Premier stands by minister amid ‘cover up’ claims

The LNP has demanded forensic engineer Sean Brady appear at this month’s Budget Estimates to be grilled on what it has labelled the “Callide cover-up”.

The LNP has demanded forensic engineer Sean Brady appear at this month’s Budget Estimates to be grilled on what it has labelled the “Callide cover-up”.

Opposition energy spokeswoman Deb Frecklington called for embattled Energy Minister Mick de Brenni to request Dr Brady’s attendance at the hearings to explain his three-year probe into the explosion at Callide Power Station.

“The Callide cover-up is one of the biggest ministerial cover-ups in Queensland’s history,” she said.

“They did everything in their power to bury the independent expert report so Queenslanders would never know the truth.

“Labor must allow Sean Brady to appear before Budget Estimates.”

It follows Premier Steven Miles playing down the role a lack of maintenance played in the Callide explosion, while backing Mr de Brenni after claims he had been misled.

Facing calls to resign, Mr de Brenni last week sensationally declared he had been misled, and accused former CS Energy chair Jim Soorley and CEO Andrew Bills of giving him incorrect information before the huge 2021 explosion.

Mr Miles on Monday declined to say whether he believed Mr de Brenni’s claim CS Energy executives had misled him about the standard of maintenance, but said the minister had his support.

Premier Steven Miles and Energy Minister Mick de Brenni. Picture: Liam Kidston

“What you’ve seen from the minister is a very, very frank account of how he held the appropriate people to account,” Mr Miles said.

“The government appoints boards to run these companies.

“What Mick has outlined is how he as a minister sought to hold them to account throughout that process they provided assurances to him he conveyed those to the public.”

Mr Miles could not explain when Mr de Brenni received the Brady report or why he did not reveal the advice about maintenance shortfalls until Thursday – saying those questions were best directed to the energy minister.

“My understanding was that it wasn’t until that Thursday press conference that he’d had a chance to properly analyse the report,” he said.

“The minister has since said that facts have been raised in this report that go to a different fact to what was his understanding.”

Mr Miles acknowledged maintenance was a factor in the explosion but said mistakes made in the replacement of a battery charger caused it.

The Callide Power Station.

Two special advisers will be appointed to the CS Energy board to ensure risks are being “adequately addressed and measured”, the premier said.

Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie said Mr Miles and Mr de Brenni were at odds in the saga.

“Steven Miles must have been reading a different report because he said no it wasn’t maintenance that was an issue and maintenance funding wasn’t cut, despite the Brady report saying it was,” he said.

“A day later you had his minister Mick de Brenni coming out saying that maintenance was an issue.

“They can’t get the cover up stories right, so who’s telling the truth?”