Lucas 'unaware' Qld payroll was so complex QUEENSLAND'S former health minister says he was unaware how complex the department's payroll requirements were when he was considering an automated system that ultimately failed. Mr Lucas, also the former deputy premier, is being cross-examined by Queensland's health payroll inquiry on Thursday over the state's most costly IT fiasco. It resulted in thousands of pay errors under his watch, and is expected to end up costing taxpayers $1.2 billion. He told the inquiry the health department wanted an automated payroll system to replace the ageing "Lattice" program. He said a lot of data had to be entered manually by payroll staff. "In retrospect the complexity of the system I think made it incredibly difficult to go to some super system from what was a very benign and forgiving way Lattice operated," he said. When asked if he knew whether his department had one of the most complex payroll requirements in the government, Mr Lucas said he did not. Probably not. That became very clear later on and it's clearly by far the most complex of all the departments full stop," he said. He said despite the complexities, Lattice needed to be replaced. Mr Lucas also denied he ordered the sacking of a senior public servant during the height of the fallout from the debacle. He said it was his then director-general Mick Reid's decision. "I have certainly never directed a D-G to sack someone," he said. The inquiry is expected to wrap up on Thursday.