Crime and Corruption Commission

Published Wednesday, 23 August, 2017 at 02:22 PM

Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk

For almost 30 years, Queensland has had a standing royal commission based on the recommendations of the Fitzgerald Inquiry.

That inquiry uncovered the culture of corruption and cover-up that had festered for many years inside the Bjelke-Petersen Government.

I take deep offence at the allegation my Government is anything like that which led to the Fitzgerald Inquiry.

Former Members representing my electorate – my father and the late Kev Hooper – had the courage to raise issues of corruption that led to the Fitzgerald Inquiry and the formation of the CJC – today’s CCC.

Their courage and the integrity of people - like Tony Fitzgerald and Wayne Goss - is the reason I stand in this Parliament today.

My Government has been determined to strengthen the independence of the Crime and Corruption Commission and its oversight body, the PCCC.

This was not the approach of the Government we replaced in 2015.

Mr Speaker, any politician – or any member of the public for that matter – who has allegations of official misconduct or corruption should immediately take those allegations to the CCC.

As I said after documents were tabled in this Parliament by the Member for Cairns this month – take those allegations to the CCC.

The Member for Bundamba raised issues about alleged corruption involving then Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale with me when I was Opposition Leader.

She did not provide me with any specific documentary evidence.

But she advised me that she was taking her concerns to the CCC that day.

I understood she had done that.

As a former Minister for Police and a former Deputy Chair of PCCC, the Member for Bundamba knows how to approach the CCC.

Indeed, after the Member for Cairns tabled documents in the parliament this, the Member for Bundamba tweeted a statement on 22 June that said and I quote:

“After studying the documents tabled in parliament, and given the serious questions I now believe need answers, I have concluded that I have no choice but to refer these serious issues to Crime and Corruption Commission.”

That shows the Member knows the proper procedure for acting on allegations of corrupt conduct is to refer these allegations directly to the CCC.

I am proud to lead a Government that has restored integrity and accountability to Queensland.

We reduced threshold for disclosure of political donations from LNP’s level of $12,800 to $1000.

We introduced real-time disclosure of political donations in 2017.

We appointed independent chair of Crime and Corruption Commission.

We reinstated job security and fairness for government employees.

We restored community objection rights removed by LNP Government.

We removed the LNP’s gag clauses from service agreements.

We will never waver in our commitment to transparent, accountable government.