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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-10-15 Daily Xml
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PRINTER CARTRIDGE SCAM

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (14:41): I seek leave to make a brief explanation prior to directing a question to the minister representing the Minister for Health on the subject of 'cartridgegate' and 'foodgate'.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: In late 2012 at the Budget and Finance Committee, a series of questions were put to the SA Health CEO in relation to 'cartridgegate' and 'foodgate'. At that particular meeting, the CEO of SA Health advised that in relation to 'foodgate' 134 employees had been identified, with two unidentified employees across 80 sites. Of those, 36 employees across 30 sites had been recommended by the Crown Solicitor's Office for further investigation. At that stage, the investigations were continuing and at that stage no-one had been suspended, dismissed, or any action taken against them.

In relation to 'cartridgegate' the CEO indicated that there had been 45 identified employees across 35 sites. At that stage, one employee had been terminated and another employee had resigned during the course of the investigation. Two employees based at one regional hospital had been suspended but had then returned to work after that suspension. Three further employees were suspended but then subsequently returned to work following further advice from the Crown Solicitor's Office. At that stage, five employees were on suspension with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.

In summary, the CEO indicated that the total value of procurement of toner cartridges and product vouchers within SA Health that was being investigated was $683,284 and the value of the gifts and benefits received in relation to food purchases was $107,369 in total for which those benefits was not provided to the committee and equally the total value of the benefits provided to employees for the $683,000 worth of printer cartridges also had not been provided to the committee.

In response to further questions in 2013, Mr Swan replied that it had not been possible to establish the total value of the gifts and benefits associated with the purchase of printer cartridges. This was because the suppliers had been requested on numerous occasions to provide the value of gifts associated with printer cartridge purchases and the supplier was unwilling to provide this information because there is no longstanding contractual relationship, i.e. no panel or standing offer contracts were in place.

A number of people have highlighted to me that, whilst that might be a correct reflection of what the suppliers have said to SA Health, SA Health would have copies of invoices on which at least there would—

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Point or order, Mr President. The point of order is that the honourable member is debating a point and not actually giving a brief background, as he sought leave to do.

The PRESIDENT: It is a point of order. The Hon. Mr Lucas, you will get back to your explanation without debate.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: Thank you, Mr President; I thank you for your guidance. The information provided to the employees of SA Health, and within SA Health, did include invoices with at least some estimate of gifts and benefits on them. My questions to the minister representing the Minister for Health are as follows:

1. In relation to 'foodgate', what is the total value of the food and services purchased under the food services loyalty program?

2. In relation to 'cartridgegate', whilst the suppliers might have refused to provide an estimate of the total value of gifts and benefits provided, will SA Health estimate from the invoices that have been provided to SA Health the total value of gifts and benefits on those particular invoices for the total value of whatever it was, over $680,000 worth of printer cartridges received by SA Health?

3. Can the minister outline for both 'foodgate' and 'cartridgegate' a summary of any action that has been taken against any employee involved in both of those particular issues, including those persons who have resigned, those who might have been terminated and those who might have had disciplinary action taken against them, or indeed any other disciplinary action that might have been taken against any officer?

4. What is the current status of any ongoing inquiries about any employee within SA Health in relation to either 'foodgate' or 'cartridgegate'?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:47): I thank the honourable member for his important questions and undertake to take the questions to the relevant minister—who I understand might be the Minister for Finance—in the other place and seek a response on his behalf.

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