Labor MP Jo-Ann Miller says Jackie Trad integrity issue hurting Labor

A Labor Cabinet Minister has joined Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in admitting she only found out about Jackie Trad’s property purchase the day The Courier-Mail revealed the bombshell.

CABINET Minister Grace Grace has also admitted she only found out about Jackie Trad’s property purchase the day The Courier-Mail revealed the bombshell.

Ms Grace was asked when she found out about the Woolloongabba purchase this morning, after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s extraordinary admission yesterday that she only found out when The Courier-Mail asked questions.

“At the same time that we ... it became aware,” Ms Grace said.

“There’s really no reason for the Deputy Premier to inform me but I became aware at the same time when we found out that she had purchased the property and when she put the paperwork in.”

Who will act as Treasurer if Jackie Trad steps aside?

When further pressed on an exact time, Ms Grace said, “When it became in the paper, yes.”

The Education Minister said the CCC should be allowed to do its job without “continual public comment”.

In response to Peter Beattie’s thinly-veiled swipe at the Palaszczuk Government yesterday, Ms Grace said the Government had been “incredibly honest and open and it has been transparent and I think we exercise that every single day”.

MP Grace Grace with Deputy Premier Jackie Trad. Picture: Liam Kidston

Maverick Labor MP Jo-Ann Miller claims the integrity scandal that’s erupted following Jackie Trad’s family property purchase is hurting the Palaszczuk Government and doesn’t know whether it passes the pub test.

Ms Miller said Labor people, “our heart and soul, our workers,” were very concerned about the purchase, which has been referred to the Crime and Corruption Commission.

It comes after the Deputy Premier yesterday said she would stand aside should a CCC probe proceed.

Jo-Ann Miller

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk this morning wouldn’t be drawn on who would replace Ms Trad if that happened.

When asked whether Ms Trad had her support, Ms Miller referred to the Ipswich City Council saga.

“Jackie Trad never gave me any support at all when I was a Minister going through the political terrorism at that time and that was when I was pointing out the integrity issues within Ipswich City Council and she was local government minister,” the Bundamba MP said.

Ms Miller said whether Ms Trad stands aside was a matter for her.

“She’s made her position clear yesterday and she’s going to wait on the CCC, however our experience here in Ipswich is the CCC can take months if not years,” she said.

“The question is whether or not the Labor Party and the Labor Government can abide that time wait.”

Meanwhile the Premier this morning said she only found out about the property purchase the day before The Courier-Mail revealed it on July 18.

“I’m not commenting until the CCC does their investigation,” she said.

“The CCC is doing an assessment at the moment, they haven’t even said whether they’re doing an investigation.

“I’m quite sure that if the CCC investigates, they will look at those matters (Ministerial Code of Conduct).”