Parole board shake-up: Major review to probe mistakes and victim failures

A major review into the Queensland Parole Board is set to begin to examine any historical failures in governance, oversight and victim engagement.

Brett and Belinda Beasley’s son was killed in Surfers Paradise, they experienced issues with the Queensland Parole Board years later. Picture: David Clark

A major review into the operations and issues of Queensland’s Parole Board is set to begin amid allegations parole decisions were being published without lawful authority.

The review, to begin on Monday, will also examine any historical failures in governance, oversight and victim engagement.

It comes after new president of the Parole Board Michael Woodford allegedly identified parole decisions were being published online without lawful authority and removed them.

While the review was already an LNP election commitment, issues relating to the publishing of parole decisions by the board were identified after legal advice found there was no legislative framework to support publishing.

The review will be led by barrister Peter Hastie KC and will also examine the parole board’s operations around the lawful disclosure of information, as well as the treatment of victims within the parole process.

Queensland’s parole board has faced criticism for a backlog in decisions and for not informing the families of victims about decision-making processes.

The board’s annual report last year said only 68 per cent of parole decisions were finalised within the statutory time frame of 120 days, or 150 days if the matter required obtaining further information.

Parole Board President Michael Woodford. Pic: Sarah Marshall

At present just 65 per cent of parole applications are finalised within 150 days.

The review comes after former president Michael Byrne, who resigned in June 2024, was referred to the Crime and Corruption Commission relating to claims a spousal allowance was paid to a woman who was not his wife.

Mr Byrne is not accused of any wrongdoing.

A number of board members also resigned, with the board operating at half capacity for about a year.

The board previously published parole decisions on its website, including high-profile matters such as Childers backpacker killer Robert Long, or that related to “no body, no parole” laws.

The Courier-Mail this month contacted the parole board questioning whether future decisions would be published, after their removal months ago.

The board was also criticised after it was revealed it granted and then cancelled the parole of one of the killers of teen Jack Beasley who died in Surfers Paradise in 2019.

Jack’s father Brett said the board in December 2023 had told them the teen had applied for parole and they had 21 days to make a submission, but then four days later they were told parole had been granted. Parole was then cancelled.

The review will also assess whether the board’s operations are effectively keeping Queenslanders safe and support the rights, participation and treatment of victims within the parole process including engagement with the Victims Register.

It will also examine the practices, procedures, decision-making structures and efficiency of the board.

Minister for Corrective Services Laura Gerber. Picture: John Gass.

Minister for Corrective Services Laura Gerber said the review was needed and was an election commitment to “fix Labor’s broken parole system”.

“Under Labor’s two failed former Corrective Services Ministers, the Parole Board was in a state of chaos and crisis, with a critical backlog of applications, and a system that didn’t give the Board the legal authority to be transparent with victims,” she said.

“Already we have appointed a new Parole Board president and strengthened laws to safeguard the community and this review is another step towards cleaning up Labor’s mess and creating a system that supports victims.”

Ms Gerber said she was confident the review, expected to be handed to the government later this year, would deliver recommendations to restore stability and confidence back to the board.

Originally published as Parole board shake-up: Major review to probe mistakes and victim failures