Health Minister Michael Ferguson has been criticised by a Legislative Council sub-committee for not providing a document it says is needed to complete a report on the state's acute health services.
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Committee chairwoman Ruth Forrest tabled a special report in the upper house on Thursday which found Mr Ferguson had not made a valid claim in relation to the decision to refuse to provide a copy of the KPMG Report on health services to the inquiry.
In the report, she said the sub-committee had made numerous requests for the report.
"The committee is hopeful that a response to these outstanding questions will be received by early March to enable it to complete its final report," Ms Forrest said.
She said the sub-committee could have issued a summons for Mr Ferguson to provide the report but decided against it.
"This was because it did not believe this would resolve the issue and would lead to unreasonable delays in concluding the inquiry," Ms Forrest said.
She said negotiations, including with the Health Department who commissioned the report, had been held over a long period of time on the release of the document.
"It is hoped that a sensible solution to these ongoing difficulties can be resolved with the government," Ms Forrest said.
She said Mr Ferguson provided verbal assurance last year the report would be provided to the sub-committee in-camera.
A government spokesperson said this claim was not correct.
She said Mr Ferguson had appeared before the sub-committee three times, provided two written submissions and answered "dozens" of questions on notice.
"The government and the cabinet remain committed to long-standing principles around receiving frank and fearless advice, as well as cabinet confidentiality conventions," the spokeswoman said.
