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Budget Estimates: Major accusations against former Parole Board president

The state government has accepted all four recommendations of a major review into Queensland’s parole board.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos JULY 11, 2022: Acting Assistant Commissioner Mark Kelly (Middle) arrives to the Brisbane Magistrates Court.The Commission of Inquiry into Queensland Police Service (QPS) responses to domestic and family violence.Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos JULY 11, 2022: Acting Assistant Commissioner Mark Kelly (Middle) arrives to the Brisbane Magistrates Court.The Commission of Inquiry into Queensland Police Service (QPS) responses to domestic and family violence.Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

The impact of Queensland’s DNA lab debacle on the state’s court backlog, and the government’s response to domestic violence is set to take centre stage at budget estimates on Friday.

Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath, Police Minister Mark Ryan and Corrective Services Minister Nikki Boyd is on the schedule in a day focused on law and order.

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Updates

Estimates returns next week: Here's what's happened to date

That brings this week's estimates hearings to a close.

We will return next Tuesday at 8:30am for Minister Mick de Brenni and all things Energy and Clean Jobs.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Bart Mellish will then front estimates on Tuesday night.


In case you missed it, here’s what’s happened at estimates to date:
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Top bureaucrat admits to hiring spin doctors for public servants
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'So nice': 5-star, luxury hotel rooms for Qld's homeless
‘Tokenistic sham’: Steven Miles’ flagship supermarket inquiry cost revealed
Qld CFMEU official gets board job after hit with series of workplace fines
'Complete fantasy' Dick slams notion consultation with miners on royalties was worthwhile
Gabba’s $1bn cost figure sensationally ‘not based on any analysis’
Premier explains twin jet use but cost remains a mystery

LNP lay wild accusations against Minister Boyd and former parole board president

A breakdown of what happened during that last session for everyone following at home:
Opposition Deputy Leader Jarrod Bleijie made some serious allegations against former Parole Board President Michael Byrne, who resigned from his role mid-year.
“The Opposition's being told by whistleblowers, that the elements of Mr Byrne's resignation alleged to have involved allowances being paid by associates of Mr Byrne's in the parole board or the department that he had a close personal or intimate relationship with," he said.
Mr Bleijie asked Corrective Services Minister Nikki Boyd, “are you aware of that?”
“No,” Ms Boyd said.
Mr Bleijie pressed Ms Boyd on the reason behind Mr Byrne’s resignation.
Ms Boyd told Mr Bleijie he should ask Mr Byrne the reason.
“When I met with him in June (12th), I told him that I wanted a parole board that was well managed, operating effectively, and one that the community had confidence in,” Ms Boyd said.
“He didn't tend to his resignation to me in that meeting, and I did not ask for his resignation in that meeting.”
Mr Bleijie also asked Queensland Corrective Service Commissioner Paul Stewart if he was “aware of any allegations of inappropriate use of allowances or travel allowance or any allegations made against the former Parole Board President involving a close friendship or association he may have had with someone in the department or the parole board?”
Mr Stewart said it was not appropriate to discuss matters before the Crime and Corruption Commission before the estimates committee, but did not confirm whether Mr Byrne had been referred to the CCC.
Mr Bleijie argued that the parliament clerk had informed him that it was legal to discuss CCC matters before the committee.
“Did you or anyone refer those particular, of those allegations (regarding Mr Byrne) raised tonight, to the crime and corruption commission?
Mr Stewart refused to answer, saying he was “of the opinion that I could not disclose that without breaching a legislative requirement of the crime and corruption commission”.
Mr Bleijie became increasingly frustrated at the lack of direct answers, prompting committee Chair Peter Russo MP to adjourn the hearing.
Upon the committee's return, Mr Bleijie continued his line of questioning to both Ms Boyd and Mr Stewart.
“I am giving the Commissioner now knowing the legislative facts, one more opportunity to tell this committee the truth,” Mr Bleijie said, before reminding Ms Boyd about Section 57 of the Criminal Code.
“(It’s) ministers and witnesses giving false testimony to ethics. It's what Gordon Nuttall went to jail for,” he said.
Ms Russo warned Mr Bleijie to move onto a new subject.
“This is an absolute joke. The minister can't even say whether she knew, it was aware of it and has referred it,” Mr Blejie said, before accusing Ms Boyd of failing to report the allegations to the corruption watchdog.
“I submit the Minister knew about it and she did not refer to the CCC under her obligations under the legislation.”
Mr Bleijie was then removed from the estimates hearing.
Ms Boyd made a final statement on the matter at the end of the estimates session.
"The former Parole Board President originally proposed a resignation date of July 12 and in discussions with my office agreed to bring that date forward to July 4,” she said.
"I'd further like to reiterate that any allegations of the nature raised by the Opposition would be referred to the appropriate body for investigation.
"It would not be appropriate for me to discuss matters that are before the CCC.
“If the Opposition is in possession of any allegations of wrongdoing by anyone, I'd urge them to refer those matters to the appropriate body so they can be properly investigated."

-Taylah Fellows

Opposition Deputy Leader ejected from estimates

Mr Bleijie has been ejected from the hearing for 30 minutes.


Major accusations levelled against former parole board president

Major accusations have been levelled against former Parole Board President Michael Byrne, with the estimates committee for Correctional Services forced to suddenly adjourn.
Opposition Deputy Leader Jarrod Bleijie has asked current Queensland Corrective Service Commissioner Paul Stewart whether Mr Byrne has been referred to the Crime and Corruption Commission over alleged misuse of travel allowance.
Mr Stewart has repeatedly told Mr Bleijie that he cannot disclose any potential reportings to the CCC and is unable to discuss the nature of the allegations before the estimates hearing.
“If any allegations were made in relation to that they would be of sufficient nature, excuse me, to refer to the crime and corruption commission,” he said.
“And I'm not saying whether they were or weren’t, it wouldn't be appropriate to discuss matters that have been referred to the crime and corruption commission in this committee.”
Mr Bleijie had also quizzed Correctional Services Minister Nikki Boyd over the nature of Mr Byrne’s resignation on June 14.
The resignation followed a meeting between Ms Boyd and Mr Byrne on June 12, but the Minister has told the committee that she did not request his resignation.
“During this meeting, I stressed the importance of having a parole board that was well managed, operating effectively, and one that the community has confidence in,” Ms Boyd said.
Ms Boyd officially accepted Mr Byrne’s resignation on July 4.
Peter Russo MP adjourned the hearing after Mr Bleijie refused to cease his line of CCC-related questioning to Mr Stewart.
Ms Byrne has extensive judicial and legal experience as a former Acting District Court Judge.
Mr Byrne's legal career also includes roles as Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions and the Vice President of the Queensland Bar Association.
He was appointed President of the Parole Board in 2017, serving for seven years.

-Taylah Fellows

State government accepts recommendations of major Parole Board review

The state government has accepted all four recommendations of a major review into Queensland’s parole board.
Corrective Services Minister Nikki Boyd made the announcement in estimates.
The review, undertaken by former District Court Judge Milton Griffin, is understood to be comprehensive and wide-ranging.
It was completed in late 2023.
More to come once the report makes its way onto the parliament tabled paper portal.

No insurance assurances for Qld's disaster recovery investments

Queensland Reconstruction Authority chief executive Jake Ellwood has revealed that insurance savings assessments are not done on disaster recovery projects entered into by the state.
It means the government is unaware of whether disaster recovery initiatives will drive down insurance costs.
“We are not in a position to be able to make a judgement about what insurance will and will not do,” Mr Ellwood said.
“We work closely with the Insurance Council of Australia when we're working with communities where we see that there are issues, but we're not in it (the council).
Mr Ellwood said while the North Queensland strata title plan and national disaster mitigation programs had a positive impact on insurance costs over time, it wasn’t certain.
“We're not in a position to make any assertion that it will or will not achieve a particular outcome,” he said.

-Taylah Fellows

Minister claims 'irresponsible' Bundaberg Council ignoring $1000 insurance savings

Focus has now turned to Queensland’s disaster recovery efforts.
The Bundaberg flood levy project has sparked a debate over who should bear the associated costs, including asset transfer fees, operations, maintenance, and future upgrades.
But when LNP spokeswoman for Disaster Recovery Ann Leahy mentioned concerns by Bundaberg Regional Council about the project, Minister Nikki Boyd was quick to criticise, calling the council’s stance “irresponsible”.
“I think it's irresponsible of the Bundaberg local government, Regional Council to actually say that they don't support this project,” she said.
“It is a project that we know will keep hundreds of Bundaberg locals safe, and it will also directly impact the cost of living of those Bundaberg locals as well.”
Ms Boyd said insurers, including Suncorp, had informed the government that residents protected under the levy would save up to $1,000 on their insurance premiums.
“They don't want to see people savings up to $1,000 because they don't want to write down the depreciation,” she said.
“I think it's entirely irresponsible of the Bundaberg Council, quite frankly, and I don't support those comments at all.”

-Taylah Fellows

Fire Commissioner admits radio black spot issue but can't think of any examples

Queensland Fire Department Commissioner Steve Smith has been forced to defend the fire service’s poor radio communication network system, which he admitted succumbs to black spots.
Commissioner Smith said firefighters were trained to handle “lost comms” situations, but conceded that “no system is perfect”.
Despite being the Commissioner of the fire department, he denied knowledge of any specific instances of lost communications.
“I know from my own history, have experienced where you do lose communications from time to time and there's a mechanism that you follow in order to re-engage with communications,” he said.
LNP Fire spokesman Dale Last asked whether the Commissioner knew of any instances since 2021 where staff had to use mobile phones to call for assistance due to failed radio transmissions.
Again, Commissioner Smith denied knowledge of “specific incidents”.
“Mobile services, satellite phone enabled services, are a part of that greater communications capability that we have if we are operating in environments for an extended period of time or for complex incidents,” he said.

-Taylah Fellows

LNP slams wasted $6m fire station

LNP Fire spokesman Dale Last has asked Fire Minister Nikki Boyd if she acknowledges that the government wasted $6 million building the Bracken Ridge Fire Station in 2019 only to have it resumed and relocated to make way for Gateway Motorway works.
Ms Boyd said the $6m was a worthwhile investment that had saved thousands of lives, before palming off any wastage responsibility to Roads and Transport Minister Bart Mellish.
“I am sure that there are more questions that actually sit behind the project in terms of the gateway and the Bruce Highway upgrades that would be better directed to the Minister for Transport and Main Roads,” she said.
“We'll always continue to invest in appropriate resources to be able to respond to community need, and that's entirely what this fire and rescue station has been doing for years.”

-Taylah Fellows

Estimates schedule: Fire Service

It's now Fire, Disaster Recovery and Corrective Services Minister Nikki Boyd's turn to front estimates.

The first session will focus on the newly restructured Queensland Fire Department, with Ms Boyd to face the committee alongside new QFD Commissioner Steve Smith.

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