KAP refers Premier, LNP Leader to CCC

THE Katter’s Australian Party has referred Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington and two other LNP MPs to the Crime and Corruption Commission over the decision to slash the party’s extra staff.

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THE Katter’s Australian Party has referred Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington and two other LNP MPs to the Crime and Corruption Commission over the decision to slash the party’s extra staff following Senator Fraser Anning’s final solution speech.

“We’ve taken our concerns to the CCC,” KAP state leader Robbie Katter has announced.

“We have asked them to investigate these matters.”

Mr Katter said he had also asked the CCC to investigate Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Mander and LNP frontbencher Ann Leahy.

He called for Ms Palaszczuk to stand down while the CCC considers the complaint.

The Premier has dismissed any suggestion she may have breached the rules over her decision.

“I’m not worried about that at all,” Ms Palaszczuk said yesterday when the KAP first raised a potential CCC referral.

“Arrangements were put in place with the Katter Party which is normal for minority governments. We are a majority government and I made my views very clear.

“It’s not in breach. It is totally at my discretion.

“Everything has been done within the guidelines.”

KAP MP Nick Dametto said the party had been advised by the Clerk of Parliament that the four staff would finish up on Friday.

A spokeswoman for the Premier released a statement also dismissing allegations of any wrongdoing.

“The Premier acted within the guidelines for providing additional resources for crossbench MPs,” she said.

UQ Professor of Law Graeme Orr told The Courier-Mail yesterday that on the face of it he did not believe the Premier’s actions amounted to a breach of the Criminal Code.

He said her actions within the Parliament were also protected under a centuries old legal rule.

“There is a very old rule going back to 1688, the so-called British Bill of Rights that says that things that are done inside Parliament cannot be impeached in courts,” Professor Orr said.

“It is up to Parliament to resolve these things so ordinary statements and motions and things within Parliament cannot be considered by the general courts.

“There will be exceptional cases where one small party may end up needing more resources but it generally shows the problems with having ad hoc deals.

“If it was to be undone it should have been undone on the basis that we are no longer in a hung parliament situation.

“But the administration is entitled to give and take away and that wouldn’t be considered to be intimidation.

“I can see why the Katter Party would be upset about it but it is certainly not a matter for the courts.”

The CCC confirmed it had received the complaint and was now deciding whether or not it would investigate.

“The Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) can confirm that it has received a complaint from Katter’s Australian Party regarding changes to its staff allocation,” a CCC spokesman said in a statement.

“The CCC is assessing this complaint. It is important to note that an assessment is not an investigation.

“When the CCC receives a complaint, it first conducts an assessment to determine whether the matter falls within the CCC’s jurisdiction, whether an investigation is warranted, and, if so, which agency should be responsible.

“As this matter remains under assessment, it is not appropriate for the CCC to comment further.”