Environment Department public servants spent $700,000 in four years on taxis

LAZY public servants in the Environment Department are spending $500 a day on taxis — including more than 1000 trips under $10 — partly to get to meetings just a few streets from their offices.

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PUBLIC servants attending meetings within the Adelaide CBD have been urged to walk, catch trams or buses in the wake of revelations that one department alone is spending $500 a day on taxis.

The Environment Department, which has previously been told to rein in its costs, has racked up a $700,000 taxi bill in the past four years — including more than 1000 trips under $10. There were also six trips of more than $200 and hundreds of more than $100.

The department has admitted many of the short taxi trips have been for staff members to attend meetings only a few streets away from their office — either to other offices in the city or to Parliament House.

Opposition environment spokesman David Speirs obtained the taxi expenditure through Freedom of Information documents, which detail 28,000 taxi trips over four years.

The documents sparked Mr Speirs to call on the government to reveal its total taxi bill annually and review the policy of CBD trips between offices.

The taxi spending splurge comes despite the department being subjected to savage cuts in 2014, when 40 per cent of its State Government funding was lost over two years and staff numbers were reduced by 110 people.

Taxi drivers leaving to drive through the city after protesting outside the District court Samuel Way building in Adelaide.

“There are bills for just under 1000 taxi trips under $10 which would imply taxis are being used to drop public servants at locations within the CBD — surely they could walk, catch the tram or catch a bus,’’ Mr Speirs said.

“We will review the guidelines around the use of cab charges across all government agencies because there has clearly been a waste of taxpayer dollars.

“The hundreds of taxi fares under $10 in the CBD could be public servants catching a taxi from Waymouth St to Parliament House instead of catching a tram or walking — this is clearly unacceptable given the available public transport.”

The State Government did not respond to Mr Speirs but a spokesman for the Environment Department confirmed many taxi fares had been between buildings in the CBD before the department set up base in Waymouth St in 2016.

Valdman’s view for December 20.

“Annual taxi expenditure decreased from January 2013 to February 2017 by 30 per cent (because of the move),” the spokeswoman said. “The decrease of short taxi trips in particular is notable — 11.5 per cent — after the consolidation of seven city locations into its new Waymouth St premises in May 2016.’’

The FOI documents also reveal cab charges being used 1293 times for trips between 8pm and 7am.

A core group of about 1000 of the department’s 1800 staff, based in Waymouth St, booked up most of the 28,000 cab charges.

Mr Speirs said that, considering there were about 90,000 public servants across all departments, the State Government must now reveal its total taxi bill. “This level of expenditure on taxi fares by one government department just doesn’t pass the front bar test,” he said.

Taxis wait for fares on an Adelaide street.

“I think South Australian taxpayers will be outraged at some of the excessive taxi fares.”

According to the State Government’s own cost estimates made available to the public, a taxi fare from Adelaide Airport to McLaren Vale would cost between $75 and $106.

A $10 taxi fare from Victoria Square, would not get the passenger out of the CBD.

Mr Speirs used the Freedom of Information Act to investigate the spending after a tip-off from departmental staff.

The taxi bill comes after his revelation in August, again using FOI, that the Department spent $80,000 to lease indoor pot plants at its Waymouth St headquarters to improve “air quality”.

“Minister Ian Hunter must explain what the government’s policy is regarding appropriate use of cab charges and if he thinks all these excessive fares were an acceptable use of taxpayers money,’’ Mr Speirs said.

“South Australians have a right to be appalled by this unacceptable waste of their hard earned taxpayer dollars.’’

The departmental spokeswoman would not say how many vehicles the department had access to but said use of public transport or walking is promoted within the city.

The department also refused to make public its taxi policy explaining when trips were allowed.