Four-year wait finally over as former state archivist Mike Summerell’s damning integrity report released

The Palaszczuk government ignored calls for years from the former state archivist to look at making ‘urgent’ changes to bolster public records laws, it can be revealed, as his report has finally been made public more than four years after it was submitted.

The Palaszczuk government ignored calls for years from the former state archivist to look at making “urgent” changes to bolster Queensland’s public records laws.

A 2017 report, in which Mike Summerell made the calls, was finally released to the public late on Friday – more than four years after it was submitted to the then-director general of Minister Leeanne Enoch.

It details Mr Summerell’s investigation into the Mark Bailey “mangocube” private email saga, and lists a series of recommendations, including calls for the state government to consider “urgent” legislative changes.

Among the changes he wanted considered was creating “appropriate penalties” for breaches of key sections of the Public Records Act.

And he also wanted the government to look at creating a “clear and contemporary” definition of the disposal of public records, as well as “compliance with mandatory recordkeeping guidelines”.

Despite suggesting in 2017 that the government should consider making “urgent” changes to the Public Records Act, it can now be revealed the government only started a review of the laws last year.

Former state archivist Mike Summerell.

A summary of the implementation of the recommendations – also released late on Friday – reveal a “detailed scope” of a review was still being finalised, more than four years after Mr Summerell wrote his report.

And a government spokesman last night acknowledged that details of the review were still being finalised.

Mr Summerell’s report was given to the director-general about a month after Minister Bailey was cleared by the Crime and Corruption Commission of any wrongdoing over his use of private email.

The report differs from a draft that was sent to Minister Leeanne Enoch about a month earlier, prior to the CCC clearance of Mr Bailey.

Differences in the final report included the omissions of names of certain staffers for Mr Bailey, and it no longer mentioned certain government ministers, including Minister Mick de Brenni and the now-Speaker Curtis Pitt.

The report details Mr Summerell’s investigation into the Mark Bailey “mangocube” private email saga. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Josh Wonning

A government spokesman last night said Mr Summerell had not been pressured to change the report from the draft to the final.

“The report tabled by the Minister is the final report as provided by the former state archivist to the director-general,” a government spokesman said.

The report was finalised by Summerell about one month before the 2017 state election, when Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was returned for a second term in power.

Another recommendation that is yet to be implemented includes Mr Summerell’s suggestion for the state archivist to issue a revised retention and disposal schedule to cover ministerial records.

The government spokesman last night said the ­retention schedule was “regularly updated”, and suggested further changes would be considered as part of the wider review.

“Details of the review are being finalised,” he said.