SafeWork SA executive director Martyn Campbell says ‘I don’t use the words cleared’ about Crows 2018 training camp

The head of SafeWork SA has denied Adelaide Football Club was “cleared” of wrongdoing over its infamous 2018 pre-season camp – with other questions heard in secret.

The head of SafeWork SA has denied the Adelaide Football Club was “cleared” of any wrongdoing over its infamous 2018 pre-season camp — contradicting statements issued by the club and the company that ran the camp.

Appearing before parliament’s Budget and Finance Committee on Monday, executive director Martyn Campbell was asked about two press releases based on a statement issued by SafeWork SA in September 2021.

Greens MLC Tammy Franks said the original SafeWork SA statement said there was no evidence the camp had breached the Work Health and Safety Act.

However, the subsequent press releases from the Adelaide Football Club and Collective Mind said they had been “cleared” of wrongdoing.

Asked whether he agreed with the statements, Mr Campbell said: “Those are not my words. I don’t use the words cleared”.

SafeWork SA executive director Martyn Campbell. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Mariuz

“I would love nothing better than for people to quote me directly but that rarely happens, and when they change my words they never change them back,” he said.

Mr Campbell said he was concerned about the language, but did not write to the Adelaide Football Club or Collective Mind to raise any issue.

He acknowledged that Collective Mind had not been provided a copy of the report and would have relied on the SafeWork SA statement to draw the conclusion the company had been “cleared”.

Ms Franks pointed out that an apology issued to Collective Mind by Nine News earlier this year also read: “Nine acknowledges that SafeWork SA made no findings of wrongdoing against Collective Mind”.

Mr Campbell said players that participated in the investigation had also been refused a copy of the final report, and requests to obtain it under Freedom of Information laws have been denied.

“Nobody was provided a copy of the report,” he said.

“That would be back to ... confidentiality provisions, inasmuch as that there will be information in the report which is not relevant to individuals but that decision doesn’t sit with me, whether that’s released or not.”

A lawyer for former Crows player Josh Jenkins said in August he had applied for a copy of the report because Adelaide and the AFL had used it as a “crutch to remain silent’’.

Asked by Ms Franks whether players were reluctant to participate in the SafeWork SA investigation, Mr Campbell said “I believe, from my advice, only three actually volunteered to speak to us”.

Asked whether players raised concerns over the “cultural competency” of SafeWork SA when undertaking the investigation, Mr Campbell first said “not that I’m aware of”.

But he took the question on notice after Ms Franks responded “are you sure about that?”

“I’ve read the report and I’m assuming you have as well, you might want to take that on notice,” she said.

Other questions relating to the report were heard in secret, following a request made by Mr Campbell.

Adelaide Football Club declined to comment.