Hames long aware of Healthway dysfunction

Kim Hames says he's been aware of dysfunction in the Healthway board since he's been the West Australian health minister.

A report into the state government body released last week revealed Healthway had misused about $220,000 on VIP tickets to events for staff, family and friends last financial year.

Dr Hames said on Monday that management of the board had been an ongoing issue, but the Carmen incident last year - when Healthway refused to sponsor a WA Opera performance because it depicted smoking - was a trigger for him to change its structure.

"It's probably been difficult for as long as I've been the minister," Dr Hames said.

He met with Healthway chair Rosanna Capolingua since the release of the report to hear her side of the story and she had indicated she was seeking legal advice.

Dr Hames said he was also aware of allegations of bullying against executive director David Malone, who resigned 18 months into a five-year contract and prior to the report's release.

He said the Public Sector Commission had conducted an investigation into the allegations but he was not at liberty to reveal its findings.

On Friday, Premier Colin Barnett lashed Healthway's board and senior management for failing to spend taxpayer's money correctly, such as promoting health messages, instead of tickets to basketball games and concerts.

"I can't accept that the board would not have known this was happening," Mr Barnett told reporters.

"This was just excessive. Absolutely excessive."

Opposition spokesman for health Roger Cook said Dr Hames should have known what was going on in Healthway.

Mr Cook said the minister was given a report in 2011 recommending the body be reformed, and his lack of action and oversight had resulted in the current debacle.

"He was too lazy, he was too neglectful of his portfolio and he simply did not act," Mr Cook said.