State Government admits to spying on SA Pathology workers

AN arm of the State Government has admitted to secretly installed two video cameras in an SA Pathology mailroom to spy on workers.

A GOVERNMENT department has admitted it secretly installed two video cameras in an SA Pathology mailroom to spy on its workers.

SA Pathology executive director Ken Barrit said he had no regrets about the covert surveillance, insisting that “serious allegations” about “excessive” delays in processing patients’ results had justified use of the cameras.

Their existence was revealed yesterday after an SA Pathology staff member, who wants to remain anonymous, contacted Opposition Leader Steven Marshall to voice his concerns about the violation of privacy.

State Government could cut 332 jobs at SA Pathology by 2017-18

Mr Barr admitted two video cameras were installed in the organisation’s Frome Rd mailroom after “a number of serious allegations” were made concerning delays to posting out patient results over a period of several months.

“As a result of our concerns about timely patient care, (it) resulted in us authorising for this investigation and the use of covert cameras,” he said.

The cameras were installed to spy on staff in the consumer products area — or mail room — which is responsible for processing and posting out test results.

“Normally results are turned around in two-to-three days (but) the delay was excessive,” Mr Barr said. “The delays were outside the normal parameters.”

Mr Barr said he did not regret the decision to use secret cameras because patient care was at risk. “We felt the actions were appropriate in this circumstance,” he said.

Revelation of the surveillance follows this week’s announcement by SA Health that the Government could be forced to axe up to 332 full-time jobs at SA Pathology to make savings of almost $43 million by 2017-18.

Mr Barr said the two cameras were no longer in place and normal security cameras were being used instead.

“That phase of the investigation has been completed,” he said.

He said the investigation was ongoing, but did not comment on whether any action would be taken against staff, or if delays in processing results had ceased.

The SA Pathology staff member who contacted Mr Marshall about the cameras’ existence said they were disguised inside a smoke detector.

“Out of curiosity, one of the staff got up and had a closer look and identified it was a camera,” he said.

“They (the government) told one staff member they were air-conditioner thermostats (but) eventually they came out and said they were security cameras.”

The staff member said SA Pathology employees felt “violated” and went on to say the organisation was a “toxic workplace”.

Public Service Association of SA chief industrial officer Peter Christopher said he was aware of the situation “for at least a couple of months” and demanded the cameras be taken down.

“We’re concerned — it’s totally inappropriate,” he said.

“(There were) bad managerial decisions taken within Pathology SA and those individuals should be held to account.”

Mr Marshall said the Government now needed to explain how widespread the “spying” was within government, or if it was an incident isolated to SA Pathology.

“Are they spying on public servants in South Australia and if so, why are they spying on public servants and how widespread is this practice?,” he said.

“I think it’s a legitimate question for the Government to answer.”