Treasurer Jackie Trad under fire over Cross River Rail bidder meeting

TREASURER Jackie Trad has come under Opposition fire over a meeting she held with a Cross River Rail bidder at a Labor Party fundraiser.

TREASURER Jackie Trad has come under Opposition fire over a meeting she held with a Cross River Rail bidder at a Labor Party fundraiser.

Ms Trad’s ministerial diary lists the business observers program meeting with Plenary Group at Labor’s State Conference earlier this year.

Plenary Group is involved in one of three consortia bidding to build the Palaszczuk Government’s signature infrastructure project.

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington questioned Ms Trad over the appropriateness of the meeting during Question Time this morning. She questioned why a probity auditor was not present.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad has defended herself in Parliament today. Photographer: Liam Kidston

Ms Trad insisted the project was not discussed during the meeting

“Let me make it absolutely clear, there was no discussion with anyone in relation to the Cross River Rail project and that was made abundantly clear,” she told the House.

“I ensured that there was a staff member present and notes were taken of that meeting.”

Ms Trad said the process to award the tender was being conducted “at arms length from government”.

“The Cross River Rail delivery authority, which is an independent authority ... is doing the assessment of all of the bids.

“Let me make clear that there are literally dozens of technical experts going through all of the bids from the consortia, from the alliance, to make a recommendation to the Cross River Rail delivery authority board for the selection of the successful tenderer.

Cross River Rail - Woolloongabba.

“That is the process at arms length from government.”

The Opposition asked for the notes taken to be tabled.

Ms Frecklington followed up by asking Ms Trad about meetings she also held during a recent trade mission to New York as part of a post-Budget Queensland Treasury Corporation and QIC Limited Roadshow.

“Did the Treasurer seek advice from a probity auditor before talking about Cross River Rail with QIC and investors invited by QIC given that QIC is a short-listed bidder for this multibillion-dollar project,” the Opposition Leader asked.

Ms Trad accused the LNP of asking the questions to “run the project down”.

“QIC has been a part of this (roadshow) program for many years and they were a part of this program this time,” she said.

“I have made it clear to absolutely every single participant in the consortia, in the alliance that there will be no discussion by me or any member of my staff in relation to this project and their bids.”

Cross River Rail - Roma St.

Ms Trad pointed to a dinner she attended alongside Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Mander where QIC was present and she “made it abundantly clear” that Cross River Rail would not be discussed.

Ms Trad tabled a copy of the probity protocols for the Cross River Rail (CRR) project and insisted she had complied with those requirements “at all times”.

“The protocols require that meeting should not be held with bidding organisations to discuss any issues relating directly to the CRR project without notice to the CRR delivery authority chief executive officer,” she told the House.

“The protocols require that should interaction occur, for example attendance at an event with any of the bidders, refrain from specific discussion regarding the project or make any unauthorised statements in relation to the project.

“At the Labor Party conference I met with the Plenary Group as was published transparently in my ministerial diaries.

“That meeting was largely social in nature and there were no issues of substance discussed that required formal notes or any follow up action.

“The CRR project was not discussed at this meeting in accordance with the probity protocols.

“More broadly organisations tendering for CRR works and members of bidding consortia are required to observe strict probity processes.

“The successful consortium will be chosen based on the strength of their offer in meeting the state’s requirements for CRR.”

Meanwhile, outspoken LNP MP Jason Costigan has doubled down on his criticism of the LNP following a scathing speech to state parliament today in which he described the 2017 election result for the party as “dead set embarrassing”.

“I fired a few shots there last night and I stand by what I said in the Parliament,” Mr Costigan said today.

“You can’t sugar coat this. It’s a cot-case for our brand in central, north and far north Queensland and have I had enough of it, yes.

“We’ve got a losing culture there.

“I have been inundated with messages of support from former colleagues, current members, former members, former candidates, current candidates, senate candidates saying what I said in the Parliament last night was right on the money.

“We need to make sure that we show people that we’re fair dinkum and that we’ve got some authenticity and that we’ve got policies that resonate with people.

“I would love to be seen as part of the solution in rehabilitating our vote and winning back seats and winning government.

“I would love to be going further afield and campaigning and winning more seats.”

Mr Costigan insisted he was not critising current LNP Leader Deb Frecklington, however.

“It is a tough job and Deb’s trying. No one is doubting that. I’m not doubting that. “Tim and Deb both are trying but we have got to do more and I think we should be in a better place than where we were 12 months ago. I don’t think we are.”

Mr Costigan said the speech he gave last night was not timed to coincide with this weekend’s LNP State Council meeting in Bundaberg but rather the address in reply speech he had intended to give in the House after the election.

“It just so happened I got pushed back, pushed back, pushed back,” Mr Costigan said.

He is not attending the State Council meeting as he has electorate business.

But the Whitsunday MP indicated he did not believe State Council should punish three MPs - Tim Nicholls, Jann Stuckey and Steve Minnikin - for using their conscience vote to support abortion decriminalisation.

There is a push for the trio to be blocked from recontesting their seats at the 2020 election.

Mr Costigan said he believed it should be up to the local members to decide who should represent them.

“We had a conscience vote,” he said.

“We’re a grassroots party, a grassroots organisation and people pay their dues and have their say.

“My personal view is that it should be up to party members in their own electorate to work out whether you or you are going to be the candidate.

“At the end of the day the local members should have their say.”