Chemotherapy Treatment Error

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:34): My question is to the Premier. Will the Premier now agree to a judicial inquiry into the chemotherapy dosing bungle as requested by Mr Knox and the other victims?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (14:34): No, we're not presently disposed to do that for these reasons.

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Hammond is warned.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: There have been a number of inquiries that have been conducted. Villis Marshall conducted an inquiry.

Mr Gardner interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Morialta is on his second warning.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: There has been an inquiry in which eight people have been referred to AHPRA. A number of people are being—

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Premier, sit down. Unless there is silence, I can't continue. Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: The Villis Marshall inquiry, the eight people who have been referred to AHPRA, the other people who have been referred to disciplinary processes—

Mr Marshall: The victims aren't satisfied. Mr Knox isn't satisfied.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Leader!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: And of course, the select committee is undertaking its processes as we speak. There are also a number of other matters that we are attending to arising out of the SAICORP issues.

Mr Marshall: They want a judicial inquiry.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Leader!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: We think there is an issue about the way in which SAICORP dealt with the claimants in this case, in the specific circumstances of this case, and we are considering a review there. There are a number of other matters that Mr Swan—

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Premier, sit down. Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Thank you, Deputy Speaker. There are a number of other matters that Mr Swan has identified arising out of what Mr Knox has said that he is also looking into to understand. What we are seeking to do is to understand what else remains that would be a proper subject of a judicial inquiry, and that's why, of course, we had the meeting. That's why I invited Mr Knox to supplement the remarks.

I did say that we remained open. We are going to keep this under review. We will respond to this letter in due course, after we've given it careful consideration. We haven't ruled out the need for a judicial inquiry, but we are not presently disposed to grant one because we don't believe that there is any material that is left to inquire into.

Ms Chapman: What about the cover-up? That would be a good start.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The deputy leader is warned for the second time.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I'm happy to address that question. The deputy leader interjects, 'What about the cover-up?' That's precisely the matter that was the subject of an inquiry by Mr Villis Marshall and he identified it and—

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Premier, sit down. Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Thank you, Deputy Speaker. As a consequence, there are people who have been referred—

Mr van Holst Pellekaan interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Well, if you're quiet, we'll hear the answer, member for Stuart. You can be called to order.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —referred to a professional body and others who are facing disciplinary action. In terms of this amorphous notion of culture and the need to inquire into that, I think SA Health have demonstrated their attitude to cultural matters. They have sacked somebody, terminated them, on the basis that they had failed to disclose matters. The culture is being supervised by the leadership of SA Health. If there remain any issues beyond that, we are trying to understand them and, if there is a basis for looking into them further, we will do that.

Mr van Holst Pellekaan: You were going to change the culture in child protection too.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Stuart is warned for the first time.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: We haven't ruled out conducting a further inquiry or review, if that is necessary, into any matters which have not presently been looked at. Every single matter that Mr Knox has raised with us—and I know he is angry, and I know he is hurting, and I know he is lashing out. We are trying to set that aside and look carefully at what he is raising with us and respond to those things.

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Premier, have you finished the question?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Given that the leader interjects, the general point was that there needs to be an inquiry into SA Health because of cultural issues—

Mr Marshall: No, you said that the CEO was sacked over the chemotherapy dosing bungle.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: No, I didn't say that. I said—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: No, I didn't say that. I've discussed this with the minister before coming in here. We took the strongest possible action in respect of that different matter, and that demonstrates that there is no tolerance. There is no tolerance for cover-ups in this agency, so it doesn't reach to the top of this agency.

Mr Marshall: So, nobody has been terminated regarding the chemotherapy dosing bungle.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: You can have another question in a moment, leader.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Leader!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: There are a number of employees that are subject to disciplinary proceedings, and we are working through the statutory processes that provide for that.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Colton.