Service SA centre closures could push 750,000 transactions on to other sites, but State Government says it can be done online

The closure of three Service SA centres could foist more than 750,000 transactions on to the already struggling other centres — but the government says the transactions will mostly be done online instead.

• Government plans to close Service SA centres in Budget 2018
• Labor pledges to reopen Service SA centres

The closure of three Service SA centres could foist more than 750,000 transactions on to the already struggling other centres — but the government says the transactions will mostly be done online instead.

The figures, obtained under Freedom of Information, outline the additional pressure the State Government’s closure of the Modbury, Mitcham and Prospect Service SA centres will have on the remaining eight sites across metropolitan Adelaide.

During the 2017-18 financial year, 277,266 transactions were made at the Prospect centre, 254,616 at Modbury and 231,913 at Mitcham, the Transport Department figures show.

The average wait times at those centres across the same period was 12 minutes and 27 seconds at Mitcham, nine minutes and 34 seconds at Prospect and seven minutes and 56 seconds at Modbury.

Three Service SA centres are earmarked for closure — Mitcham, Modbury and Prospect. Labor says the remaining centres will have to pick up the 750,000 transactions done there, but the State Government says they can be done online instead. Picture: Tait Schmaal

Closing those centres, which the State Government announced in last year’s Budget, will likely force many of those transactions on to already busy centres at Regency Park, Marion and in the city, Labor says.

Regency Park is the state’s busiest Service SA, handling 480,602 transactions last financial year and with an average wait time of nine minutes and 34 seconds.

The Marion centre handled 457,656 transactions over the same period but had the longest average wait time in the state of 13 minutes and 46 seconds.

The State Government has denied claims the closures will lead to longer line-ups, saying most transactions can be done online.

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll said the government would not be closing any Service SA centre until there was “an alternative service delivery model in place that better serves South Australians”.

“We want to bring Service SA into the 21st century by improving online service delivery and providing better and more convenient face-to-face services,” he said.

“Over 80 per cent of all transactions can be conducted online so we need to educate the public because a lot of people standing in those queues don’t have to be there. They can conduct many transactions from the comfort of their living rooms.”

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll says 80 per cent of the transactions at Service SA can be done online. Picture: AAP / Kelly Barnes

Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas says the closure of the three Service SA centres will lead to longer wait times at the others. Picture: AAP / Kelly Barnes

But the figures show that the number of customers, transactions and average waiting times increased from 2016-17 to 2017-18 at most Service SA centres, including the three earmarked for closure.

Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas, who obtained the data, said the closure of the three centres would inevitably lead to longer wait times at the others.

“When the Prospect Service SA centre closes, more than 105,000 customers who conduct more than 277,266 transactions will need to find an alternative centre, likely to be either Adelaide or Regency,” he said.

“Even if Regency Park only picks up a portion of the 277,266 transactions from Prospect, it will result in longer waiting times for customers.

“Once Mitcham customers start attending Marion, it will result in longer queues and longer waiting times, especially during peak periods.”

The Opposition also claims Google data on “popular times” to visit Service SA centres show that on some days, peak times are consistent between the closing centres and those nearby. It says this will also contribute to longer line-ups.

Labor has pledged to reopen the centres if it wins the next state election in 2022.