CMC To Investigate Letters Claims
Published Thursday, 08 November, 2007 at 01:38 PM
Premier
The Honourable Anna Bligh
Premier Anna Bligh today has asked the Crime and Misconduct Commission to investigate allegations that Labor Party campaign material had been included in jury summons letters.
Following a claim that one Ipswich man had received campaign material in the same envelope as a jury summons, Ms Bligh asked the Department of Justice and Attorney-General to contact each of the 146 people who were sent a jury summons by the Ipswich Court House Registry last Friday.
That process is ongoing, however, one other recipient of a jury summons has said she believes campaign material was contained in the same envelope as the jury summons.
“As soon as I was advised of this, I instructed my Director-General to refer this matter to the CMC,” Ms Bligh said.
“Such behaviour is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. If it is proven against any State Government employee, they will face strong disciplinary action.”
Ms Bligh said there were a number of points in the process at which unauthorised material may have been inserted into the jury summons envelopes, if this did occur.
“I am advised that the jury summons letters were hand folded and placed in sealed envelopes at the Ipswich Court House Registry on Friday. Those envelopes were bundled and placed in a sealed bag in the court house by a court house registry officer, and then were taken to Australia Post for delivery,” Ms Bligh said.
“Australia Post is a Commonwealth-owned body and I call on the Federal Government to ensure that Australia Post cooperates with the CMC.
“Additionally, I believe the Federal Government should immediately launch its own investigation of Australia Post’s processes to ensure these letters were handled appropriately.
“The Queensland Government takes these allegations very seriously and I expect the Commonwealth to do the same,” Ms Bligh said.
Contact: Premier’s Office 3224 4500
Following a claim that one Ipswich man had received campaign material in the same envelope as a jury summons, Ms Bligh asked the Department of Justice and Attorney-General to contact each of the 146 people who were sent a jury summons by the Ipswich Court House Registry last Friday.
That process is ongoing, however, one other recipient of a jury summons has said she believes campaign material was contained in the same envelope as the jury summons.
“As soon as I was advised of this, I instructed my Director-General to refer this matter to the CMC,” Ms Bligh said.
“Such behaviour is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. If it is proven against any State Government employee, they will face strong disciplinary action.”
Ms Bligh said there were a number of points in the process at which unauthorised material may have been inserted into the jury summons envelopes, if this did occur.
“I am advised that the jury summons letters were hand folded and placed in sealed envelopes at the Ipswich Court House Registry on Friday. Those envelopes were bundled and placed in a sealed bag in the court house by a court house registry officer, and then were taken to Australia Post for delivery,” Ms Bligh said.
“Australia Post is a Commonwealth-owned body and I call on the Federal Government to ensure that Australia Post cooperates with the CMC.
“Additionally, I believe the Federal Government should immediately launch its own investigation of Australia Post’s processes to ensure these letters were handled appropriately.
“The Queensland Government takes these allegations very seriously and I expect the Commonwealth to do the same,” Ms Bligh said.
Contact: Premier’s Office 3224 4500