Hospital Management Investigation

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:12): Can the minister outline why two people have been dismissed, but another six in the earlier cases weren't dismissed, and these 13, subject to this latest indiscretion, have not been dismissed?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:12): I make quite clear that it would be entirely inappropriate for me as minister to provide any direction to the chief executive. In fact, I think it would probably be illegal under the Public Sector Management Act for me to attempt in any way to direct the chief executive as to the disciplinary action taken against staff.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I know the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has never had an opportunity to serve in government. If she had, she would know that the Public Sector Management Act does forbid ministers from directing chief executives with regard to disciplinary action. That is a fact, and if the opposition does not think that should be the case, they are welcome to come in here and move an amendment to the Public Sector Management Act to change that particular provision. Nonetheless, that is the case at the moment: that is a provision of the act. The reason why, I imagine, two would have been dismissed and others were not, is that other factors would have been taken into consideration which would have warranted—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I don't know, because I don't direct the chief executive on these matters, but there would have been other factors relating to these two that didn't pertain to the other six, and hence they received a high penalty.

The SPEAKER: I call to order the member for MacKillop, and I warn the member for Chaffey for the first time. I would say to the deputy leader that really she should have been out already, because I notice that she was called to order before lunch, so she is very close to leaving the chamber. Leader.