would hope that the Government would appreciate they're getting an enormous wealth of expertise at minimal expense for themselves," she said.

Opposition Leader Steven Marshall said he was unconvinced so many boards needed to go.

"We're generally in support of rationalising the number of boards in South Australia. We were taken aback by the magnitude of those [outlined] today," he said.

"What we're talking about is the removal of independent scrutiny and giving more and more power to the minister and the department."

Topics: states-and-territories, government-and-politics, public-sector, sa, adelaide-5000

First posted