Human Services Department

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (16:45): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Human Services regarding the Department of Human Services' chief executive officer.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: It has been five months since the sudden resignation of former DHS chief executive Tony Harrison. Mr Harrison resigned from the DHS prior to the end of his contract at the beginning of March, at a time when South Australia was grappling with the bushfire recovery and the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning to grip the state. The opposition has been advised that, despite interviews being conducted a number of months ago, the department is still without a chief executive. My questions to the minister are:

1. When did the minister or the government receive the recommendation to appoint a chief executive?

2. Why hasn't the government appointed a permanent chief executive?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (16:46): I thank the honourable member for his questions. In response to his questions, I can advise that there is an acting chief executive in that role, so the Department of Human Services is being ably led at the moment. As the honourable member would be aware—he was a minister at one stage—the responsibility for appointment of chief executives is the responsibility of the Premier, and so he should direct his questions to the Premier.

The PRESIDENT: Supplementary, the Hon. Mr Wortley.