Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate repeats call for CCC boss to stand aside

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate has repeated his call for the head of Queensland’s integrity watchdog to stand down, accusing him of ‘not sticking to facts’.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate has again called for the head of Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission to stand aside, claiming chair Alan MacSporran had a pattern of “chest puffing” and “not sticking to the facts”.

Cr Tate, whohas been investigated by the CCC, said Mr MacSporran must stand aside during an inquiry by the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee into actions against seven Logan councillors.

The former Logan City Council was dismissed in 2019 after the CCC charged several elected councillors with fraud, but those charges were withdrawn in April due to lack of evidence.

Cr Tate initially called for Mr MacSporran to stand down when the charges were withdrawn, but made the call again on Wednesday following following revelations by The Australian that the integrity watchdog aired secret documents in a bid to assist the unfair dismissal case of a witness in the Logan corruption probe.

“These allegations cut to the core of our democracy and frankly, I’m surprised the chair has to date refused to stand down,” Cr Tate said.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate. Picture: Jerad Williams

“That’s all Queensland wants.”

Tate said he felt public officials had lost faith in the CCC to effectively do its job.

“The majority of Queenslanders probably [don’t] dig down about the CCC, but the people who are in public office, police and all of the public figures, they’re the ones who have lost faith,” he said.

“When you look at the track record (of Mr MacSporran) there is a pattern there of chest puffing or not getting the facts of the cases right.

“There’s a pattern of not sticking to the facts and reacting to whether it’s political operatives or even media.”

He also said that he feared that quality political candidates were being put off running for council out of fear of unfair action by the CCC and Mr MacSporran.

Alan MacSporran QC has been the CCC Chairperson since 2015. Photographer: Liam Kidston

“That’s what I’m worried about, that good future candidates for local government, state government, if this is not clear, I think those quality candidates will go ‘why would I want to expose myself to public life (if) I may get crucified without facts,” he said.

The comments follow federal MP and former Brisbane councillor Julian Simmonds on Tuesday calling for Mr MacSporran to immediately stand down.

“That is a level of accountability he would expect of other elected officials and he should hold himself to the same standard,” he told parliament.

The CCC declined to comment.

“It is not appropriate for the CCC to comment before the PCCC inquiry has commenced, or to comment on matters that may be the considered during the PCCC inquiry,” a spokesperson said.