Opinion: Palaszczuk’s Friday news dump to hide from scrutiny

“Taking out the trash” late on a Friday is the Palaszczuk Government’s way of reducing the chances of “bad news” stories making the news cycle, says Neil Doorley.

“Taking out the trash” or a “Friday news dump”.

Whatever you want to call it, unfortunately it’s becoming common for a Palaszczuk Government wanting to avoid media scrutiny around integrity-related issues.

The MO is to issue a “bad news” press release, report or review late on Friday when most of the nightly TV bulletins and the following day’s papers are full, and people have already checked out ahead of the weekend.

It’s part of a carefully crafted strategy to reduce the chances of stories making the news cycle – or politicians being publicly criticised and their actions scrutinised.

I witnessed the practice as both a journalist (receiving end of the dumps), and as a former senior media adviser to four Labor ministers between 2015 and late 2018, who on one occasion actually argued against a potentially damaging report being released when a “Minister wasn’t available” because I believed the media, and Queenslanders deserved better.

That aside, let’s examine four recent integrity-related examples of “taking out the trash” on Friday afternoon.

Digital Economy Minister Leeanne Enoch announced on a Friday afternoon in May that retired Supreme Court judge John Byrne would lead a review of the Public Records Act. Picture: Steve Pohlner

 In February, the Queensland government finally released former state archivist Mike Summerell’s controversial report into Transport Minister Mark Bailey using private emails for official business. The report, tabled in parliament, had been under lock and key since 2017.

 In May, a report into a review headed by external Queen’s Counsel John McKenna into allegations of interference in the preparation of Mr Summerell’s annual reports, was issued from a departmental account. The report found the former state archivist had not been under “improper pressure” to alter his documents.

 Later that month, Digital Economy Minister Leeanne Enoch announced retired Supreme Court judge John Byrne would lead a review of the Public Records Act, more than four years after Mr Summerell called on the government to consider “urgent” changes to the legislation as part of his 2017 probe into the Mark Bailey “mangocube” saga.

 And as recently as Friday, June 4, the government-controlled Economics and Governance Committee tabled its report detailing its response to the strategic review into the functions of the Integrity Commissioner.

Neil Doorley witnessed the practice of “taking out the trash” as both a journalist and as a former senior media adviser to four Labor ministers between 2015 and late 2018. Picture: David Clark

The committee refused to openly support calls to boost the autonomy of the state’s Integrity Commissioner by allowing the official to manage its own staff and dismissed calls for the definition of lobbyist to be widened, despite a range of stakeholders – including the Crime and Corruption Commission – suggesting that it should happen.

In all four cases, the material was “dumped” without fanfare. Despite concerns around this government’s record on accountability and transparency, there were no cabinet ministers lining up for the cameras or their staff firing off tweets on social media.

Having already delivered his interim report into the culture and accountability of the Queensland public sector, Peter Coaldrake is expected to hand down his final findings later this month.

With the Premier promising to implement any recommendations – even a royal commission – let’s hope her media spinners, who have a say in the timing of releases, don’t see it as yet another opportunity to bury bad news.

Neil Doorley is a former ministerial media adviser to the Palaszczuk Government who has since done consultancy work for the LNP.