There has been a major payroll error leaving tens of thousands of healthcare staff short of cash or without pay in the past few weeks in Queensland after the introduction of a new computerized payroll system last month.
Now the state opposition is demanding an independent judicial inquiry into the issue after staff also missed their superannuation payments. Liberal National Party (LNP) health spokesman Mark McArdle called for this independent inquiry presided by a retired judge and said there was more needed than the the report by KPMG commissioned by the government. “There's also the issue of penalties for late payment of superannuation contributions and administration fees these charges will be left for Queensland taxpayers to pick up… Only an independent inquiry can get to the bottom of this mess.”
The health care staff including doctors and nurses protested outside the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital on Thursday. Some nurses have flagged a class action if problems persist.
Acting Premier Paul Lucas expressed his concern on Thursday that the problem might not be gone in the next payment cycle. “It will take some time to deal with the issues,” he said. He cited the possibility of resorting to legal action. QH director general Mick Reid has assured that there has been no issue with the superannuation payments. “Any staff member who has received an incorrect pay then obviously they've got an incorrect super amount calculated and this will be adjusted…As the backlog of adjustments go through - where there's minimal impact to those adjustment on the superannuation - that will be automatically rectified,” he said.
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