CMC to remain strong and independent

The Crime and Misconduct Commission will continue to be Queensland’s vital, strong and independent watchdog under changes agreed upon by Cabinet.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Jarrod Bleijie said the Newman Government accepted or noted the majority of the recommendations from the Callinan/Aroney and Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee (PCMC) reports.

“It is important that Queensland has an independent, high-performing watchdog and these changes will make the CMC stronger and more efficient but also more accountable,” Mr Bleijie said.

“We have accepted the recommendation that the CMC requires an administrative restructure, which will be overseen by an implementation panel.

“The Commission will remain one, strong entity with renewed focus and reduced bureaucratisation.

“To let the Chairman concentrate on investigations, a Chief Executive Officer will be appointed to take over the administrative side of the CMC.

“The CMC will also no longer be used and abused for personal or political gain after it was found that it was being flooded with trivial, vexatious or misdirected complaints.

“Under the reforms, baseless or malicious claims will become a criminal offence.

“All complaints will also require a statutory declaration. Anyone with a legitimate complaint should have no problem with making it legally binding.”

Other accepted recommendations include:

·         Overhauling the complaints process to reduce the number made to the CMC

·         Empowering the Parliamentary Commissioner to investigate claims of misconduct within the CMC

·         Making most Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee hearings public

·         Increasing public sector agencies’ responsibilities to prevent internal misconduct.

Mr Bleijie said the Government would adopt the majority of the recommendations made by the PCMC, regarding the release and destruction of Fitzgerald Inquiry documents.

“These changes will improve the internal processes, practices and culture within the CMC to prevent something like this happening again,” he said.

“It will also further investigate how confidential documents were released and destroyed to see if criminality occurred.

“This will be period of change but it will make the CMC stronger and more effective.”

[ENDS] 4 July 2013

 Media Contact: Ashley McDermid 0412 731 355 or Katherine Hornbuckle 0402 862 351