The State Government has lost another agency head with the sudden resignation of its Small Business Commissioner, who remains under investigation for “alleged improper conduct”.

The resignation of Mike Sinkunas was announced in parliament on Tuesday, but details emerged yesterday that the Commissioner was the subject of an investigation into his conduct “towards staff in his office”.

InDaily understands the incident relates to events that allegedly occurred at a meeting involving private-sector representatives.

Documents obtained by InDaily show the investigation – by the Crown Solicitor’s office – began on April 14.

Witnesses were interviewed by Crown Law officer Andrew Thredgold on April 30, the documents show.

Signed statements and a brief were finalised by Crown Law at the end of May.

Sinkunas is the second agency head to suddenly resign; Families SA boss David Waterford stepped down two weeks ago in the wake of that agency’s child abuse scandal.

Under questioning from Liberal MP Dan van Holst Pellekaan, Small Business Minister Tom Koutsantonis admitted he’d lost his Small Business Commissioner last month.

“Yesterday I informed the house that the former small business commissioner, Mr Mike Sinkunas, had tendered his resignation to me and he said, and I quote, ‘I wish to tender my resignation from the position of Small Business Commissioner, effective 25 July 2014’.

“However, I can inform the parliament that there is an investigation into the conduct of the Office of the Small Business Commissioner towards staff within that office,” Koutsantonis told parliament.

“It should be noted that no allegations against Mr Sinkunas have been found or proven, but he has tendered his resignation.”

Pushed for more detail by the Opposition, the Minister revealed he had appointed an Acting Commissioner but was unsure of the appointment date.

“The Acting Small Business Commissioner was the Deputy Small Business Commissioner, Professor Frank Zumbo, who acted for him.

“I don’t have the exact dates from when that commenced but I can advise that following an investigation, and upon advice from the Crown Solicitor, there was correspondence to Mr Sinkunas setting out all the allegations about misconduct and that afforded him the opportunity to respond,” parliament was told.

“It was handed to him on 6 June.

“There were some further addendums to allegations soon afterwards and he tendered his resignation on 25 July.”

Koutsantonis was first questioned about the allegations and subsequent investigation on July 17, when van Holst Pellekaan raised the matter during Budget Estimates committee hearings.

The Minister refused to answer questions on the matter, citing “due process”.

InDaily understands that Sinkunas had taken leave around mid-July.

van Holst Pellekaan, the Shadow Minister for Small Business, said today the lack of detail was frustrating.

“What we have here is a government that claims its transparent and accountable, yet when it comes to getting simple details of when its agency head stood down and why, there’s this long silence.

“We have to continually apply pressure on this government to get basic information that the public is entitled to know.”

Sinkunas was appointed the state’s first Small Business Commissioner in 2012.

A former director of the Office of Small Business & Regional Development, he had run a small computing company before joining the public service.

The Minister’s office said in an emailed response to InDaily: “The investigation is being undertaken by the Crown Solicitor’s Office and is ongoing.

“It is inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

Sinkunas has not answered phone calls.