Labor MP Jim Madden cleared over allegations he used taxpayer money to buy art

A Palaszczuk government backbencher has been cleared of allegations that he used taxpayer money to pay for artwork at a school charity auction.

Member for Ipswich West Jim Madden. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

A Palaszczuk government backbencher has been cleared of allegations that he used taxpayer money to pay for artwork at a school charity auction.

After conducting his own investigation, the Clerk of Parliament, Neil Laurie, confirmed on Friday that Ipswich West MP Jim Madden never used public funds to pay for the artwork.

Allegations had initially been aired in The Australian that the MP used public funds to buy his then girlfriend Sarah Grist a butterfly artwork at the special school charity auction in 2018.

Mr Laurie began an investigation into the claims this week, after Queensland Labor state secretary Kate Flanders referred the allegations to him on Monday.

In a letter to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, which was tabled in parliament on Friday, Mr Laurie found the complaint was “not substantiated” and that there had been no misuse of public funds.

He said his investigation revealed Mr Madden purchased three photos, including the photo of the butterfly, at the Clermont Special School art auction in September 2018.

According to Mr Laurie, the photos collectively cost $185, with the butterfly photo given to a “third party”, before Mr Madden later retrieved it.

Mr Laurie said the school was paid by a cheque drawn from an account held by Mr Madden, and that the photographs were never acquitted through the members’ entitlement system.

“The consequence of not acquitting the photographs is that they were not paid out of public funds, but were by default paid for by the member personally,” Mr Laurie wrote in his letter to the Premier.

“The three photographs have been in storage at the electorate office since 2018 and remain at the office.”

In his letter, Mr Laurie said his investigation “did not cause a reasonable suspicion” that required the Crime and Corruption Commission to be notified.