Qld Cabinet reshuffled as Jackie Trad resigns

Jackie Trad’s resignation as treasurer amid a fresh integrity probe has triggered a Cabinet reshuffle, as the Premier defends the Government’s record. WHO’S MOVING WHERE

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk has been forced to ­defend her Government’s integrity record after a sudden Cabinet reshuffle triggered by the resignation of her scandal-plagued deputy Jackie Trad.

Ms Palaszczuk yesterday announced Ms Trad had quit the ministry, immediately standing down as Treasurer and Deputy Premier amid an investigation by the state’s corruption watchdog.

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The leadership upheaval came after the Crime and Corruption Commission notified the embattled MP on Friday it would launch an investigation into an anonymous allegation passed on by the State Opposition that she interfered in the selection of a school principal in her electorate.

Ms Trad, a member of Labor’s powerful Left faction, initially announced on Saturday that she would stand aside during the CCC investigation, but yesterday opted to resign all ministerial duties.

The latest integrity headache for the Labor Government comes less than six months before the state election, and as it grapples to repair the economic fallout of the coronavirus health crisis.

It is also less than a year since Ms Trad was cleared of corruption by the CCC over the purchase of a $700,000 Woolloongabba investment property near the Cross River Rail project she was overseeing.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with members of her reshuffled Cabinet yesterday (from left) Kate Jones, Steven Miles and Cameron Dick. Picture: Attila Csaszar

Ms Trad was then stripped of responsibility for the $7 billion infrastructure project and publicly apologised for failing to properly declare the house purchase.

She is now defending fresh claims of interfering in the selection of a principal for the new Inner City South State Secondary School by meeting with candidates in the running for the job.

The complaint has been with the CCC for five months. Ms Trad strongly denies any wrongdoing.

Ms Palaszczuk yesterday defended her Government’s record on delivering a promised new era of transparency and integrity, saying integrity remained a priority and that her new Cabinet would be “hitting the ground running” on the COVID-19 recovery.

“(Ms Trad) has made the decision in the best interests of her family, the community and the party,” she said.

“She does not want there to be any distraction for the Government as we respond to the COVID crisis and where the Government must be focused on recovery and jobs.

“What I say to the people of Queensland is they can have confidence that we are focused on them.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk flanked by her new deputy Steven Miles yesterday. Picture: Dan Peled/AAP

The Cabinet reshuffle elevated Health Minister Steven Miles to Deputy Premier, while Cameron Dick is now Treasurer and Infrastructure and Planning Minister.

Kate Jones will add State Development to her Tourism and Innovation portfolio, while Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford will pick up the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships responsibilities.

The Left faction will remain dominant, with a new Regional Development and Manufacturing Minister – Left-aligned Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher – making up for the loss of Ms Trad.

Mr Butcher has been an assistant minister to Ms Trad since 2017. He switched from the Right to the Left a couple of years after his 2015 election.

Despite the Left retaining its numbers, political insiders said the appointment of Labor’s Right member Cameron Dick to the crucial Treasurer’s spot was a blow to the power held by the Left.

Ms Palaszczuk yesterday batted away questions over whether union leaders had decided the post-Trad Cabinet, saying: “These are my decisions. I’m the Premier. I’ve made the decisions.”

She said she supported Ms Trad being endorsed to recontest South Brisbane for Labor, but would not be drawn on Ms Trad’s prospects of a post-election return to Cabinet.

“There’s been no outcome from the CCC investigation so the investigation needs to run its course,” she said. “I support all of my team recontesting the next election.”

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington attacked the Premier’s handling of the issue when the accusation was first aired last September, saying Ms Palaszczuk should have sacked Ms Trad months ago.

Jackie Trad resigned as treasurer yesterday.

“In two days, Queensland has had three treasurers,” she said. “All of this chaos and confusion is in the middle of a health and economic crisis.”

The anonymous complaint was sent to the CCC last year by Opposition Education spokesman Jarrod Bleijie.

It alleges Ms Trad interfered in the selection of the principal of the new Dutton Park school and had met with two candidates for the job.

Ms Trad has rejected any interference, but confirmed meeting first with Tracey Cook, who was initially selected by a panel for the job before being replaced months later by Kirsten Ferdinands for the position, who Ms Trad also held a meeting with.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Ms Ferdinands.

Ms Trad said she would fully co-operate with the CCC’s inquiry.

She has insisted that “no applicant to the principal position was known to me in any capacity, personal, political or professional”.

Department of Education director-general Tony Cook – who is not related to Ms Cook – said last year that while a selection panel had signed off on the initial appointment, “new demographic modelling indicated the school would exceed 1600 students and be eligible for an Executive Principal position”.

However, departmental documents that were released under Right to Information laws to the ABC indicated the school’s size was known when the principal position was first advertised.