Qld Parliament: Labor-linked law firm withdraws job offer to Integrity Commissioner Nikola Stepanov

A Labor-linked law firm has rescinded its offer of employment to Queensland's outgoing Integrity Commissioner Nikola Stepanov, the LNP has revealed in parliament. FOLLOW OUR LIVE BLOG

Outgoing Integrity Commissioner Nikola Stepanov has had her offer of employment from Labor-linked law firm Holding Redlich withdrawn, the LNP says.

LNP frontbencher David Janetzki told parliament an offer of employment by Holding Redlich to Dr Stepanov had been rescinded.

Dr Stepanov was due to join the commercial and government legal agency after leaving her role as Integrity Commissioner on July 4.Mr Janetzki asked if the Premier could rule out ministerial involvement in the Labor-linked firm  withdrawing the employment offer - information the Opposition said came from a whistleblower.

Queensland Integrity Commissioner Dr Nikola Stepanov. Picture: Liam Kidston

Following a parliamentary tit-for-tat over whether the question was in order, Speaker Curtis Pitt allowed Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to respond.

Ms Palaszczuk said she has "no knowledge of what the member has raised in that question"."I cannot comment on something I am completely unaware of," she said.

Meanwhile, LNP MP Colin Boyce will cross the floor of state parliament and support a Katter’s Australia Party push to wind back regulations protecting the Great Barrier Reef.

The Bill, introduced by Katter’s Australia Party MP Nick Dametto, would wind back Labor’s 2019 reef protections which clamped down on landholders sediment run-off onto the reef.

Mr Dametto said his Bill would reverse the severe burden on farmers, who “now must get permission from bureaucrats in Brisbane to do the basic on-farm activities they have for generations”.

Labor and the LNP have indicated they will vote against the Bill, however the Opposition says it will introduce amendments to reward farmers who are doing the right thing. 

LNP leader David Crisafulli with Callide MP Colin Boyce . 

Mr Boyce, an LNP MP who will stand as the federal candidate for Flynn at the next election,  on Tuesday night revealed he would support the Katter’s Australia Party Bill. 

“The Labor Government has deliberately targeted agriculture with its misguided and badly thought out reef legislation,” he said.

“The Labor government has made no attempt at recognising the vast changes and huge leaps forward the agricultural sector has made in its management and farming practices in recent years.

“Since reliable records began, the amount of coral on the reef and coral growth rate has not declined despite the fear mongering and alarmism promoted by environmental groups and the Labor Government."

Question time will begin at 10.15am.