McGinty’s Senior Health Executive Merry-Go-Round

McGinty: "Work Choices" followed by "Walk Choices".

The Desert Rat became dizzy trying to follow the McGinty’s Public Servant Merry-Go-Round in today’s “The West Australian”.

Prudence Ford who departed (a euphemism for sacked, moved sideways, dumped or something else?) the Health Department, was so competent, the Carpenter (McGinty) Government believes, that she has now a review of the Department of Education. Previously Prudence did a major government review of the National Trust of Australia (WA) and the Department of Community Development - what next? The Desert Rat instinctively suspects that she earns at least as much as she was getting in her former senior executive Health Department position.

Of course, no tales will be told if people are looked after.

One can only imagine what Neil Fong knows about McGinty – is that why he wasn’t unceremoniously sacked after McGinty found out he had treasonous email contact with arch-enemy Burke - God forbid. The misleading answer provided to Parliament was probably more about Fong’s momentary fear of irrational retribution by McGinty, than any embarrassment about having contact with Burke.

The Desert Rat would not blame any public servant in the Health Department for the current mess – not even Neil Fong. The Rat knows McGinty is “hands- on” in all big health decisions – modelled much on that other desert legend Field Marshall Rommel. McGinty however, works in an arid intellectual policy vacuum instead of the desiccated desert of North Africa. Rommel after massive successes eventually had the impediment of superior firepower against him. McGinty has the handicap of infallibility. Have you ever heard him accept responsibility for a failure or seen a hint of humility from this driven man?

Linda Smith the sacked Health Department manager brought in to cover McGinty's South Metro bailiwick was unceremoniously shown the door after fourteen months of a five year contract. Her contract was paid out costing taxpayers $350 000. McGinty’s Department wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars on palatial senior executive offices in Mt Pleasant for Ms Smith that replaced the already lavish facilities at Fremantle. Linda Smith presided over the McGinty sanctioned, financially disastrous closure of Woodside Maternity Hospital and its move to a ward at Kaleeya Hospital.

Linda Smith won’t be telling any tales because of the secrecy clause in the settlement. Other senior executives to "depart" for the scrapheap are Christine O'Farrell, Andrew Chuk, Glyn Palmer, John De Campo Bill Beresford, Michael Jackson, Michael Pervan, John Burns, Peter King, Aaron Groves and Shane Kelly.

Are the Health Department selection panel processes so unbelievably hopeless - so often, or is McGinty impossible to work with? Should we blame these failed appointments on McGinty or on incompetent Health Department's Human Resources personnel?

The Desert Rat wonders if McGinty and his Labor Government has its own form of "Work Choices" but should it be named "Walk Choices"? No unfair dismissals, only golden "Don't Talk" extremely hospitable hospital packages.