Face of Nation : The former CEO of the South Australian Transport Department committed misconduct by ruling on a freedom of information request into his own expenses, the state’s ombudsman has found.
Ombudsman Wayne Lines on Thursday released a report lashing the conduct of Michael Deegan, who was dumped by the state government shortly after last year’s election.
He found Mr Deegan breached the public sector code of ethics by ruling on an internal FOI into his own credit card expenditure of meals and other purchases.
Mr Lines was also critical of the department’s practice of funding restaurant meals between Mr Deegan and then-transport minister Stephen Mullighan.
“I am all the more concerned by DPTI’s practice of funding restaurant meals between the chief executive and other public officers,” he said.
“DPTI appears to have funded at least two CBD restaurant meals between Mr Deegan and the Minister responsible for this department – at least one meeting of which involved the purchase of alcohol using departmental funds.”
