Coerced, bullied, targeted: Ex-QBCC execs speak out

Former senior executives at Queensland’s building watchdog claim they were coerced, bullied and targeted unless they wrote reports in line with the board’s agenda.

Former senior executives at the Queensland Building and Construction Commission say they were coerced, bullied and targeted unless they wrote reports in line with the board’s agenda.

In a conga line of senior departures, some have come forward to chronicle an organisation stymied by division and poor culture.

One former senior executive accused the regulatory body of trying to get her to do things which may have been unlawful after providing advice to the board that was not what it wanted.

In an internal email, the former senior executive outlines a litany of interference, bullying and scapegoating of any employee that does not “toe the line’’ at the QBCC.

Her account is corroborated by four other whistleblowers, two of whom were in meetings with her when the directions were given.

QBCC inspectors conducting audits on worksites near Brisbane.

The claims of bullying and interference come after The Courier-Mail revealed a senior QBCC executive wrote an internal briefing note on how to manage a controversial development imbroglio, saying it had been triggered by “ministerial intervention”.

Public Works Minister Mick de Brenni has denied intervening.

In parliament yesterday he was again questioned by Opposition Leader David Crisafulli, who asked Mr de Brenni to explain why his statement, that he had not intervened in the QBCC “contradicts” one made by a senior body manager. “When building matters are brought to my attention they are always reported to regulators,” Mr de Brenni said.

In the internal email detailing issues within the QBCC, the whistleblower makes allegations of “maladministration’’ at the highest of levels, including certain executives being targeted after “refusing to direct outcomes sought by the board”.

The whistleblower writes: “Certain board members are instructing me to take particular regulatory action on WHS matters that I believe may be unlawful, following my advice and recommendations to the board members”.

“I believe my honest advice of the likely outcomes and the inability to take certain action against certain licensees and the board members’ continuing desire for particular regulatory action to be taken despite this advice has led to this being a ground for my potential termination,’’ the document says.

“I have also been requested by the (former) commissioner to not correct the record on a regulatory matter where the chief legal officer provided a summary of the matter to the board committee, which contained incorrect statements and I was instructed prior to the meeting by the commissioner not to disagree with the chief legal officer and not to speak up to the board committee.

“I have also become aware of (the) recent involvement of a board member in a staff disciplinary issue in circumstances concerning the board member’s personal interests and allegations concerning licensing requirements which the Director of Licensing advised not to be the case.

. Queensland Public Works Minister Mick de Brenni. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

“I was not made aware of the particular allegations of the board member in a timely manner.’’

The whistleblower said she had been the subject of “prolonged, systemic and deliberate isolation, failure to provide relevant information to do the job, and a lack of support after being abused by a colleague’’.

“I believe my independence in matters raised by board members where they have an interest in the outcome, and board members’ unhappiness with regulatory determinations contrary to their expectations, have caused at least in part the board to consider a lack of confidence in me,’’ the email said.

“A couple of weeks later, the matter had completely blown up and the Minister (Mr de Brenni) was very unhappy with a letter Brett (Bassett) had sent to licensees.”

In a statement, the QBCC said: “The QBCC’s people are our greatest asset. The QBCC attracts and retains a diverse workforce with the right skills to deliver our mandate. The QBCC promotes a positive and productive working environment and supports our staff.

“The QBCC supports the reporting of information about wrongdoing and encourages staff to speak up about any type of behaviour that falls below our expected standards. The QBCC manages any disclosure in accordance with relevant policy and legislation.’’

Opposition public works spokesman Tim Mander. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

In state parliament on September 1, Opposition housing and public works spokesman Tim Mander said a statement from Mr de Brenni saying he or his office did not interfere in QBCC matters had “enraged current and former staff of the QBCC”. He said board members had sat in on staff meetings and given direction with regard to policy development.

“Over the next short period of time, more and more stories will come out from whistleblowers who have had enough of this undue influence from the board, a board that this Minister appointed,” he said.

Mr Mander said the senior staff exodus was because they were “sick and tired’’ of the political interference.

In Right to Information requests provided to the Opposition’s former Public Works spokesman Michael Hart, the majority of the documentation released was redacted, particularly on a controversial “stop work’’ notice provided to the Groupline development project at Kirra. Groupline was pursued in the courts, but won its case against the QBCC, which spent millions on the failed legal action.