A handful of top-tier public servants have been sacked in what is probably just the first round of heads to roll over the Queensland Health payroll fiasco.

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman announced that at least four have been given marching orders already, and that he is still considering taking up legal action with IBM. The situation stems from some poorly administered payroll software which short-changed nurses and medical contractors for several years.

The Premier may be willing to go beyond the recommendation of the inquiry into the debacle, saying “we haven't given up on the issue of whether we can take legal action against IBM. We have feedback from people both within and outside of the public service about other courses of legal action against IBM... should there be believed to be a case there, I'm more than happy to go after IBM on legal matters associated with this whole sorry saga.”

The Chesterman Inquiry into the matter has already stated that there was no legal avenue to pursue the multi-national ICT company.

Mr Newman said the “four or five” people sacked over the weekend represented the people responsible who had the highest current pay-cheques, and therefore cost the most taxpayer money.

“We're dealing with the ones that clearly let us down,” said Mr Newman, “there'll be other people who'll be looked out. The Public Service Commissioner has checked what the facts are on a range of cases. We have to be fair about it.”