Qld Education Director-General Michael De’Ath has not read CCC report into botched appointment
Queensland’s most senior education bureaucrat has not read a CCC report into the botched appointment of a principal at a school in former deputy premier Jackie Trad’s electorate, while a staffer suspended over the matter was paid more than $630,000 while stood aside.
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A SENIOR education department bureaucrat who was suspended following a corruption probe which led to former Deputy Premier Jackie Trad quitting was paid more than $630,000 while stood aside.
But the state’s new education department boss has admitted he has not read the damning Crime and Corruption Commission report into the fiasco, despite the head of the watchdog declaring it essential for all public servants.
Deputy director-general Jeff Hunt resigned in mid-July more than two years after the CCC launched an investigation into the botched appointment of a principal at the new Inner City South State Secondary College, located in Ms Trad’s former electorate of South Brisbane.
On Thursday during a budget estimates hearing Education Department director-general Michael De‘Ath said Mr Hunt – who was ultimately found to have engaged in misconduct over the appointment – had received more than $630,704 in salary payments since the date of his suspension.
But when questioned by LNP education spokesman Dr Christian Rowan on whether he had read the CCC report on the matter, Mr De’Ath – who was appointed late last year – admitted he had not.
“I’m familiar with the issue. I have not read the report,” he said.
Dr Rowan then asked Mr De’Ath why he had not read the report, to which he responded “I’ve been briefed on the matters in as much as I’m able to be for the matters that pertain to my administration of the department.
“I’m working from the recommendations that were made and following the implementation plan for the department of those recommendations, and I’m satisfied with the work we’re completing to date on that basis.”
Then CCC chairperson Alan MacSporran, who resigned from his role in January this year, said at the time the report was essentially reading for all public servants.
“All Queensland public servants and elected officials should read this report to see how a straight forward recruitment process went off the rails. This type of conduct should never occur again,” Mr MacSporran said.
“There are vital lessons from this investigation that must be learned.”
A CCC statement at the time also said “it is important for any person interested in these matters to read the entirety of the investigation report and the submissions from relevant parties to understand the basis of the CCC’s conclusions following our extensive investigation”.
The CCC cleared Ms Trad of any wrongdoing over the appointment but the Public Service Commission later conducted a separate report into the allegations, and found there were grounds to take disciplinary action against Mr Hunt.
Though Mr Hunt launched an appeal to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, he was unsuccessful.
According to the QIRC’s ruling, the PSC found Mr Hunt involved himself “inappropriately, including making decisions, in the recruitment process for the principal (band 11) for the Inner City South State Secondary College”.
“The decision-maker was satisfied (Mr Hunt) had abused the trust and confidence given to him as a senior executive within the department of education,” the QIRC ruled.
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