Estimates - Premier - Craig Limkin
CHAIR - Mr George, in the interest of fairness, we'll keep going. I was being so fair I left myself out in asking questions, so back to me. Premier, as the minister in charge of the public service, you are the person responsible for the employment of departmental secretaries. My question is about the conditions in a standard employment contract for those departmental secretaries, specifically the termination without cause clause or provision. There are three parts to my question but they are very straightforward. What's the standard length of severance or termination benefits included in the employment contract? So, if the departmental secretaries are terminated before the end of their contract, how many months or years of their salary are they eligible to be paid out? Are there any secretaries currently employed, including Craig Limkin, who have a longer payout period than the standard of so many months and years? If so, who are they and what is the justification for this?
Mr ROCKLIFF - I may have to take some of that on notice, but head of agency remuneration and entitlements are published each financial year as part of departmental annual reports. These are available on agency websites. I'm not sure, Ms Morgan-Wicks, if you heard all parts of the question?
CHAIR - The question's around the - any sort of special arrangements for some of these secretaries.
Ms MORGAN-WICKS - Through the Premier: in terms of head-of-agency contractual requirements in relation to termination, there is a standard termination clause in head-of-agency contracts, and all secretaries or heads of department have the same termination clause except for myself. As the head of Premier and Cabinet and head of the State Service, I have a different termination clause, which was negotiated on my contract.
CHAIR - Mr Limkin didn't have a variation to the clause?
Ms MORGAN-WICKS - Through the Premier: no, he did not. He has the standard termination clause. I can say that in relation to media reporting in relation to that clause, it was incorrect.
CHAIR - Premier, just back to Mr Limkin: I just want to know what the length of the standard termination clause is for the secretaries, because it's not published in the annual reports, and can you provide that for deputy secretaries as well, please. These are important questions because these are the highest-paid employees in the public service.
Mr ROCKLIFF - Look, would you mind if I take that on notice, Ms Burnet?
CHAIR - Certainly. And the other questions from last time?
Mr ROCKLIFF - I'm advised that the SES template is online as well.
CHAIR - Well, I request that you do take that on notice. Thank you
CHAIR - My question is still around Mr Limkin. I wonder if Mr Limkin is still employed as the Secretary of State Growth? According to previous responses to questions both in the House of Assembly and the upper House, Mr Limkin went on leave on 7 March 2026 and was on annual leave still on 19 May. Is Mr Limkin still on leave? If so, what type of leave is he on? Has the entire period from 7 May been one type of leave or different types?
Mr ROCKLIFF - As part of my state of the state address on 3 March 2026, I announced the transformation of the Department of State Growth, including the restructure to create a new department called Building Tasmania. Building Tasmania will deliver the roads, housing, infrastructure our state needs to be fit for the future, and this will include the transition of Homes Tasmania into Building Tasmania. The Secretary of the Department of State Growth, Mr Limkin, is taking a period of leave which commenced on 7 March 2026. Shane Gregory is acting as Secretary of Department of State Growth in Mr Limkin's absence.
CHAIR - He's still on leave. What sort of leave is it that he's on?
Mr ROCKLIFF - I am advised that Mr Limkin is on annual leave until early July.
CHAIR - Will you take the rest of the question on notice please?
Mr ROCKLIFF - Could you refresh my memory on the rest of the questions?
CHAIR - Is he still employed as the secretary?
Mr ROCKLIFF - Yes.
CHAIR - He's still employed. What are the types of different leaves he is on?
Mr ROCKLIFF - Annual leave, I am advised.
CHAIR - Premier, you confirmed earlier that the secretary of State Growth has been on annual leave since 7 March and this will continue until July. By my calculations, that's 16 weeks of leave. Is he on annual paid leave, and will he remain on annual leave until his return? Sixteen weeks seems an extraordinary amount of leave. Can you explain why he's accrued so much leave? Has your government negotiated a very generous annual leave entitlement for Mr Limkin? Can you please provide details of this arrangement?
Mr ROCKLIFF - I thank the honourable member for the question, Chair. I'm not able to comment on individuals' employment matters. There are individuals - to this extent, I can provide answers, as before, of that type of nature. I'm not sure if Ms Morgan-Wicks has anything further to say. This is an individual personal employment matter, which I'm sure you'd appreciate.
CHAIR - He's a senior executive.
Mr ROCKLIFF - But it's still an individual personal employment matter.
Ms MORGAN-WICKS - In relation to someone taking 16 weeks of leave, that can be negotiated with an employer in relation to the number of weeks of leave to be taken. I provided advice to the Premier before in relation to annual leave. I just have one recollection that I do think that there was an element of bereavement leave in that. But I don't know whether Mr Limkin has changed his application from annual leave to include also bereavement leave. I'd need to check back into that.
CHAIR - Can you take that on notice, please, Premier?
Ms MORGAN-WICKS - The fact is Mr Limkin has been on leave since that date and until early July. Whether it's annual leave or a combination of annual leave and bereavement leave, it's a matter for what application he's put in. And certainly, commenting on an individual employee's arrangements is not appropriate any further