Pyle, Ms Jillian

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (15:10): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills further questions about Ms Jillian Pyle.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: As members would know, it is alleged that Ms Jillian Pyle was running her Semaphore Hotel from her Public Service desk. Just by way of explanation, I will quote the Code of Ethics for the South Australian public sector. It states:

Public sector employees employed on a full-time basis must not engage in other employment or other remunerative activity where the activity conflicts or has the potential to conflict with their role as a public sector employee or the performance of such outside employment or activity might affect their capacity to perform their duties.

Public sector employees will obtain written permission from their agency head before engaging in any outside employment or remunerative activity…

The opposition has been given some advice that the DTED management was aware of her outside activity. My questions to the minister are:

1. Is it true that Ms Pyle was missing from work for significant time periods without explicit approval?

2. Did Ms Jillian Pyle have management approval to undertake her role at the Semaphore Hotel?

3. Is it also true that an outside consultant was engaged to undertake work to clean up Ms Pyle's work while she was on paid leave?

4. Is there any further investigation being undertaken into her senior management that the opposition believes may have known that she was doing this work at the Semaphore Hotel?

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) (15:12): I thank the member for his questions, which I have already answered. The honourable member knows full well that there is an investigation under way and it would be most improper of me and completely inappropriate to discuss the details of those allegations or that investigation in any way whatsoever. Clearly, this investigation has taken considerable time. I will certainly be doing nothing in this place that might prejudice or jeopardise the process to date and require that we start all over again.