The state government has this morning announced it is reviewing the redundancy of a highly paid health department spin doctor.
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Opposition Leader Bryan Green yesterday claimed the department refused its former head of communications' redundancy request, and shifted him to a short-term position to create a loophole in the system.
Mr Green said the staffer was offered a four-week role at his existing rate of pay, $115,000 a year, before receiving a hefty payout after five years of service.
But acting Department of Health and Human Services secretary Michael Pervan said the position had existed since 2010.
Health Minister Michael Ferguson said his advice was that the position was a permanent pre-existing one and the redundancy was in line with the State Service Act and all relevant guidelines.
''I have asked that the State Service Management Office review the details of a voluntary redundancy provided by the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that all processes and guidelines were correctly followed,'' Mr Ferguson said.
''Labor Leader Bryan Green’s decision to target an individual public servant in Parliament is regrettable,'' he said.
''While no information has been provided to me that suggests proper procedure wasn’t followed by the agency in question, it is important that the public can have confidence that government agencies are following proper procedure,'' he said.
