Questions unanswered on what integrity probe will investigate, how long it will take

The former state archivist whose shocking allegations that a public report was altered triggered Annastacia Palaszczuk to assign her Director-General to launch an investigation has slammed the appointment, as key questions remain unanswered.

The former state archivist whose shocking allegations that a public report was altered triggered Annastacia Palaszczuk to assign her Director-General to launch an investigation has slammed the appointment, as questions remain unanswered.

Former state archivist Mike Summerell sensationally claimed his 2018-19 annual report was altered – with the final version not including his critical statement of the government, triggering the Premier’s response on Tuesday, but it’s not known when the findings will be finalised by or whether they will be publicly released.

Mr Summerell claims he was pressured to remove “essentially any content which could be perceived negatively” from his 2017-18 annual report – including “anything” that referred to Minister Mark Bailey’s private email scandal.

During an extraordinary press conference on Tuesday, the Premier said the state archivist was not an independent statutory authority maker when grilled over why there were two versions of the report.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Tuesday Director-General Rachel Hunter was looking into the issue. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

But she couldn’t say whether this then meant the government could meddle with the report, instead saying her Director-General Rachel Hunter would look into it.

Her comments contradicted those of then Director-General Jamie Merrick who in 2017 said the state archivist was an “independent statutory role”.

“He is not an independent statutory authority maker, he is an employee of the department,” Ms Palaszczuk said on Tuesday.

Mr Summerell on Wednesday said the appointment of Ms Hunter to review matters was “inappropriate” and presented a potential conflict of interest that could lead to her findings being viewed with suspicion, even if unfairly.

“A key element of the matters being raised relate to public servants putting the political interest of the government above the public interest,” he said.

“A senior official whose role is primarily to support the Premier is a poor choice to investigate these matters.

“I believe that for some the ability to be honest and truthful will be extremely difficult given the seniority and status of this individual.

Former state archivist Mike Summerell.

“The DG of DPC is a powerful position held in awe and fear by many senior public servants.

“The question of conflict of interest is an obvious one.

“A number of the matters I have raised unfortunately do involve the Premier and the Office of the Premier.

“I would stress the matters don’t involve inappropriate interference or similar by the Premier or her Office, but they do relate to matters where others potentially sought to protect the Premier or her Office, whether they needed it or not.

“The DG of DPC would be an inappropriate person to undertake such a review in my opinion because of this potential perception of a conflict of interest.”

He said an “independent entity” should be appointed instead, such as the CCC, the Queensland Audit Office, or the Ombudsman.

Alternatively, a completely independent entity such as a Commission of Inquiry could be appointed, he said.

The Premier said she wasn’t fully across the issue when peppered with questions about Mr Summerell’s allegations but said she had spoken to Ms Hunter who was looking into it.

She did not give details on when this would be finalised by, what the investigation would look into exactly and whether the findings would be released.

Ms Palaszczuk said it was appropriate for Ms Hunter to lead that investigation as the head of the public service, rejecting suggestions an independent person should head it.

“She (the director-general) said to me this morning that she’s more than happy to look into those allegations that have been raised,” she said.

“But she needs to be able to do that independently from me.

“I have not seen the full summary (of the allegations that have been raised).

“I’ve heard about it and as I’ve said they are serious.”

It came as Minister Mick de Brenni, whose department oversaw the office of the state archivist during the time of Mr Summerell’s allegations, refused to answer several questions including why there were two versions of Mr Summerell’s annual report.

Queensland Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen and Minister for Public Works and Procurement Mick de Brenni said he was not aware of any wrongdoing. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

In a statement, Mr de Brenni said he was not aware of any wrongdoing and that if any public servant had evidence of wrongdoing, they were obliged to report it.

Mr Summerell on Tuesday clarified that he had no direct interactions with Mr de Brenni or his office regarding these matters at the time.

Mr Summerell claimed that from 2018, a clause in the relevant Act was used “to ensure I lost essentially all independence”.

He said after drafting his 2017-18 annual report, he was “pressured to remove essentially any content which could be perceived negatively”, including anything that referred to Mr Bailey’s private email probe.

“It became a completely misleading document. … and intentionally so,” he said.

“I considered this annual report a major failure of my time as state archivist.”

He alleges in 2018-19 that he was directed again to remove “essentially any content that could be perceived negatively.”

“This time I refused – I refused to make any changes to my statement at all,” he said.

“But in 2018-19 there is no statement by me at all in the final version of the annual report that was tabled.”

Queensland Director General Rachel Hunter. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

Ms Palaszczuk said if the matters raised by Mr Summerell were of such concern to him at the time, why weren’t they raised.

But Mr Summerell said he had raised them repeatedly.

“My wider integrity concerns have never been investigated, and that is actually the point,” he said.

“I communicated constantly of these concerns from 2017 to my departure in 2021 and they were completely ignored.”

The Premier again resisted calls for a wider inquiry into her government’s integrity, saying if Tony Fitzgerald and Alan Wilson – who are heading a separate inquiry into the Crime and Corruption Commission’s functions – wanted to expand the terms of reference, they could.

She insisted Queenslanders could have confidence in the state’s checks and balances.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said Queenslanders wanted a full inquiry into the “integrity crisis”.

“The Premier must immediately launch a Royal Commission-style inquiry into the integrity inferno engulfing her government,” he said.