Opinion: Annastacia Palaszczuk must be referred to ethics committee

The time has come for the Opposition to refer the Premier to the parliamentary ethics committee over her email scandal, writes Des Houghton.

Annastacia Palaszczuk’s halo is slipping.

The Premier impugned her own credibility when she refused to answer questions in Parliament about her secret email trails.

Palaszczuk’s stubbornness to release the emails and clear the air raises suspicions that she has something to hide.

And she became very prickly this week when two fine young reporters – Jack McKay from The Courier-Mail and Patrick Lion from Seven News – asked her to explain the mess she now finds herself in.

Here it must be said that the Crime and Corruption Commission seems to be pussyfooting, with chairman Alan MacSporran suggesting he didn’t’ have the manpower to fully investigate the emails.

He even said an investigation could be fruitless or, in his words, a wild goose chase.

How could he know it would be fruitless if he hasn’t checked?

If the questionable dealings of a Premier are not worthy of investigation, what is?

Do Palaszczuk’s emails implicate others in the Cabinet?

Palaszczuk told Parliament last week the emails had been “retained”.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and minister Mark Bailey. Picture: Jono Searle/NCA NewsWire

Where? On the fridge door? On her iPad perhaps? MacSporran should ask.

Palaszczuk had two secret email accounts, so it is reasonable to ask what they were used for.

Perhaps we now know why she refused to sack “mangocube” Mark Bailey in 2017 over his use of a personal email account in that name to conduct public business.

Is it possible that Palaszczuk was doing the same thing?

She told Parliament in 2017 that she did not use her personal account for official purposes. That is increasingly hard to believe, especially with the recent disclosure that she asked in one email about the “ideological stance” of Paul Simshauser, who was seeking a job as ­director-general of the Department of Energy and Water ­Supply.

To me, the Simshauser email at least raises the possibility that Palaszczuk may have misled Parliament.

The Opposition has been commendably measured in its criticisms. Now is an opportunity for LNP leader David Crisafulli to refer the Premier to the parliamentary ethics committee.

Palaszczuk insists she has done no wrong and has nothing to hide.

She may welcome the opportunity to clear her name.

Des Houghton is a media consultant and a former editor of The Courier-Mail, Sunday Mail and Sunday Sun