Trad apologises over investment house debacle

Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad has apologised to Parliament over her failure to properly declare an investment house that she purchased in the Cross River Rail corridor.

JACKIE Trad has apologised to Parliament over her failure to properly declare a Woolloongabba investment house purchased in the Cross River Rail corridor.

 It comes on the first sitting day since Speaker Curtis Pitt revealed he had referred Ms Trad to the Ethics Committee over her the late declaration and for not disclosing a conflict of interest stemming from the purchase.

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“I wish to again restate the unreserved apology that I have made in relation to this matter here in the House today,” the Deputy Premier told Parliament after the House voted to suspend standing orders to allow the apology.

 “I apologise for not meeting the timeframe for the declaration of an interest and I apologise for not declaring an interest in the course of my duties as a Minister and Member of Parliament.

“I take my responsibilities to the House seriously.”

Jackie Trad has been referred to the Ethics Committee over her the late declaration and for not disclosing a conflict of interest stemming from the purchase

Mr Pitt had lambasted Ms Trad in a scathing 12-page letter tabled in Parliament on Friday.

He criticised her for repeatedly failing to apologise for not properly declaring her property purchase.

“Had the Deputy Premier made an apology in the House, similar to the one she made outside the House on 6 September 2019, I would have been comfortable in ruling that an adequate apology has been made and the matter does not warrant the further attention of the House,” he says in the letter tabled to Parliament.

“However, in the absence of such an apology in the House, I cannot so rule.”

Ms Trad’s apology will likely head off any further punishment the Ethics Committee could dole out. 

Ms Trad told the House she had refrained from commenting on the ongoing integrity saga involving the house purchase while the matter was before the Crime and Corruption Commission.

 “The CCC has thoroughly assessed this matter and determined that there was no evidence of any dishonesty or corruption,” she said.

The investment property is currently in the process of being sold.