Qld Health to block sacked bureaucrats

Queensland Health is seeking legal advice over whether it can stop two top former bureaucrats fired over its payroll saga from working as private contractors for the department.

It has been revealed that since their downfall in June last year, Adrian Shea and Michael Kalimnios have worked as private consultants for Queensland Health.

They were made scapegoats for the payroll debacle and fired in June last year, after thousands of workers in Queensland's health system were underpaid, overpaid or not paid at all for weeks after a new software system went live.

The bungle is costing taxpayers a $219 million repair bill.

Read more about shared services in Government shared services navigate a rocky road.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said the Director General of Queensland Health would on Tuesday seek legal advice about whether the department could make sure the two were not hired on private contracts with the department in the future.

"They are employed by a private company and the director general is now seeking legal advice about what if any options are available to ensure that these people are not doing work, even though second-hand, through another organisation for Queensland Health," Ms Bligh told reporters.

Treasurer Andrew Fraser said a "very clear message" that it wasn't appropriate had been sent to the consultancy firm that one of the men worked for.

Opposition health spokesman Mark McArdle said the government has tried to distance itself from the controversy by stressing that the former bureaucrats had not been employed by Queensland Health but by private firms.

But he said that taxpayers were still footing the bill and should be furious.

"It shows clearly the secrecy and the culture of cover-up within Labor's Queensland Health to the point that they will make a statement to the public but behind closed doors they'll double-cross Queenslanders to achieve their own goals," said Mr McArdle in a statement.

"Queensland Health doctors and nurses would be feeling gutted and betrayed."

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