Opposition questions Jackie Trad over Jim Murphy’s $300,000 payout
Jackie Trad has failed to answer questions fired at her by Opposition Deputy Leader Tim Mander over a controversial $300,000 payout that was only made public late last year.
QLD Politics
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QUESTIONS have been asked as to why former under-treasurer Jim Murphy qualified for a $297,000 termination payout after he decided himself to leave the job to move to Sydney.
Shadow treasurer Tim Mander asked whether Mr Murphy would hand back the cash after he was last week announced as Premier Annastacia Palaszcuzk’s new chief of staff.
But Treasurer Jackie Trad did not answer the question.
Instead, she said the Government were “very privileged” to have Mr Murphy back on its payroll.
“At the time that Mr Murphy chose to cease his employment in Queensland to go back to Sydney, where his family were living to spend more time with them, that was made clear, that was made public,” Ms Trad said.
Pressed on why the top bureaucrat would qualify for a termination payout if it was his own decision to leave, the Premier told the House: “The payout was under the terms of the contract.”
Mr Murphy’s $297,000 payout was made public in September with the tabling of Queensland Treasury’s annual report, more than a year after he left the job.
Ms Palaszczuk announced Mr Murphy’s departure from the role in August 2018 to return to NSW to be closer to his family and “take up new career opportunities”.
He was replaced by Frankie Carroll, a trusted former director-general to Ms Trad before she took on the treasury portfolio.
Mr Mander said the deal was outrageous.
“Ordinary Queenslanders don’t get a $297,000 golden goodbye when they decide on a career change,” he said.
“Queensland’s economy is on its knees, but Labor always finds money to lavish on its mates.
“The Premier should order her new chief-of-staff to pay the money back to Queensland.”
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