HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite) (15:07): My question is again to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Who is really responsible for the Auditor-General's inability to report on the Department of Health? Is it the Auditor-General or the minister? In his statement to the house in the last week of sitting, the minister said that delays have been caused by 'change in audit methodology' by the Auditor-General, but the Auditor-General told parliament in October last year that the failure of the minister's agency to provide proper financial reports and information is the cause of the delay. The Auditor-General stated that, accordingly, audit determined that the financial report for the Department of Health for the year ending 30 June 2011 cannot be concluded until the audits of the financial reports of the health regions and services are finalised. Which version is factual?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts) (15:08): As I have explained to the house, I think, on at least two other occasions, the Auditor-General changed the way in which he considered the health department and the health regions' accounts. In the past, the health department, which is a separate entity from an audit point of view from the health regions or the hospitals, would put in its report and that would be audited separately and, subsequently, the health regions would then be audited. This time, the Auditor-General decided to audit them as one lot. That is certainly within his remit and he made that decision. I have no criticism of him for doing it, but it was a changed practice which he undertook and we will obviously try in future to comply with the arrangements that he wants.

The SPEAKER: Question time is finished. I am sorry, members, there was some disturbance during that question time, but it is okay. There was an accident in the building; someone was hurt, but it is alright. The house will note grievances. The member for Davenport.