COVID-19 Media

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:50): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Health and Wellbeing regarding the COVID pandemic response.

Leave granted.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: The minister referred to his department's response to the pandemic. I would like to quote briefly from an Ombudsman's report in December 2020, and I will quote:

I am of the view—

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: The Ombudsman wrote:

I am of the view that the department—

that is the health department—

promoted, or has given the appearance of promoting, the Liberal Party and/or Mr Marshall, and so has not acted in a manner that is 'detached from political influence and the influence of partisan interests within the community'.

The Ombudsman went on to say:

…the social media content in these instances was clearly of a party-political nature.

That was referring to social media of the department. The Ombudsman went on to say:

…the potential promotion of partisan interests in this instance was especially acute, having regard to the timing and circumstances of the post.

Recommendation 4 from the Ombudsman in December 2020 was:

That the department publicly acknowledge and apologise for the above errors on its website and the SA Health Facebook account. Prior to publishing, the department should provide me with a draft of its acknowledgement and apology for review.

My questions to the minister are: why has the minister sought to use his agency to politicise the COVID-19 pandemic right from the beginning? After being put on notice by the Ombudsman, our independent umpire, more than a year ago that the department was acting in a party political manner, what exactly has the minister done to protect the integrity and independence of the Public Service?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:52): SA Health did have conversations with the Ombudsman in relation to—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order! The honourable Leader of the Opposition, you have asked your question, it has been heard in silence and now the minister will be heard in silence.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: As I said, SA Health did have conversations with the Ombudsman and the Ombudsman did come to findings. But I think the mere fact that the opposition leader, the Leader of the Opposition in this place—

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —has to go back to 2020—

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —14 months ago—14 months ago—demonstrates, and the fact that he can't provide a more recent example of so-called misbehaviour, indicates—

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —that the Department for Health and Wellbeing has been mindful of the concerns raised and has acted in accordance with the advice given.