Commenting on the story: SA fines, registration and licensing fees set to soar

The government once again is asking the public to tighten their belts, with a raft of fees and service charges expected to increase. 

How about the government leads by example in reducing the number of public servants employed by them. – Mike Lesiw 

Typical politicians! State Treasurer Rob Lucas blames the Federal Government for the Big Red Hole of Debt created by the previous  and current State Governments.

Rann and Weatherill and now Marshall and Lucas spent money the state did not have like there was no tomorrow.

Marshall and Lucas are squandering $42 million on that absurd hotel being tacked onto the already hideous exterior of the once beautiful Adelaide Oval and are, just like the previous lot, spending money the state simply does not have.

They knew long before any of us that the distribution of the GST was being made more fair and that meant SA got a fully deserved reduction, but they did nothing. 

SA taxpayers can be absolutely certain of one thing. Our parasitic politicians will make damned sure that none of their benefits  are touched – their regular increases in pay and perks, luxury cars, local, intra/inte-state junkets, international travel, accommodation and fine dining.

The Marshall-Lucas State Government is proving to be every bit as irresponsible and profligate as the previous one. – Robert McCormick

Commenting on the story: Govt plan to merge Public Trustee, Public Advocate offices

You have to wonder about the quality of the advice given to the Attorney-General that leads to a conclusion that there is merit in merging the Office of the Public Advocate and the office of the Public Trustee.

The two organisations are fundamentally different in terms of mission, mode of operation, and culture – one (the Public Trustee) being a fee-for-service operation; and the other (the Office of the Public Advocate) being a free service provider to vulnerable members of our community.

The Public Trustee does not charge a fee to prepare a will (a service soon to be limited to concession holders), however fees are extracted from estates where the Public Trustee is the executor, and this income is a fundamental element of the business model on which the Public Trustee operates.

True, there is an overlap between the client bases of the two organisations but the skill sets of their respective human resources are – necessarily – completely different.

Likewise, their client service models are fundamentally dissimilar. Contact the Public Trustee after 5pm on weekdays or on a weekend or public holiday? I don’t think so.

By all means let’s consider service delivery mergers that will make life easier for clients, especially those who face considerable challenges in life, but this one does not appear to make any sense. – Ann-Maree O’Connor

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