South Australian treasurer Rob Lucas says he will not "enter into a public dispute" with two advocates calling for a judicial review into the state's public health system.
Andrew Knox and Stewart Johnston say the inquiry is necessary after Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Bruce Lander released a damning report warning of widespread corruption within the sector.
Mr Knox was one of 10 leukaemia patients underdosed on chemotherapy treatment at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Flinders Medical Centre, while Mr Johnston's mother, Helen, was mistreated at the notorious Oakden nursing home.
The pair said the health system has fallen foul to "breathtaking maladministration" and a panel of retired judges should be appointed to oversee a comprehensive review.
The panel would report its progress to parliament every six months or until the reforms have been completed to the auditor-general's satisfaction.
Their call was backed by SA-BEST MP Connie Bonaros, who called on Mr Lucas to commit funding to conduct the review.
"The public's faith in our health system is at an all-time low due to this government's continued recalcitrance to commit to a truly independent, transparent and accountable investigation into SA Health," she said.
But Mr Lucas said on Monday he would not enter a dispute with Mr Knox and Mr Johnson, and pointed out that judicial oversight already exists.
"The corruption commissioner ... he has the power, he has the funding to get to the bottom of it and to issue, through the process, prosecutions to bring people to account," he told reporters.
"Get on with the job of fixing the problem. We don't know judges and others to sit back... and tell us what we already know."
Australian Associated Press
