Question Time

Families SA Internal Audit

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:42): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. In relation to the Families SA staff audit undertaken by former police commissioner Mal Hyde which resulted in concerns being raised for 102 staff, were the concerns raised by Mr Hyde matters that did not previously concern Families SA or were they matters Families SA were previously unaware of?

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Education and Child Development) (14:43): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. As I said in my ministerial statement, I am not going to go into the details of the employees involved. I don't want to underestimate in any way the seriousness of the matters that have been raised but I also don't want to prejudice the process that we are going through. It is an important process and I think the people involved are entitled to have the opportunity to put their case. So, I am not going into those matters about whether someone had had issues raised about them (or not) previously. Clearly, there are issues that have been raised following a desktop audit of their suitability for employment and working in those environments.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: I'm giving you the answer. We undertook an audit to ensure that—

The SPEAKER: No; you are giving the house the answer.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: I am giving the house the answer, sir. We undertook an audit to ensure that the employment processes were conducted as they should have been and to assess whether there were—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: I can't answer your question if you are going to talk over the top of me. Don't be so rude, Steven.

The Hon. J.J. Snelling: You are a bully, aren't you?

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Health is called to order.

Mr Pisoni: He's being a bully, sir.

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley is called to order.

Ms Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: I agree this is a serious issue—

The SPEAKER: The member for Heysen is called to order.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —and that is why I commissioned this audit. I agree it is serious; it is not made any less serious by you shouting at me across the chamber.

The SPEAKER: I am not shouting at the minister.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: The Leader of the Opposition, sir.