Transport Minister Mark Bailey only delays the inevitable by refusing to publicly release mangocube emails

THE laws passed under then premier Anna Bligh in 2009 to increase government accountability are being used as a delaying tactic in Transport Minister Mark Bailey’s email saga, writes Sarah Vogler.

WHEN former premier Anna Bligh stood in State Parliament in May 2009 to introduce new laws overhauling access to government documents it was all about openness and ­accountability.

Ms Bligh told the House at the time that the public release of ­information about government policies and decisions enabled “informed debate, ­scrutiny and public participation”.

“Without information, people cannot exercise their rights and responsibilities or make informed choices,” she said.

Former Queensland premier Anna Bligh.

Ms Bligh said the increased openness and transparency the Act was designed to bring would also mean Governments would be “held to account” for their actions.

The Act itself dictates that it should only be used as a “last resort”.

Fast forward almost 10 years, however, and Governments are more often than not using that Act as a ­delaying tactic rather than a tool to ensure they are kept to account.

There have been numerous examples of information held up through the RTI process rather than being ­released on request.

The most recent – and most public – example of this is the release of public records from within former Energy minister Mark Bailey’s private email account.

The Crime and Corruption Commission identified hundred of public records within his mangocube6 @yahoo.co.uk account when it investigated and cleared him of corrupt conduct last year.

The CCC this week said it saw no barrier to the public release of those emails now its investigation is complete. Both Mr Bailey and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, however, refuse to order their public release.

Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey has taken to avoiding press conferences. Picture: AAP/Darren England

Journalists have been told to give it their best shot under RTI – that ­option of “last resort” – instead.

No doubt this has a lot to do with the embarrassing nature of the emails concerned.

Those already released have made life uncomfortable for both Mr Bailey and the Government.

Multiple RTI applications are now pending, meaning more emails will eventually be revealed.

By refusing to just release them now, the Government is simply ­delaying the inevitable.

It is a strategy that is affecting the state’s ability to get a message out.

And it is a strategy that leaves Mr Bailey vulnerable to a political death by a thousand cuts.

Had those emails been released last year, at the completion of the CCC’s investigation and before the state election, the matter would have been dealt with by now.

Instead, it will likely re-emerge every few months as the next tranche of emails is released. And then the tranche after that.

Mr Bailey is in charge of a major portfolio – Transport and Main Roads.

He will play a critical role in ensuring the success of next month’s ­Commonwealth Games. And in continuing to repair the damage caused by the 2016 rail fail.

Yet he has been forced to advertise his public ministerial duties via Twitter of late because a press conference would likely be derailed by questions about his email account.

Questions that should be asked of him. But questions that should and would have been asked last term had the Government released those emails last year.