Legislative Council Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2) 54 2 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time COVID-19 Media COVID-19 Media The Hon. K.J. MAHER Legislative Council Leader of the Opposition 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 Legislative Council 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 Legislative Council 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 Legislative Council Minister for Health and Wellbeing 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 Legislative Council 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 Legislative Council The Hon. S.G. WADE: —has to go back to 2020— Members interjecting: The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. S.G. WADE Legislative Council 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 Legislative Council 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.