Visvanathan, Prof. R.

The Hon. C. BONAROS (15:11): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Health and Wellbeing a question about Professor Renuka Visvanathan. I think I have pronounced her name completely wrong and I apologise.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: A senior doctor awarded $115,000 compensation after the South Australian Employment Tribunal found she had been targeted for workplace bullying has had that legal victory overturned. Last year, the tribunal president, Stephen Lieschke, found the highly respected physician was subject to discrimination and bullying at work between 2014 and 2018, and this included a former Adelaide health bureaucrat repeatedly bullying the professor, turning colleagues against her and, when she complained, ensuring she was overlooked for a promotion, despite being the only qualified applicant.

Further, the president ruled that the clinician in question had been promoted to that particular role because she was the only eligible candidate. Last year, when I asked you some questions about the original verdict, you said at the time you were unable to respond because the government had chosen to appeal the decision. That decision has since been appealed, and we know the outcomes of that, so my questions to you now are:

1. How much money has SA Health and CALHN spent on legal fees fighting this health clinician in court?

2. How much has SA Health and CALHN spent in total on the appeal process alone?

3. What was the cost of Frances Nelson QC's role in terms of representing the Department for Health and Wellbeing in the tribunal process?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:13): I am certainly happy to take the honourable member's question on notice, but I will take the opportunity to concur with the Hon. Connie Bonaros's remarks that Dr Renuka is highly respected. I have certainly appreciated to hear of her research, particularly in the area of older people at risk of falls. As I said, I will certainly seek on notice the information the honourable member seeks.