Release investigation into Govt alcohol adviser - Greens

18/03/10 9:00 am

Greens MLC Mark Parnell has called for the release of a Department of Health report into claims of conflict of interest involving the State Government’s chief adviser on alcohol policy.

Despite the Department (DoH) revealing Keith Evans, CE of Drug & Alcohol Services SA (DASSA), had been ‘formally warned for breaching the Code of Conduct for SA Public Sector Employees’, the Department has refused to release the report of the investigation requested by the Greens under Freedom of Information.

The DoH investigation was prompted by an article in the international journal Addiction in January which criticised the activities of Mr Evans in Africa on behalf of the International Center for Alcohol Policies (ICAP), a policy lobby group funded by the alcohol industry.

“The SA public has a right to know in what way the state’s chief adviser on alcohol policy has breached the SA public service Code of Conduct,” said Greens MLC Mark Parnell.

“Equally, the Department and the Minister must reveal how much they knew of Mr Evans’ overseas activities. Did they know what he was doing, or was he on a frolic on his own?” he asked.

The Department has released to the Greens under FoI all Mr Evans’ overseas travel related paperwork and leave forms since 2004. These show he only applied for leave related to 2 overseas trips. An internet search of conference proceedings and policy forums shows at least seven additional trips undertaken by Keith Evans between 2004 and 2009 to Africa, Asia and Europe on behalf of ICAP.

The Department of Health claims ‘the official investigation….did not find any evidence that ICAP work was undertaken in work time’.

"The Department's response simply doesn't make sense. If Mr Evans was not on Government time, then where are his leave forms?” asked Mr Parnell.

"Many questions remain unanswered. How can a public servant be overseas over half a dozen times on behalf of an alcohol industry funded lobby group without his supervisors being aware? How could the rest of the world know about his activities, but the SA Government did not?” he concluded.
 

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