In a huge error in the payroll system more than 3,000 Queensland Health (QH) staff remained underpaid or missed out on their pay in the last fortnight and many continued to face such problems this week.
According to Australian Services Union (ASU) spokeswoman Julie Bignell, the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) accepts that the payroll staff needs support to correct the errors and iron out the problems in the new payroll system. Last June similar warnings came out when many senor officials warned that the new system was not ready and there may be mistakes.
However State Health Minister Paul Lucas feels differently about the whole stuff up. He says that after the warning last June there was no similar advice eight months later. He said, “In February this year, some eight months after the issues were raised in the June document and one month before go live, the same officer signed off a briefing note to project board managers stating that all outstanding issues were a manageable risk and can be completed on time for go live.”
Opposition leader John-Paul Langbroek has demanded more details in this issue. He said, “Will the Minister allow Queensland Health staff to now be questioned under oath to see if they agree with his claim that the Minister was never advised about pending disasters with Queensland Health's payroll system? Or does the Minister have something to fear and something to hide?”
Mr. Lucas retaliated with a statement that any improper conduct may be taken up to the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) while accepting responsibility. “I ultimately accept responsibility for this because I am the Health Minister…Having said that anyone who suggests that a Minister should personally make decisions about individual aspects of compliance of an IT system is wrong and false and misleading,” he signed off.