‘Dangerous precedent’: ex-deputy premier slams LNP move
A former deputy premier has taken aim at a state government after major corruption watchdog reports were released against court rulings.
A former deputy premier has condemned the release of a corruption watchdog’s investigation into her, saying the move sets a dangerous precedent.
Jackie Trad on Thursday took aim at Queensland’s Liberal National government after high-profile Crime and Corruption Commission reports were tabled in parliament, fulfilling an election commitment.
The LNP had promised to publicly release reports on former Labor MP Ms Trad and ex-public trustee Peter Carne following its 2024 poll triumph, after the documents were shelved for years.
The commission’s 2021 report tabled on Wednesday night said Trad’s “aggressive advocacy” influenced a Queensland Treasury chief executive appointment.
However, the report did not find evidence of corrupt conduct by Ms Trad.
The former deputy premier criticised the LNP government for releasing the report which had been under wraps since a 2023 High Court ruling.
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“The tabling of the unlawful CCC reports in the Queensland parliament is a direct measure of the lack of respect the Queensland LNP government holds for the courts, including the High Court of Australia,” she posted on social media.
“This also sets a dangerous precedent for a government; to use their numbers in parliament to set aside and disregard a well-considered, balanced and fair judgement from the highest court in our nation, without legislative amendment or scrutiny.”
The commission’s report said Trad’s “forcefully expressed personal preference” had influenced the independent recruitment process of the Queensland Treasury chief executive in 2018.
One of the three candidates was deemed “not appointable” by the recruitment panel headed by director-general of the Department of Premier and Cabinet David Stewart, the report said.
However that recommendation was removed and the candidate was appointed, with Stewart telling report investigators he gave in to Trad’s “aggressive pressure”, an allegation the deputy premier denied.
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“In the final analysis, it was not merit that carried the day, but aggressive advocacy by the senior minister and a director-general acceding to that advocacy,” commission chairperson Bruce Barbour wrote in the findings.
Trad fired up over the report, saying it was full of “subjective character judgments”.
“The CCC have investigated and released a report that has found no evidence l engaged in corrupt conduct, misconduct in public office or any other criminal offence,” she posted.
“Knowing, for some time, that the report was filled with subjective character judgments but, no actual findings against me, I approached the CCC, through my lawyers, to settle the matter in 2023, to which they did not respond and chose to go the High Court.
“Every single member of the full bench of the High Court resoundingly found against the CCC.”
The High Court ruled the commission’s report into Mr Carne was not subject to parliamentary privilege and could not be released.
Trad then won a court battle to keep secret the watchdog’s report on her after all parties accepted the state’s law would not allow its release in October 2023.
However, the commission’s reports on Trad and Carne were made public after the LNP government brought a motion for its release in state parliament on Wednesday night.
Legislation allowing the commission to release findings publicly from its investigations is set to be brought before parliament on Thursday.
