Public Sector Recruitment

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:48): Supplementary: whilst appreciating the Attorney has indicated that he is waiting on some advice on questions previously asked, can he provide to the house any details of which independent body is actually undertaking the review of the public sector hiring practices?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Child Protection Reform, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for Consumer and Business Services, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:48): I thank the honourable member for her question. As you would be aware, occasionally—I don't think my time has started again—

The SPEAKER: We lose all sense of time when you are on your feet.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Thank you, Mr Speaker. The question that was asked by the deputy leader contained one relevant word that I'm not sure had previously been used in the conversation about this, which was the word 'independent', which implied in the question that I had asserted somewhere that some external agency or somebody else might in fact be involved in this. I have not said that and that is not the case.

What I am advised is that, following the episode that I was going through in some detail before, which I know members probably don't want me to repeat, the chief executive, Dr Russell, established an immediate review into the recruitment process, that being an internal review by people within his agency. Subsequent to that review, he directed that—and this is my advice as to exactly what his directions were consequent upon that—all future senior appointments would be subject to detailed police and security checks. Mr Speaker—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Will the Deputy Premier be seated. The leader took a point of order only 10 or 15 minutes ago saying that the Treasurer was imputing improper motives to him. He is now challenging the Deputy Premier in saying, 'What have you got to hide?' If that isn't imputing improper motives, I don't know what is. Deputy Premier.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I am doing my best to inform the house to the best of my ability. Anyway, as I said, Dr Russell conducted this review. He has indicated, and instructed accordingly, that across the public sector there needed to be a very rigorous identification of work history, qualifications and referees prior to employment being offered, in line with the mandatory requirements outlined in the new Guideline of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment: Recruitment, which came into effect on 6 July this year. This includes, importantly, a forensic investigation of candidates' social media profiles, which I am informed can sometimes be quite revealing.

Mr Gardner: He made a joke.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I'll just leave it at that. Also, there were communications across DPC to ensure selection panel members are conversant with the selection process, including due diligence obligations. If there are further matters that I can assist the deputy leader with, I am very happy to do it, but as I said, I have specifically spoken to Dr Russell. I have said, 'Look, the deputy leader is extremely interested in this topic.'

I have had my staff extract the Hansard containing the questions, and I have stressed to Dr Russell how I thought it was important that we provide written answers to those questions as soon as possible. At the end of question time, I undertake to go back to my office and ask my staff to follow up on exactly where all those answers are.