Qld integrity crisis: Education boss asks staff to dob in dodgy colleagues

The Education Department’s new director-general has issued an appeal to staff to dob in dodgy workmates. SEE THE VIDEO

Teachers and education bureaucrats are being encouraged to dob in their dodgy colleagues anonymously in a new integrity push.

The Education Department’s new director-general Michael De’Ath has issued a video message to all employees telling them integrity is their core business and there is zero tolerance for those flouting the rules.

The probity push comes as Professor Peter Coaldrake continues his four-month investigation into the integrity and culture of the Queensland Government and two years after the department was severely embarrassed by a scathing CCC investigation into the appointment of a principal at an inner-city high school.

Mr De’Ath described integrity as “central to all that we do” in a six-minute missive emailed to staff.

“The department’s integrity plan reflects our zero-tolerance approach to fraud and corruption,” he said.

“Now, that might sound a bit hard-hitting, but these things often start small through things like accepting a gift without declaring it, not following the correct process in selection staff, workplace cultures based on fear, where people feel they cannot talk about their concerns.”

He said the department had already introduced “rigorous mechanisms” to ensure appointment of executive and senior principal positions were impartial and meritorious but “our next focus area is to actively encourage a culture of speaking up”.

“Reporting wrongdoing is everyone’s obligation and we have introduced an online form so you can lodge a complaint anonymously,” he said.

Education Department director-general Michael De’Ath

He said focusing on integrity “is not a distraction from our core business of teaching, leading industrial relations, developing racing policy or leading people”.

“Acting with integrity is our core business … and remember, the behaviour we walk past is the standard we are prepared to accept,” he said.

“Call our things that don’t look right to you.”

Mr De’Ath said the department would next undertake corporate credit card reform, including a review of all credit card transactions, and would be raising awareness of what constitutes a conflict of interest.

A department spokesman said the confidential online form was available for employees, students and members of the public to report concerns, and that all would be treated with confidentiality and security.

The focus comes as Professor Coaldrake’s found cultural problems with senior public servants sanitising their advice to protect ministers and ministerial staffers operating outside their powers.

And it follows CCC findings in 2020 that cleared former deputy premier Jackie Trad of corruption when she met with a Brisbane South State Secondary College principal candidate but offered a damning assessment of the department’s internal workings.

The recruitment had included poor or no record keeping, inappropriate interference, an instruction to delete a public record, and the publication and use of false information to make decisions.

The Public Service Commission has still not disclosed the outcome of a related investigation into stood-aside deputy director-general Jeff Hunt.