Minister Meaghan Scanlon backs Premier’s comments about warring watchdogs

A State Government frontbencher has echoed Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s heavily criticised response to a spat between top bureaucrats.

State Government frontbencher Meaghan Scanlon has backed the Premier’s comments that two warring senior officials should “sit in a room” and talk it out, with Ms Scanlon saying it would be the “proper course of action”.

It comes as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk dismissed accusations from the Integrity Commissioner that the head of the Public Service Commission had called her a “b***h on a witch hunt” during a 2018 phone call.

Speaking on the Gold Coast this morning, the Member for Gaven supported Ms Palaszczuk’s advice of telling the staffers to “sit in a room and have a full and frank discussion”, potentially with the help of a mediator.

“That’s ultimately a way in which it can be sorted out, as is the case with any other workplace disputes, that is the proper cause of action,” Ms Scanlon said.

Minister Meaghan Scanlon

When asked how she rated the Government’s performance on integrity as a whole, Ms Scanlan said the Labor Government had performed “significantly better” than its LNP predecessors.

“I think our track record is pretty clear that this government is focused on making sure that we’re a government that has transparency,” she said.

“We’re a government that wants to make sure that we do everything in the public interest.”

She also said an inquiry into government integrity wasn’t necessary as the state already had a standing royal commission, and any allegations that aren’t referred to the CCC is just “political mudslinging”.

Ms Scanlon also addressed fellow minister Mark Bailey’s private email scandal, saying that a previous CCC investigation from 2017 had determined there was no corrupt conduct.

“There was a recognition that we need to make it clear to all ministers and all public servants around what record keeping expectations there are on all levels within the public service,” she said.

“That information was circulated and we’re all aware of our obligations and comply with them.”