Premier responds to CCC findings of principal recruitment process

Annastacia Palaszczuk has spoken about a damning report by the state’s corruption watchdog of the recruitment process of a school principal, if the Education Department can be trusted and if she thinks the public service was scared of then deputy premier Jackie Trad.

ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk says a damning report by the state’s corruption watchdog was a “good wake up call” for how public servants should conduct themselves while claiming she wasn’t happy about the findings.

“I’m not happy and frankly it is a very serious issue when you have public servants that have misled the Premier and the minister of the day,” she said.

“That does not wash well in my book, I don’t think it washes well with anyone and I do expect the public service to provide fearless and frank advice but accurate advice because I rely on that advice and the public relies on that advice.”

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The Crime and Corruption Commission yesterday cleared former deputy premier Jackie Trad over allegations she’d interfered in the recruitment process of the Inner City South State Secondary College principal.

But the seven-month investigation, which raised Fitzgerald-like concerns of a public service that was fearful of its political masters, uncovered how a recruitment process was driven “off the rails” by public servants who interfered, lied and then falsified student enrolment figures.

The Premier said she had spoken with her Director-General to discuss some of the cultural issues raised in the report.

Ms Palaszczuk also said the Public Service Commissioner would now look into disciplinary action of public servants caught up in the school saga.

But she did not want to speak about individuals, instead referring to a confidential report which the CCC has forwarded to the Public Service Commission.

Asked if the public service was scared of Ms Trad, the Premier said she didn’t think so.

“I’m quite sure that everybody in my Cabinet will read the report,” she said.

“I note what Mr MacSporran (CCC chairman Alan MacSporran) said yesterday as well and it’s a good wake up call for everyone in the way in which they conduct themselves and that’s both at a public service level and at a ministerial level.“

Ms Palaszczuk said the public could trust the Education Department following revelations enrolment figures for the school had been manufactured.

“Yeah, you can trust the Education Department but unfortunately what it found is that some individuals falsified documents or falsified information,” she said.

“That is not acceptable.

“The public relies on factual information, I rely on factual information and as I said it’s not good enough.”

Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath is looking at a CCC recommendation to make it an offence to publicise corrupt conduct claims amid a state election.

Asked whether Ms Trad could rejoin Cabinet if Labor wins the October election, Ms Palaszczuk said she didn’t deal in hypotheticals.

Education Minister Grace Grace said the report unearthed “concerning and disappointing” actions by a small number of people within the department.

“Every year more than 350 principals are appointed but in this instance the proper processes and protocols were not followed so let this be a lesson to all,” she said.

Ms Grace said the LNP had dragged her name through the mud with “fabricated claims” and that she deserved an apology.

She also said Tracey Cook, who was initially chosen for the principal position, deserved an apology.

“Obviously we have to place our trust (in the department) and as I said any officers who do not follow due processes and protocols, let this be a wake up call and a lesson for all,” she said.

“I expect nothing but utter integrity from officers in my department.”

Asked whether people were fearful of Ms Trad, Ms Grace said that was a matter for them.

“I don’t think anyone is fearful of any politicians, we work very co-operatively with our department and really that’s a hypothetical question,” she said.

She stood by the appointment of Kirsten Ferdinands as executive principal, saying she was outstanding.

The Minister said it was up to the PSC as to whether the confidential report would be released publicly, while also claiming she didn’t believe referrals to the CCC should be used for “political muck-raking”.

Meanwhile LNP Leader Deb Frecklington has called on the Premier to release the confidential report the corruption watchdog provided to the Public Service Commission, claiming “many more questions need to be answered”.

“It (wasn’t) a criminal offence but what Jackie Trad did was wrong, it was wrong on so many levels,” she said.