Labor MPs block release of CCC Trad legal action costs

Labor MPs have blocked the release of information detailing how much taxpayer cash the CCC has spent fighting to release its report into a bureaucratic appointment by former treasurer Jackie Trad, sparking a furious response from LNP’s Jarrod Bleijie.

Labor MPs have blocked the release of information detailing how much taxpayer cash Queensland’s corruption watchdog has spent fighting to release its still-secret report into a bureaucratic appointment by former treasurer Jackie Trad.

The Crime and Corruption Commission had provided information to its parliamentary oversight committee which detailed how much the organisation spent fighting legal action brought by Ms Trad in the Supreme Court to suppress the report relating to her appointment of under-treasurer Frankie Carroll.

Jonty Bush said now wasn’t the time to release the details. Picture: Liam Kidston

Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Commission chair Jon Krause on Tuesday moved a motion to release a redacted letter from the CCC which would have detailed the cost of the legal action.

However, the committee’s Labor MPs Jonty Bush, Jess Pugh, Corrine McMillan and Ali King used their majority to vote against the release of the details.

Ms Bush argued the matter was ongoing and, on when the legal cost would be released, said “there will be a time... that is not now”.

LNP’s Jarrod Bleijie said Labor was protecting Jackie Trad. Picture: NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

A furious LNP Deputy Leader Jarrod Bleijie said the decision proved “Jackie still controls them”.

“I would encourage Labor Party members not to continue the protection racket on Jackie Trad,” he said.

A separate letter from the CCC, which included redacted sections, was also blocked from release with Labor MPs noting it mentioned Ms Trad and claimed it could affect ongoing matters.

Mr Krause and Mr Bleijie questioned the Labor MPs on why they had concerns with releasing the letter despite the CCC being comfortable with publication.

“The CCC are happy, they’re the experts,” Mr Bleijie said.

Jackie Trad. Picture: News Corp/Attila Csaszar

When approached by reporters at parliament following the PCCC meeting, both Ms King and Ms McMillan declined to answer questions. They both suggested they were on roster to sit in the parliamentary chamber.

Mr Carroll’s appointment was referred to the CCC in May 2020 by the LNP after it was contacted by a whistleblower who alleged Ms Trad had interfered in the independent recruitment process, which had actually chosen another candidate.

Earlier this month CCC acting chair Bruce Barbour confirmed the report was finalised but said whether or not the PCCC, which has a copy of the report, could release it was a matter for it to get its own advice on.

“There are also judicial orders in place and it would be up to the committee to determine its own course in relation to the effectiveness of those judicial orders on its operations,” the CCC boss said.

Ms Trad’s legal action is being funded by taxpayers under legal indemnity guidelines that are available to former ministers but Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has said the cost of that can’t be released because it has not yet been calculated.

In March, a May 2021 suppression order was varied after general details of the legal action were raised in parliament by Mr Bleijie under parliamentary privilege that allowed the existence of the case to be publicly discussed.