Legislative Council Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1) 53 1 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Office for the Public Sector Office for the Public Sector The Hon. R.I. LUCAS Legislative Council Office for the Public Sector The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (15:00): I seek leave to make an explanation prior to directing a question to the minister representing the Minister for the Public Sector on the issue of the public sector. Leave granted. The Hon. R.I. LUCAS Legislative Council The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: On 7 May the member for Davenport asked of the minister: Can the minister assure the house that when the current Commissioner for Public Employment concludes his term she will ensure the position is publicly advertised and there is an open and merit-based appointment process for the new position? Minister Close responded: I am yet to turn my mind to such an eventuality… As I have outlined to the house that response was misleading in that on 7 April minister Close took a submission, submission 102, to cabinet in relation to an appointment process for Ms Erma Ranieri to be the new commissioner for public employment. I raised some further issues yesterday by way of question and, as a result of that, I have been contacted further by staff within Ms Close's portfolio area expressing concern about the minister's answer and the misleading nature of the information that she has put on the public record. I have been further advised that Ms Ranieri actually had a meeting with the staff, as I indicated yesterday, and at that meeting she gave all employees a glossy employee information brochure detailing the review process that Ms Ranieri was about to conduct. The public servants have raised with me a series of questions that they have sought my assistance in getting answers to from either the minister or the government in relation to that particular glossy brochure—who gave approval for that particular brochure to be printed, the cost and a variety of other issues as well. My questions to the minister are: 1.	Did Ms Erma Ranieri give staff within the designated areas that I outlined yesterday a copy of a glossy employee information brochure detailing the review process when she met with them prior to this issue being raised in the parliament on 7 May? 2.	On what date did Ms Ranieri commission the printing of that particular glossy employee information brochure and what was the cost of that brochure? 3.	Who gave Ms Ranieri the authority to conduct and implement the review for this new office and to appoint consultants and to print glossy brochures in relation to that process and, in particular, when was that approval given to Ms Ranieri to conduct this process? 4.	Did Ms Ranieri discuss this particular review process and approval process with minister Close or with Premier Weatherill? The Hon. G.E. GAGO Legislative Council Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (15:03): I thank the honourable member for his questions and will refer them to the relevant minister in another place and bring back a response.