Heiner prosecution will not be pursued

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has advised the Attorney-General that there are no reasonable prospects of success on a prosecution of any former Goss Cabinet Minister and it would not be in the overall public interest to pursue a prosecution in relation to the shredding of the ‘Heiner Documents’.

Upon receiving recommendations from the Child Protection Commission of Inquiry, the Attorney-General referred the matter to the ODPP.

As the ODPP has previously been involved in this matter, a Queen’s Counsel was briefed to independently advise the ODPP whether a prosecution was warranted.

The ODPP agree with the conclusions provided in the advice, which were as follows:

1. There are no reasonable prospects of success on a prosecution of any Cabinet Minister for their role in making Cabinet Decision No. 162 of 1990 on a charge against Section 129 of the Criminal Code.
2. Accordingly it is strictly unnecessary to consider whether any such prosecution is warranted in the overall public interest.
3. If it were necessary to consider that issue, I advise that any such prosecution is not warranted in the overall public interest.

In light of this advice, the Attorney-General does not intend to refer this matter to the Queensland Police Service or issue an ex-officio indictment in relation to it.

[ENDS] 2 July 2013

Media Contact: Jaime Wells 0409 624 139