File note of Trad’s five-minute phone call to watchdog released
A diary note from Treasurer Jackie Trad has detailed her conversation with Queensland’s anti-corruption boss — and it spells out one thing she didn’t say.
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JACKIE Trad told Queensland’s anti-corruption boss she would not provide him with Integrity Commissioner advice she’d received about her controversial investment property.
The revelation is detailed in a file note taken by the besieged Treasurer released yesterday by a parliamentary committee after it quizzed her about the purchase of the $700,000 Woolloongabba home.
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The 52-word file note was handwritten by Ms Trad last month following her conversation with Crime and Corruption Commission chairman Alan MacSporran before she referred herself to his watchdog the following day for investigation.
It is penned on note paper featuring Christian pastor and anti-Nazi crusader Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s famed quote “It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.”
The Courier-Mail revealed last month that Ms Trad and her husband purchased the three-bedroom home near the $7 billion Cross River Rail project, which she is in charge of, but did not properly declare it on State Parliament’s Register of Member’s Interests.
Mr MacSporran was forced to recuse himself from the watchdog’s probe into the purchase following his five minute conversation with Ms Trad amid Opposition accusations of “insider trading” given her access to secret details about the project before the purchase.
Ms Trad promised to immediately sell the property after obtaining advice from Integrity Commissioner Nikola Stepanov, but backtracked on a commitment to release the material after referring herself to the CCC.
She says she has done nothing wrong.
Her file note details how she told Mr MacSporran that Dr Stepanov had warned against providing the watchdog with her advice about conflicts of interest concerning the property.
“Spoke to MacSporran and advised him of self-referral and submission being prepared,” it reads.
“Further information if required will be provided via lawyers. I.C (Integrity Commissioner) advised not to release her advice.”
Ms Trad’s file note also details how she told Mr MacSporran she did not want to compromise his assessment of the matter, but needed clarity over what to say publicly following her self-referral.
It also states she told the CCC chairman that the property would be sold following his assessment.
The CCC is yet to decide whether to formally investigate Ms Trad, however Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is under pressure to sack the Treasurer amid accusations her failure to disclose the purchase in Cabinet breached the ministerial code of conduct.
Ms Palaszczuk has insisted she is waiting for the watchdog’s decision, however the CCC has confirmed breaches of Cabinet rules are outside its jurisdiction.
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