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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-06-08 Daily Xml
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Question Time

SA HEALTH

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (14:41): In fact, the catering staff have done a great job. I was told I am putting on weight but I think I am just getting a thicker skin!

My question is to the Minister for Health: will the minister advise the house why Mr Martin Turner, Chief Executive of Adelaide Health Service, has resigned? Mr Martin Turner was 18 months into a five-year contract and his resignation follows other senior health executives who have recently resigned: Dr Tony Sherbon, CEO; Dr Karleen Edwards, CEO of Central Northern Adelaide Health Service; Ms Cathy Miller, CEO of Southern Adelaide Health Service; Mr George Beltche, CEO of Country Health SA; Mr John O'Connor, Executive Director of Finance, SA Health; and Mr David Miller, General Manager of the Lyell McEwin Hospital.

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (14:42): What a surprise in a department of 26,000 people that there are some resignations from time to time!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I'm next, am I? You wish, you wish, you wish!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: In relation to those people there are very good reasons, in each case, why they resigned. Dr Tony Sherbon went to get a promotion in Canberra and he has now gone into that role. George Beltche retired—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: They do. It is sad to contemplate that retirement is upon us all at some stage. John O'Connor has set up his own consultancy. He is now doing some work to assist the Keith hospital to work through its problems (which we are paying for), but he is nonetheless doing that to help the Keith hospital. So, all of them have left on good terms.

Martin Turner's resignation is an interesting one. Martin came to Australia and was recruited to run the Central Northern Adelaide Health Service. We then combined the Central Northern Adelaide Health Service and the Southern Adelaide Health Service. Martin came to me and said, 'Look, we have set this up with three clusters of hospitals'—which paved the way for the LHNs, the local hospital networks that the commonwealth wanted. He said, 'I don't think we need to have an AHS; I am prepared to fall on my sword.'

He decided that that level of bureaucracy was no longer needed and he decided to go back to England where he is from. I thought that was a fantastic move on his part: he put the organisation first. So, we left on extremely good terms and I wish him all the very best back in Britain.

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