HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUDGET

124 Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite) (17 July 2012). With respect to 2012-13 Budget Paper 3, p. 39—

1. How were computer and communications charges in Health comprising of $62.2 million incurred in 2011-12?

2. Will this expenditure increase or decrease in 2012-13 based on the Auditor-General's Supplementary Report into the Department Health which noted that 'unless the Department is able to effectively review the accuracy of vendor invoices it is open to certain risks/exposures, notably a high risk of being overcharged by external vendors for its telecommunication service provision'?

3. What measures have been taken to address the concerns raised by the Auditor-General and what will be the Budget impact?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts): I am advised:

1. The computer and communications charges in Health of $62.2 million in 2011-12 comprised the following:

Servers & Networks $20.1 million

Health Applications $15.4 million

PC Hardware/Software $11.7 million

Messaging & Internet $5.9 million

Data Transmission $5.1 million

Telecommunications $4.0 million

2. The expenditure for computer and communication charges is expected to remain the same in 2012-13.

3. SA Health is assessing the feasibility of centralisation of SA Health telecommunications services management as the first step to establishing consistent management practices and introducing controls especially around telecommunications billing. The budget impact is not expected to be material.