Question Time

KordaMentha

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:21): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Health and Wellbeing about KordaMentha.

Leave granted.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: In a briefing held with the member for Kaurna and the member for Lee in their roles as shadow health minister and shadow treasurer on 27 November this year, the Chief Executive of SA Health, Dr Chris McGowan, said that the two corporate liquidators from KordaMentha, Mr Chris Martin and Mr Mark Mentha, would be appointed as executives within the Public Service as part of their administration. On Tuesday, the minister told the chamber in relation to the corporate liquidators, Mr Martin and Mr Mentha, of KordaMentha that:

The two gentlemen being referred to operate under a contract. They are not public servants.

My question is: can the minister clear up once and for all whether Mr Martin and Mr Mentha are being appointed to the Public Service or will they remain strictly and solely as external consultants or contractors?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:22): I thank the honourable member for his question and advise the council that Mr Mark Mentha and Mr Chris Martin are part of the KordaMentha team which has been engaged to partner with the Central Adelaide Local Health Network in the implementation of its organisational and financial recovery plan.

Through a competitive tender process, KordaMentha has been awarded a one-year contract to deliver the first phase of the turnaround plan. As part of this partnership, I am advised that Mr Mentha and Mr Martin are being employed via executive contracts in the role of administrators. CALHN is currently working through the final details of these executive contracts, which are public sector appointments within the SA Executive Service bandwidth. These are 12-month appointments.