David Barbagallo resigns from Annastacia Palaszczuk’s office amid integrity questions

Annastacia Palaszczuk’s right-hand man has resigned as the corruption watchdog weighs claims against him. But the Premier says his departure is unrelated.

ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk‘s right-hand man David Barbagallo has resigned his post as he awaits the resolution of corrupt conduct allegations levelled at him by the Opposition.

But the Premier insists her chief-of-staff’s departure is not linked to the Crime and Corruption Commission’s assessment of the taxpayer-funded co-investment awarded to help a company Mr Barbagallo co-owns develop a smartphone app.

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Ms Palaszczuk said Mr Barbagallo had informed her of his impending departure in June, the month before revelations surfaced at Budget Estimates that a $267,500 Advance Queensland Business Development Fund co-investment had been awarded to Fortress Capstone – of which he is a director and shareholder – to develop the CruiseTrakka app.

“I want to thank David for the work that he has done in my office,” Ms Palaszczuk said as she revealed his departure.

“He wanted to go last November and I asked him to remain.

“He advised me in June, before any issues were raised, that he intended to go by October.

“I have accepted that resignation but I also just want to put on the public record that by no means says that he has done anything wrong.”

The Premier said Mark Cridland, her deputy director-general, had been appointed to fill the COS role.

Mr Barbagallo was notably absent from this week’s Regional Parliament sittings in Townsville. The Courier-Mail understands he took leave.

Mr Barbagallo says he declared his interest and withdrew his involvement in the application when he joined the Premier’s office in 2017.

An Ernst & Young audit ordered by the Department of Premier and Cabinet was handed to the CCC last week, with the watchdog assessing the matter.