HEALTH, ORACLE CORPORATE SYSTEM

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite) (14:49): My question is again to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Why have there been so many delays in the implementation of the Oracle corporate system and what has been the full cost of that delay, including the cost of having to continue to maintain the legacy financial management systems Oracle was designed to replace? The Auditor-General, in his annual report for the year ending 30 June 2011, states:

There is doubt about the ability of the project to be completed within the original financial approval.

The Auditor-General then says:

Significant costs continue to be incurred and benefits remain deferred. This is due to the inability to decommission legacy systems and the unfinished implementation of full system functionality.

The Auditor-General then states that he is unable to report on the department of health and the parliament still awaits a full audit on this minister's department.

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts) (14:50): I would say to the member opposite that he should distinguish between quoting from the Auditor-General and his own comments, because he led both of those things together as if the Auditor-General said them. He ended up with comments from himself at the end of his statement.

It is true, and I think the Auditor-General is correct to draw attention to this new system. The Oracle system is an integrated system to help us manage our finances in the health system. The history of health in our state is one that I am sure most members understand, but there were separate governance arrangements, separate IT systems, separate financial reporting systems, separate procurement systems, and separate industrial relations systems in place right across the health system.

Each of the health boards had their own culture, their own development, and their own structures, and what I have been trying to do under the state Health Care Plan is to bring all these systems together in an integrated way, and we go through each of them in time. As a result of that we are seeing some real improvements in the way we manage the real improvements in performance.

Introducing this new technology has been problematic. I agree with the assessment by the Auditor-General. As to the cost, I will certainly get some advice for the member in relation to that. It has taken longer and is more complex than was originally anticipated because we are having to train staff and get rid of one system and introduce another. It is taking longer; it is more difficult than was originally anticipated. It is absolutely the right thing to do and by the time it is completed it will give huge benefits to our state.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Madam Speaker, it is fair enough to ask these questions. I am happy to give all the information. I am not trying to cover anything up, but I think the mocking and the interruptions that go with it just demonstrate something about the character of those opposite.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!