Question Time blog: Claims former Parole Board boss romantically linked with Labor staffer
Parliament has been rocked by claims that a long-term Labor staffer was romantically involved with the former president of the Parole Board. QUESTION TIME BLOG
Premier Steven Miles during Question Time at Parliament House.
The LNP has sensationally revealed whistleblower claims in parliament that a long-term Labor staffer was "romantically involved with the former president of the Parole Board".
Member for Southern Downs James Lister asked the Premier if the explosion of crime happening in his electorate of southern downs was proof of Labor's soft on crime approach to the youth crime crisis.
Premier Steven Miles referred to his earlier announcement of a Cross Border Commissioner in order to coordinate activities on both sides of the border.
Premier Steven Miles.
"I was pleased this morning to announce the person the government intends to appoint to that role, Mr Ian levers," he said.
"I'm advised that he is available and likely to commence in that role next Monday, and will be on the ground in Goondiwindi next week, coordinating our efforts alongside New South Wales."
First question to premier about satellite hospital locations
LNP health spokeswoman Ros Bates noted the government had announced a rebuilt Gabba without analysis and state-owned fuel stations without modelling.
LNP health spokeswoman Ros Bates.
She asked Premier Steven Miles whether the next satellite hospitals, likely to be built in marginal seats, was "another example of the third-term Labor government putting its electoral survival over patient survival?"
Mr Miles, responding to his first question of the morning, said the LNP opposed the facilities.
"They are operating right now and they are benefiting Queenslanders and they are very, very popular," he said.
"It shouldn't surprise anyone that we are considering what the next wave of satellite hospitals will and should look like."
Mellish spared from responding to regional road funding question
Transport Minister Bart Mellish nearly took the first question from the opposite side of the chamber not aimed at Corrective Services Nikki Boyd.
But the question put to him about road funding by Mirani MP Stephen Andrew was ruled out of order.
Transport Minister Bart Mellish.
Mr Andrew attempted to ask Mr Mellish whether some of the $66bn in coal royalties would be used to fix "the absolutely shocking state of Queensland's disintegrating rural and regional road network," mainly, the Bruce Highway.
The end of the question was capped with Mr Andrew calling the Bruce Highway a goat track, and Mr Mellish was not required to provide a response.
-Taylah Fellows
Education Minister asked on addressing bullying in schools
After it came to light on Wednesday in The Courier Mail that bullying was the number one reason students were home schooled across the country, Member for Hinchinbrook Nick Dametto asked the Education Minister what was being done to address this problem in Queensland’s schools.
State Development Minister and former Education Minister Grace Grace standing in for Di Farmer who was away, said there had been an increase in homeschooling since covid for various reasons.
Former education minister Grace Grace.
Ms Grace said what they did as an education department was ensure being safe at school and being able to attend school in a safe environment is what our principals and hard working teachers strive for every single day.
“We have now employed psychologists in schools giving children who may be suffering from this to be able to see another trained professional to take the burden off our hard working teachers and principals. We have also included GPS in schools, wellbeing hubs in schools.
“We have also ensured that respectful relationship training is upgraded and spreads from the first year of prep at school right through to senior but speaker, as always, with these issues the education and our staff can't do it alone. We need the community to also step up. We need parents to step up.
Labor staffer 'romantically involved' with Parole Board president
Bombshell letters claim former Parole Board President Michael Byrne was in a romantic relationship with a Labor government staffer prior to being referred to the Crime and Corruption Commision last year.
The documents tabled in Parliament by the Opposition on Wednesday allege the staffer was involved in Mr Byrne's alleged misuse of travel funds while he was president of the parole board.
Former Parole Board president Michael Byrne.
Allegations against Mr Byrne have been referred to the CCC. He is not accused of wrongdoing.
Ministerial diary records show Corrective Services Minister Nikki Boyd met with Corrective Services Commissioner Paul Stewart on the morning of June 12.
Ms Boyd has admitted she was informed by Mr Stewart of allegations regarding Mr Byrne which had led to him being referred to the CCC on June 12, despite denying any knowledge of the allegations or CCC investigations during estimates hearing on July 26.
“I didn’t recall that during estimates, which is why I responded to the questions in the way that I did,” she said at the time.
“He’s (Mr Stewart) further clarified that with me in discussions after estimates.”
Ministerial diaries further show that Ms Boyd proceeded to meet with Mr Byrne alone on June 12, after her meeting with Mr Stewart.
Corrective Services Minister Nikki Boyd.
Two days later, he tendered his resignation.
The LNP used question time in parliament on Wednesday to grill Ms Boyd over her knowledge of the allegations against Mr Byrne prior to meeting with him on June 12 and accepting his resignation on June 14.
Ms Boyd has admitted that her office, after receiving the resignation, negotiated Mr Byrnes resignation date, bringing it forward from July 12 to 4.
She said this was to deliver "fresh leadership" in the Parole Board.
The LNP claimed in parliament Ms Boyd's office's negotiation with Mr Byrne was done to allow him to receive a higher pension payout, with July 4 marking his seven years of service – entitling him to an additional $30,000 per year.
Ms Boyd said she sought Crown Law advice after Mr Byrne resigned on June 14 and was instructed that July 4 was the earliest registration date possible.
“The advice that my staff gave me with that change in date was, any other option wouldn't result in a date that was sooner than the 4th of July,” she said.
Ms Boyd also denied knowledge of Mr Byrne’s potential entitlements connected with his resignation date.
“I don't know what his entitlements are. The date of his resignation is a matter to him,” she said.
Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie.
Letters now before parliament and sent by Opposition Deputy Leader Jarrod Bleijie to Crime and Corruption Commissioner Bruce Barbour have now detailed the allegations put to the LNP by a whistleblower, claiming Mr Byrne had claimed travel allowance for a person who did not qualify as his spouse.
Ms Boyd on Wednesday denied knowledge of the details of the allegations against Mr Byrne, saying she was only advised of their existence through a “high level briefing” by Mr Stewart.
She did not, at any point, ask Mr Byrne what the allegations involved.
“My view is the matter was referred to the appropriate avenue that was the proper course of action,” she said.
“I was informed that an allegation had been referred to the CCC, I was informed by my Commissioner, it was a very high level briefing that he was granted permission by the CCC to provide to me.
“I did not have the details of that allegation.”
Ms Boyd repeatedly told the parliament that she had outlined her involvement in Mr Byrne's resignation in two previous statements.
"I've tabled a statement in the parliament and written to the committee on this matter," she said.
"Both of those documents are on the public record and outline the responses to the matter that the members raised."
Statements provided by Ms Boyd on August 1 said "a number of issues" were raised with Ms Boyd's office in relation to Mr Byrne's conduct.
"This includes matters such as the use of “subject to” parole decisions and the use of acting arrangements that did not follow the cascading order set out in the relevant regulation," the statement said.
"Upon being made aware of allegations and issues with the performance of the former President of the Parole Board Queensland, I sought independent advice from Crown Law and then sought a meeting with the former President of the Parole Board Queensland.
"This meeting occurred on Wednesday, 12 June, 2024."
"If the Member for Maroochydore has details of allegations I strongly recommend that she refer them to the appropriate source to be dealt with," she said.
"I wasn't the person who made that referral."
She said the allegations were "not known to me".
Burleigh LNP MP Michael Hart interjected: "Did you know about it? Did you report it?"
Mr Byrne has been contacted for comment.
Boyd and Byrne resignation agreement under LNP microscope
Warrego MP Ann Leahy has asked Corrective Services Minister Nikki Boyd whether she was aware that if Mr Byrne's resignation date had been just one day earlier, he would not have been entitled to a $30,000 pay bump in his annual pension.
"Because July 4 was exactly the date which entitled him to the extra money," Ms Leahy said.
Ms Boyd claimed that her office had brought Mr Byrne's resignation forward from July 12 to 4 to "accelerate the filling of the position of the President of the Parole Board".
This is despite Mr Byrne tendering his resignation weeks earlier on June 14.
Ms Boyd did not answer whether she was aware of Mr Byrne's subsequent pension pay rise associated with the resignation date assigned by her office.
-Taylah Fellows
Opposition claims Mr Byrnes resignation allowed him an extra $30,000
The opposition has claimed that Mr Byrne's resignation was arranged for July 4 marking exactly seven years of service, allowing him an extra $30,000 to be added to his pension payments.
Member for Buderim Brent Mickelberg asked Corrective Services Minister Nikki Boyd if she could confirm that by allowing the former Parole Board President to resign, rather than be stood aside, penning an investigation ensured he cannot be stripped of his $210,058.80
"As I've said in the previous answer, there was arrangements that were made consulting crown law around this particular thing," she said.
"The former parole board president actually resigned. Initially forecast, and I'm not aware of any other matters."
Why was minister negotiating exit of Parole Board president?
Corrective Services Minister Nikki Boyd is copping a grilling from the opposition over her involvement in the negotiated resignation of former Parole Board president Michael Byrne.
Corrective Services Minister Nikki Boyd.
All four opposition questions to date have been directed to Ms Boyd, leaving Premier Steven Miles with a quiet morning so far.
Ms Boyd was asked by LNP corrective services spokesman Dale Last why her office negotiated to bring forward the resignation of Mr Byrne from July 12 to July 4 "instead of standing him down?"
The minister said the LNP was eager to "play politics with matters rather than refer them to correct processes".
She said the date was brought forward to get "fresh leadership" into the Parole Board.
Corrective Services Minister under fire over one-on-one Byrne meeting
Corrective Services Minister Nikki Boyd has sensationally continued to refuse answering questions over the timeline of former Parole Board President Michael Byrne's resignation and his referral to the Crime and Corruption Commission.
Opposition Deputy Leader Jarrod Bleijie continued grilling Ms Boyd over the details of her meetings held with both Corrective Services Commissioner Paul Stewart and then Mr Byrne on June 12.
"Diary records show she met with the former parole board president after being informed of his CCC referral," Mr Bleijie said, before asking Ms Boyd why she would knowingly meet with Mr Byrne alone after learning of the CCC investigation.
Ms Boyd refused to answer the question, again referring to her previous statements tabled to parliament after estimates hearings.
Ms Boyd claimed those statements had already addressed the concerns raised by the Opposition.
"I spoke at length at the estimates committee hearing about the nature of that meeting with the former president of the Parole board," she said.
-Taylah Fellows
Minister further probed on Parole Board president's resignation
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli further probed Corrective Service Minister Nikki Boyd to tell Queenslanders why the former Parole Board President Michael Byrne was allowed to resign on his own terms, entitling him to a pension for life, rather than being stood down pending a Crime and Corruption Commision investigation.
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli.
Ms Boyd deflected the question and instead talked about the details of the resignation saying Mr Byrne had tendered his resignation on the 12th and her office had arranged to have the date brought forward.
"We brought that forward to the fourth. So I think you know, the basis of the question that the member alleges isn't actually factual."
The government’s 100-day-plan commitment to investigate staffing levels in regional Queensland maternity services has discovered a shocking shortage of obstetricians, anaesthetists and midwives.
A new report by S & P Global revealed Queensland’s spending is unsustainable, prompting warnings that without spending cuts the state faces a credit rating squeeze.
