Queensland Education Minister grace Grace opens up on the Jackie Trad school principal saga

Education Minister Grace Grace says she’s never involved herself in the appointment of a school principal, insisting hiring is done independently of her, as yet another government minister faced questions over Deputy premier Jackie Trad’s CCC referral.

EDUCATION Minister Grace Grace says she’s never involved herself in the appointment of a school principal, insisting hiring is done independently of her.

It comes after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday said she had never met with a principal candidate in her electorate.

Ms Grace would not comment on why meetings with principal candidates were offered to Deputy Premier Jackie Trad today, instead referring to the LNP’s Crime and Corruption Commission referral.

“I have no involvement, this is operational matters, there is an independent panel that is set up and it’s entirely up to them in the manner in which they run their interviews for schools

but what I do know is that school was upgraded to an executive principal based on the size,” she said.

Ms Trad became engulfed in another integrity debacle last week following allegations she interfered in the appointment of the principal for the new Inner City South State Secondary College in South Brisbane.

Education Minister Grace Grace and Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad. Picture: AAP Image/Richard Waugh

The Deputy Premier last week refused to explain why she was invited by the Education Department to meet two candidates being considered - former frontrunner Tracey Cook and Kirsten Ferdinands who has since been chosen.

Both Ms Trad and the Education Department have refused to outline what was discussed, with the Deputy Premier stating she did not interfere in the selection process and that Ms Cook wasn’t chosen as the position needed to be readvertised when the size of the school expanded.

Asked whether she would meet with a principal prior to them being appointed, Ms Grace referred to the CCC referral.

And asked whether she thought it was appropriate, the Minister again referred to it being an operational matter.

“I think as I said, this is an operational matter and it’s up for an independent panel to determine the best way for them to hire a principal or teacher and that’s done independently of myself,” she said.

“I’ve never involved myself in any of that.”