Senior SA doctors use ‘professional development’ fund for expensive watches, iPads and trips to Disneyland
An anti-corruption investigation has found senior doctors in South Australia used a taxpayer-funded scheme to claw back luxury watches, wellness retreats in Bali and a trip to Disneyland for four.
An Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) investigation into South Australia’s professional development fund has revealed extraordinary spending claims by the state’s senior health officials.
The taxpayer-funded scheme allows claims of up to $23,000 each year for “professional development activity costs” and is open to consultants, medical practitioners and registrars.
SA Health spent $64 million on the program between April 2025 and April 2026.
But an ICAC investigation has revealed just some of the surprising things medics have used to undo the scheme since its introduction.
Some examples of these are:
• A $23,000 watch; Same paramedic charges $49,000 for four hours over three years
• Five-night Disneyland trip for four people valued at $3,400
• $23,000 in flight and accommodation fees in the French Alps to attend an online conference
• A $12,000 wellness center in Bali
Other lavish claims included a $7,340 briefcase, a $1,260 fountain pen and $68,600 worth of Apple products, including four watches, five iPads and four cell phones, a single health official claimed.
ICAC commissioner Emma Townsend said there needed to be “greater clarity” on what constitutes professional development amid lavish claims.
“There is no doubt that the lack of clarity contributed to the wide range of allegations identified during the assessment, including examples that, on the surface, blurred the lines between professional and personal development,” he said.
“Continuing professional development is critical to maintaining high standards in patient care, supporting workforce capacity, and ensuring practitioners keep pace with evolving clinical knowledge and practice.
“However, with significant public investment comes the responsibility to ensure that these funds are used for their intended purposes and add value to the public health system and society.”
Following the investigation, ICAC made a number of recommendations to ensure the scheme was not misused.
These focus on calls for greater clarity on what professional development involves and for tighter control of the approval process.
“As the commissioner’s report recognizes, the vast majority of paramedics are using this funding appropriately for important professional development purposes,” SA Health chief executive Robyn Lawrence said.
“However, SA Health accepts all the recommendations set out in the report, which will provide our healthcare professionals with greater clarity on appropriate professional development spending and will ultimately increase protection against corruption, abuse and mismanagement.
“Initial discussions with the South Australian Salaried Medical Officers Association took place last year to provide guidance to support line managers in assessing the suitability of professional development practices.
“This study has been suspended until the outcome of the ICAC review is known.”
