Devil will be in the detail if integrity review is to deliver

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has bought a circuit breaker for the moment with her announcement of a review into government integrity and culture, writes Jessica Marszalek. But whether that holds depends on the detail.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has bought a circuit breaker for the moment with her announcement of a review into government integrity and culture.

But whether that holds depends on the detail of this review.

So far the scope of it looks good.

But so much depends on the method.

Professor Peter Coaldrake doesn’t have powers to compel witnesses to speak or produce material.

Asked about this, Palaszczuk left open the possibility he could be given further powers.

He will need as much assistance as possible.

The review will need to be able to offer protections beyond normal public service whistleblower protections if it really wants to learn the truth.

There have been staff who have left who have been made to sign nondisclosure agreements.

This very fact makes what they know all the more interesting.

Peter Coaldrake, VC of QUT, is announcing fees following proposed deregulation , with the new Science and Engineering Centre behind, at the Gardens Point Campus in the CBD , Brisbane

There will also be staff who feel they have been a party to unethical behaviour they are worried will open them up to discipline, termination, or maybe even charges.

They may have acted under pressure, or even been directed outright to do the wrong thing by senior managers.

There are others who have observed certain things but have kept quiet.

We need them to speak now.

The true independence and effectiveness of this review is even more important following Opposition attacks over Coaldrake’s background as an ALP party member for a few years in the 1980s.

While we all reserve the right to have a past, it is imperative that all aspects of a review on integrity be above reproach.

Whistleblowers who have spoken out to The Courier-Mail in the past few weeks and whose bravery has secured this review are watching closely.

If the review doesn’t meet their expectations, we shouldn’t be surprised to hear from them again.