Crucial integrity reforms lagging despite Palaszczuk promise
Integrity reforms proposed in a bombshell report are yet to be introduced more than 300 days after the Premier committed to them ‘lock, stock and barrel’.
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A suite of crucial reforms proposed by Professor Peter Coaldrake in his bombshell integrity report are still yet to be introduced more than 300 days after the Premier committed to them “lock, stock and barrel”.
The Palaszczuk government has conceded only four of the 14 recommendations in Prof Coaldrake’s landmark Let the Sunshine In report have been completed, with the rest still underway or partially done.
The LNP marked this week’s 300 day anniversary since the Coaldrake report was released by attacking the government’s progress, insisting Queenslanders can’t afford to wait years for the reforms.
Among the significant changes proposed – and accepted by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk – was the proactive release of Cabinet submissions, agendas, and discussion papers.
The Premier previously touted the Cabinet document shake-up as “revolutionary”, when Prof Coaldrake floated the idea 10 months ago as a way of signalling an open culture in the government.
But the major transparency reform – which would see documents released within 30 business days rather than in 30 years – still had not been implemented, and there is also no time frame on when.
Another reform that still has not been introduced is mandating that ministerial staff detail their meetings with lobbyists in the official published diaries of their ministers.
The government also won’t say if a single clearing house for complaints across government will be introduced – something Prof Coaldrake had suggested in his report should be considered.
A government spokesman on Tuesday said all the recommendations had either been implemented or were underway.
And in response to questions put to the Premier, her office pointed to her answer to a parliamentary question on notice where she insisted “significant progress has been made”.
“These are nation leading reforms and as Prof Coaldrake himself has said, it is important to take the time to get this right,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“The government is giving careful consideration to Prof Coaldrake’s other recommendations and is taking the time to make sure these comprehensive reforms are effective and genuinely improve the Queensland integrity framework.
“Over the next 12 months, the government will be continuing the program of reform recommended by the Coaldrake report.
“A second tranche of amending legislation is expected to be before the parliament later this year.”
Ms Palaszczuk said the government remained committed to the proactive release of Cabinet documents, and was “working through how this can best be achieved”.
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said Queenslanders deserved a government that was transparent and accountable.
“The Palaszczuk government’s only focus is seeing the sun rise on a fourth term in office, not letting the sunshine in to heal the integrity crisis,” Mr Crisafulli said.
LNP integrity in government spokeswoman Fiona Simpson also said Queenslanders could not afford to wait years for the government to “make the sweeping integrity reforms needed”.
Prof Coaldrake’s damning report from June last year lifted the lid on widespread failures across the state government and in the public service.
The report also detailed allegations of public servants being subjected to disrespectful, belittling, or bullying interactions with ministers and their staff.
At the time of its release, Ms Palaszczuk accepted all 14 of the report’s recommendations – and vowed to implement them “lock, stock and barrel”.
Mr Coaldrake used his report to propose the government immediately activate its review of the Public Interest Disclosure laws to better protect whistleblowers – something they have since done.
Among the four recommendations the government says it has completed is the introduction of fixed term, five year contracts for directors-general of government departments.
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