Timeline for secret cabinet document release revealed

We can reveal when the near-immediate release of secret State Cabinet documents will be enforced.

Queenslanders will be given near-immediate access to secret State Cabinet documents from the beginning of next year as the Palaszczuk government reveals a timeline for the key recommendation from a landmark integrity review.

Matters deliberated on by cabinet have remained under lock and key for decades but The Courier-Mail can reveal the 30-day release of previously secret documents will be introduced in the first quarter of 2024.

The proactive release scheme was proposed last year by Professor Peter Coaldrake’s review into government integrity culture, which said the public would have more trust in government if decisions were “made in the open and subject to scrutiny”.

Currently, State Cabinet documents are kept secret for 20 years.

A Palaszczuk government spokeswoman told The Courier-Mail the “proactive release of Cabinet documents is a nation-leading reform”.

Professor Peter Coaldrake conducted a landmark integrity and transparency review into the government.

“I’m advised the scheme is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2024 and the amendments before parliament will support the scheme’s implementation,” she said.

“Extensive work to set up systems and train staff is required to ensure an effective proactive release system.”

Earlier this month, the government introduced legislation to put in place protections for the public release of the sensitive information.

But the proactive release is an administrative scheme that doesn’t require legislation. Therefore, once the suite of amendments have passed it is expected the government will begin the rapid release of previously secret documents.

The Palaszczuk government is still yet to act on three recommendations from the landmark review nearly 500 days after Prof Coaldrake handed down his findings.

But Opposition integrity spokeswoman Fiona Simpson said a number of the recommendations are merely in progress rather than being completed.

She also cited government secrecy related to the $2.4 billion blowout of the train manufacturing scandal as evidence integrity and transparency remains an issue.

“(Change of culture) requires the Premier to hold ministers accountable for their actions but sadly that leadership is missing in action,” Ms Simpson said.

“The recent example of lack of accountability with the cover-up over the $2.4 billion cost overrun in Transport, and who knew what and when and why it wasn’t released, is one example that nothing has changed.

“The letter and spirit of the Coaldrake recommendations still haven’t been fulfilled.”