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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-04-05 Daily Xml
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COMMISSIONER FOR PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYMENT

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (16:09): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Premier a question about an internal consultant.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: The Commissioner for Public Sector Employment, Mr McCann, is (as members might be aware) a part-time position at the moment, at 0.5, and he is paid approximately $190,000 a year for the job as Commissioner for Public Sector Employment. Late last year the government appointed Mr McCann as an internal consultant to the Premier. Mr McCann is paid an additional sum of $160,000 a year for being the internal consultant to the Premier, so his total package is $350,000 a year as half-time commissioner and half-time internal consultant. My questions are:

1. Can the Premier indicate what specific tasks Mr McCann has conducted for him since October last year as an internal consultant to the Premier?

2. What are the general job and person specifications of the position of internal consultant to the Premier?

3. Can the Premier indicate how potential conflicts of interest between the two roles given to Mr McCann will be managed and resolved? That is, on the one hand he is meant to conduct an independent role as the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment and, on the other hand, he is conducting internal consultancies to the Premier which, we understand, may on some occasions involve investigations in relation to either the performance or structuring of senior executive positions within the public sector.

4. Is it correct that this decision to appoint Mr McCann as an internal consultant was a decision taken by the Governor in Executive Council but that it has not been gazetted by the government, thereby avoiding any public disclosure of the decision? If that is the case, will the Premier indicate why it has not been gazetted and, therefore, why he chose to avoid public disclosure of that particular appointment?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (16:12): I thank the honourable member for his questions. I have been provided with some information about the employment arrangements of Mr Warren McCann. I have been advised that Mr McCann was appointed as the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment, as per the Public Sector Act 2009, by the Governor in Executive Council for a three-year term commencing on 1 November 2011. I have been advised that Mr McCann is working full-time and that his total annual remuneration is $350,000. This is a $37,000 reduction from his full-time salary prior to 1 November 2011.

Mr McCann contributes approximately 50 per cent of his time to the role of commissioner and, in addition, provides internal consultancy services to the government. This involves high level duties and special assignments assigned to him by the Premier and ministers. I have been advised that Mr McCann has completed the following reviews: the regulation of VET services for overseas students in South Australia; the review of the Cora Barclay Centre; the review of the operational performance of Housing SA; and the independent review of the Health Performance Council membership structure. Currently Mr McCann is conducting a review of accounts payment practices in the South Australian public sector and a review of Mad March.

I have been advised that Mr McCann is supported in both roles by the Office of Public Employment and Review. His internal consultancy role is supported through the secondment of staff from the relevant minister's agency, and I have been advised that this provides public servants supporting the work with valuable development opportunities and increases the internal capacity of agencies. Although Mr McCann does not undertake consultancy duties as part of his role as commissioner, his independent status provides a level of autonomy.

It is difficult to see how the nature of the reviews conducted by Mr McCann would result in a conflict of interest with his role as commissioner. However, should this arise, any conflict of interest would obviously be managed in the usual way. Other advantages in carrying out consultancy services within government include increased relevance and understanding of the issues and a more cost-effective approach than might be the case with the use of external consultants.

Just by way of background, I am advised that prior to 1 November 2011 Mr McCann led the Office for Ethical Standards and Professional Integrity (ESPI) hosted within the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. Due to the revised arrangements, the creation of the Public Sector Management Division within DPC and the possible establishment of an office of public integrity, the name of the office—ESPI—no longer accurately reflected its functions. The new office is titled the Office of Public Employment and Review (OPER) and it came into operation from the date of approval of the revised employment arrangements on 1 December 2011.

I am advised that Mr McCann's appointment as Commissioner for Public Sector Employment was gazetted on 23 June 2011 and approval of the revised employment arrangement did not require additional gazettal. As we often see in this place, members of the opposition come into this place with inaccurate information, often with their facts wrong and poorly researched, as we see evidenced time and time again. Clearly, they have no shame in misleading this place.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Darley has a supplementary.

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