Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas promises to reopen Prospect, Modbury and Mitcham Services SA centres

Labor has pledged to reopen three Service SA centres slated for closure under a State Budget cost-cutting drive, in what is being billed as its first major policy announcement.

Labor has pledged to reopen three Service SA centres slated for closure under a State Budget cost-cutting drive, in what is being billed as its first major policy announcement.

Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas on Monday said the closures would make life harder for people seeking to conduct government business, and broke a promise for “better services”.

The sites to be closed by the Government are in Prospect, Modbury and Mitcham.

Mr Malinauskas said official figures showed hundreds of thousands of people used the offices and Labor would consider extending hours, increased staff and adding extra functions.

The Government has said the closures will be part of a broader reform that extends online services, and that other physical offices are available nearby those to be closed down.

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Labor Leader Peter Malinauskas. Picture: AAP Image/Kelly Barnes

Mr Malinauskas said waiting times at Service SA centres were already long enough.

“Local communities think this decision is a shocker, local businesses think it’s a shocker,” he said. “There was no consultation before the decision was made. If there had been, the Marshall Liberal Government would have discovered just how angry customers are.”

Mr Malinauskas said the extended hours could include opening on Saturdays.

The pledge comes against the backdrop of twin by-elections to be held on February 9, where Labor is seeking to retain seats being vacated by retiring MPs Jay Weatherill and John Rau.

Labor Candidate for Enfield Andrea Michaels said the planned closure of the Prospect Service SA office was “one of the key issues local people are raising with me on the doorstep”.

She is facing challenges from former Port Adelaide Enfield Major Gary Johanson and independent Liberal Saru Rana. The Greens will also contest the seat.

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll has previously said that moving to online processing will save significant amounts of taxpayer money that can be spent on other services.

The next general state election is in March 2022.

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