Former Energy Minister Mark Bailey refuses to clarify relationship with Electrical Trades Union

FORMER Energy Minister Mark Bailey has repeatedly refused to directly answer questions over the closeness of his relationship to a trade union following the release of more emails from his private account.

Energy Minister Mark Bailey at the New Energy Summit, Marriott Hotel, Brisbane. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

• Mark Bailey’s private emails released
• Bailey says he is not involved pay deal

FORMER Energy Minister Mark Bailey has repeatedly refused to directly answer questions over the closeness of his relationship the Electrical Trades Union following the release of more emails from his private “mangocube” account.

The Australian today revealed more emails from that account showing he had conversed with the ETU about portfolio matters including a pay dispute with Energex.

The emails also reveal a CV was forwarded to Mr Bailey from former ETU boss Peter Simpson.

In one email, in response to a claim from Mr Simpson that someone had alleged the ETU had “paid off” Mr Bailey he responded “loose lips sink ships”.

This comes after he told State Parliament last year that the account was used for “private matters.”

Mr Bailey would not say of the person whose CV was forwarded to him got a job, nor would he explain what he meant by the comment “loose lips sink ships”.

Instead he repeatedly insisted the matter had been dealt with after the CCC found he had not acted criminally.

“This matter has been looked at thoroughly by the independent watchdog who looked into this matter. They found no issue with the content of my private email account in July last year,” Mr Bailey said.

“This is an old matter that has been well and truly dealt with.”

Mr Bailey denied it was inappropriate for his office to have intervened in a pay dispute with Energex after it was raised by Mr Simpson via his private account.

“Enterprise bargaining agreement that came out was consistent with the government’s policy on wages across government-owned corporations, absolutely consistent...so any engagement my office might have had with Energex would have been a matter to make sure that government policy was being implemented,” he said.

“What we saw is the outcome is consistent with government policy.

I was ensuring in terms of the execution of my duties that things were happening that were consistent with the government’s wages policy.”

When asked if he had the same level of engagement with unions involved in the Transport portfolio, Mr Bailey responded: “You can appreciated as the Minister for Transport and Main roads I have a lot of stakeholders, employer and employee... I work with stakeholders. That’s my brief, that’s my general approach that you should be cooperative and collegiate when you work with all stakeholders.”

“Every single email was scrutinised by an independent watchdog. They said there was no issue with the content of these emails.”