Efficient And Effective Government

Provide efficient and effective government services

The department delivered improvements to a range of customer-oriented services and programs across its portfolios.

Notably, the department made the transition to a new web-based land administration database–the South Australian Integrated Land Information System (SAILIS)–including the integration of spatial mapping tools. SAILIS provides up to date information about land and property which is needed for transactions such as transferring property ownership. It replaces a variety of legacy systems such as LOTS and Property Assist.

With the implementation of SAILIS and new mobile technology being rolled out, staff can now more easily work from diverse office locations. This will enable the department’s valuations office to develop closer working relationships with its stakeholders and customers and deliver more efficient and responsive services

Improvements to the EzyReg system:

• smart phone applications allowing online access to demerit point lookup, driver history and streamlined change of address services
• single receipting for Service SA to improve efficiencies in the receipting and posting of funds
• changes to enable bulk fleet registration renewals online via the EzyReg Account.

Improvements to building rules:

• amendments to Minister’s Specification SA H3.2 to remove the need for costly fire prevention measures in farm buildings such as piggeries, poultry houses and greenhouses, as well as the need for statutory referrals, which will reduce red tape and help attract investment
• amendments to Minister’s Specification SA 76 to allow building owners to use a flexible, performance-based approach to maintaining safety equipment such as smoke detectors, sprinklers, lighting and fire-fighting tools, potentially saving millions of dollars each year
• free, online availability of the National Construction Code (previously available only in hard copy for $400), which will result in significant cost savings for South Australian businesses.

Other service innovations and improvements:

• streamlined registration process for commercial vehicles which no longer requires assessment of vehicle tyres against load carrying capacity at time of registration
• changes to older driver’s age-based medical assessments, including the development of a self-assessment process for eligible licence holders
• a six-month registration option for recreational vessels with a maximum length of seven metres
• enhancements to the RAVnet online map system showing heavy vehicle routes in South Australia to include new vehicle types.

The department’s property area implemented strategies to achieve whole-of-government office accommodation savings by:

• consolidating five Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) office sites in one building with a fit-out designed to maximise future flexibility
• finalising lease negotiations for Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) office accommodation, resulting in savings of over $50m by reducing space usage
• planning for relocation of four ministerial offices to a more flexible open-plan accommodation
• procuring office accommodation at Port Adelaide for around 500 government employees as part of the Port renewal construction to be completed by the end of 2017
• progressing strategies for Mount Gambier and Port Lincoln to consolidate multiple agencies in one location
• finalising new office accommodation guidelines and fit-out procurement methods and standards to achieve modern, efficient government workplaces
• continued provision of services under the Across Government Facilities Management Arrangements, including procurement and transitioning of new contractors and plans for new and amended services, to start from July 2015.

It also facilitated the delivery of government services in regional South Australia by:

• providing housing for government employees at over 150 locations
• undertaking a review of current and future Government Employee Housing program requirements
• developing options for a 10 year employee housing renewal program.

The department assisted Geoscience Australia in establishing ten Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) Reference Stations in South Australia as part of the National Geodetic Framework.

Contributions to the state government’s online open data directory, Data SA, included:

• boating licence and registration data for use by business and the community: the licence data includes a gender breakdown and totals dating back to 1975; registration data includes hull types, new registrations and current registration totals commencing from 2007; both data sets are presented in calendar year and financial year formats
• the State Survey Mark Network.

The Office of Local Government:

• progressed amendments to local government legislation to improve local government accountability and governance and local government elections, and achieve a more consistent and contemporary legislative framework for the sector
• commenced a review of the 2014 local government elections
• helped promote the benefits of equitable cost sharing through a community contribution scheme to improve services to outback communities via the Outback Communities Authority
• assisted the Local Government Grants Commission to implement the recommendations of the Review of Financial Assistance Grants
• re-established the Premier’s State/Local Government Forum
• finalised a revised State-Local Government Relations Agreement
• established the Municipal Services on Aboriginal Lands Program within State Government
• progressed landfill renewal and improved waste management practices within the APY Lands.