NGR inquiry a sham, says Campbell Newman

FORMER premier Campbell Newman has slammed the appointment of a retired District Court judge to lead an inquiry into the state’s rail fail as a “sham”, claiming the LNP should have been consulted.

• Ex-judge to lead inquiry
• Rail fail widens
• Power problem chaos

FORMER premier Campbell Newman has slammed the State Government’s appointment of a retired District Court judge to lead its inquiry into the rollout of new trains for the southeast as a “sham”, claiming the Liberal National Party should have been consulted.

It comes after The Courier-Mail revealed both Mr Newman and the current Labor Government had agreed to publicly release cabinet documents related to the troubled $4.4 billion New Generation Rollingstock rollout.

Acquisition of the trains began under Anna Bligh’s Labor government when Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was transport minister.

The Government yesterday announced that retired District Court Judge Michael Forde would lead the inquiry.

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington last month wrote to Ms Palaszczuk, encouraging the Government to appoint the state’s Auditor-General, saying the office had the independence, experience and resources necessary to undertake the inquiry.

It is understood the LNP was not consulted ahead of Mr Forde’s appointment.

Former premier Campbell Newman believes the NGR inquiry has been politicised.

Mr Newman said the only acceptable way forward was for full bipartisan support of the inquiry’s chairperson.

“Given that this has not happened, it’s clear the Government is trying to control the result to present themselves in a good light and politically damage the LNP,” he said.

“While I have the greatest respect for the nominated head, he should recuse himself because of perceptions over his strong alignment to the Labor Party.

“This is a sham, it is not a proper inquiry, and if it continues in this way I will continue to call it for what it is, a sham.

“Why was the hard-hitting and independent state’s Auditor-General not selected to head this inquiry?

“Are Labor afraid of what this independent public servant would have uncovered?”

A government spokesman said Mr Newman had told radio this morning he was “really pleased”.

“No one expressed any concerns about Mr Forde when he conducted a review of the tow-truck industry,” the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, an advocacy group says disabled commuters have been left disadvantaged because the NGR fleet continues to operate without meeting national standards.

The trains were denied an exemption by the Australian Human Rights Commission after it was discovered they had no disabled toilets and limited access for wheelchairs.

Despite that ruling, the Government has continued to operate the trains, a decision criticised by advocacy group People with Disability Australia.

The New Generation Rollingstock units have continued to operate despite not meeting disability access standards.

“Access to public transport is vital so that people with disability can get to work, study and recreation,” spokeswoman Frances Farrant said today.

“The decision to use inaccessible trains has been outrageous and ignores the rights of people with disability to use public transport, just like everyone else.”

A contract was later approved by Mr Newman’s LNP government, with the first of the Indian-made trains arriving after Labor returned to power in 2015.

Delays and ongoing problems with the rollout of the 75 trains has drawn criticism from both sides of politics.

Almost 60 passengers were trapped underground last month when a fault caused by one of trains damaged power lines, leading to widespread delays.

The incident resulted in another train on the Brisbane airport line breaking down in a tunnel for over an hour, with passengers evacuated via an emergency exit and one needing medical treatment for anxiety.

Canadian company Bombardier is undertaking work to fix the trains at the railyards in Maryborough, northwest of Brisbane.

Additional reporting AAP