Integrity crisis: Premier stands firm during fiery press conference over claims of interference in her office
Annastacia Palaszczuk has fired back in a heated exchange during a press conference as she was questioned over allegations concerning interference in her office amid the ongoing integrity issues plaguing the government. SEE THE FIERY ENCOUNTER
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Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has refused to say why she referred Integrity Commissioner Nikola Stepanov to a parliamentary committee with the power to sack her after she raised concerns about interference in her office.
Ms Palaszczuk on Thursday rejected Ms Stepanov’s allegations that those issues were linked, but said she “can’t say” what happened to cause the referral to the Economics and Governance Committee.
“I can’t say as some matters are before the CCC … I can’t comment any further,” she said, adding she had “obligations to refer matters under the Act”.
“The matters that were referred to that committee are not what she alleges.”
In a combative media conference – in which she asked a journalist not to “make stuff up”, ‘get your facts correct’, complained of 10-year-old issues with the Newman government and said it was hard to front up every day to give the Covid-19 update – Ms Palaszczuk again said she did not believe there were any integrity problems within her public service.
She rejected suggestions better training on their responsibilities might be necessary following days of complaints from Ms Stepanov and former state archivist Mike Summerell of interference in their offices.
Ms Palaszczuk said she would not comment on the alleged seizure of a laptop from the Integrity Commissioner’s office, declaring it was a matter for the CCC.
Neither would she be drawn on new allegations from Mr Summerell that his investigation into her former chief of staff David Barbagallo’s missing resignation letter was interfered in, allegedly by staff in the Premier’s office.
“My understanding is that these matters have been referred to the CCC and nothing has come to me to take any action on that,” she said.
Asked whether she had seen Mr Barbagallo’s original resignation letter herself, she said: “Resignation letters don’t go to me.”
The Premier said she had no problem with people raising issues, but said Mr Summerell had left almost a year ago.
She said media reporting should reflect that some of the issues being raised, specifically matters surrounding Mr Summerell’s mangocube e-mail investigation, happened up to five years ago.
She also said Mr Summerell had left the Government’s employ “some time ago” in March 2021.
However she repeatedly raised issues with the Newman government that happened up to a decade ago.
Ms Palaszczuk said she would not be lectured by the LNP, and said she suffered when she was opposition leader nine years ago.
She said she did not even get an office when she was elected Opposition Leader in 2012.
“I had to go and use an office that was next to the media gallery,” she said.
“We weren’t given phones, we weren’t given computers.
“I uphold the robust institutions that we have in this state.”
When asked whether the issues of the past week meant there was an integrity issue within her government, Ms Palaszczuk said she “did not sack 14,000 workers” like the LNP.
Rather than answer the question, she trumpeted her efforts to get Queenslanders vaccinated and said it was not easy to report Covid-19 deaths each day.
“Don’t for a moment think that I don’t get up everyday and want to do the best for this state,” she said.
Ms Palaszczuk also hit out at a reporter who asked about why Mr Summerell was unable to report concerns.
“Please don’t make stuff up,” she told him.
She later said: “I think we’re going around in circles.
“I think you need to get your facts correct.”
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