Zed Consulting

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (14:43): My question is to the Minister for Health. Was more than $5.6 million paid by SA Health in the last 10 years on contracts and consultant fees from Zed business management and related corporate entities subject to open tender and fully disclosed in the annual reports, and what did we get for the money?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:44): Zed Consulting came in on the EPAS project I think in 2013, or a little bit before then, basically to help with the project management of the EPAS rollout. I cannot remember exactly how much the initial procurement was for, but it was well under what you would normally have an expectation for something to go out to tender. It was then rolled over a number of times. The initial amount was not $5 million; it was much less than that.

This was all subject to an audit that was done. The report was given to the audit committee of the Department for Health, on which sit representatives of the Auditor-General's Department. The report found that while nothing had been breached, given the number of times that particular contract was rolled over, it should have gone out to tender. That should have happened, but nothing was breached because every time it was renewed it was under the tender amount. But, given the number of times it was renewed, there is no doubt it should have gone out to tender.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: What did we get for it? What we got for it was excellent project management by the fantastic—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Well, isn't it interesting that the opposition want to back a South Australian firm like Zed Consulting? Isn't it interesting, the opposition are happy to trawl through the mud—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley is warned for the second and final time.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —a very, very good South Australian firm that has an excellent reputation like Zed Consulting. Perhaps the opposition might just be a little bit careful about what they say about a very proud South Australian business that has done absolutely nothing wrong and has done an excellent job on the EPAS project.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The members for Chaffey and Hartley are warned for the second and final time—

The Hon. J.J. Snelling interjecting:

The SPEAKER: —and so is the Minister for Health.