Mark Bailey’s private emails released

THE release of emails from the private account of Energy Minister Mark Bailey threatens to reignite criticism that Labor is too close to the unions. SEE THE EMAILS HERE

• Update sent to CCC
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SECRET communications have revealed the cosy relationship between a union official and Energy Minister Mark Bailey during a series of emails from his private account.

The emails have been released months after a furore over the sudden deletion of Mr Bailey’s account.

The emails, released to The Courier-Mail after an RTI request, reveal that Mr Bailey agreed to discuss the Electrical Trades Union’s attempts to veto a planned super fund merger after he was contacted by an official on his [e-mail] account in November last year.

SEE THE EMAILS HERE

Lobbying via the account by ETU state secretary Peter Simpson was first revealed by The Australian newspaper last February.

Partially leaked emails at the time revealed Mr Simpson had used the account to ask Mr Bailey to intervene in a proposed merger of Queensland’s Energy Super with Victoria’s Equip Super.

The union raised concerns the merger between the two super funds, representing workers in the energy sector, could jeopardise its guaranteed spot on the board.

But the emails were blocked from release after Mr Bailey deleted the Yahoo account 10 days after ­receiving a Right to ­Information application by The Australian for access to the emails.

Mr Bailey told Parliament that he was unaware of the RTI request when he deleted the ­account.

He was forced to stand aside from the Ministry during a Crime and Corruption investigation into the affair, but was reinstated when it found no evidence of corrupt conduct, over the account, which was able to be reactivated.

Energy Minister Mark Bailey takes a selfie with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Clare Solar Farm project manager Wayne Staunton and Labor candidate for Burdekin Mike Brunker at the weekend. Picture: Darren England/AAP

However the release of the full email ­exchanges with the ETU under RTI laws this week threaten to reignite criticism that Labor is too close to the unions.

They paint a cosy picture of relations between Mr Bailey, himself a former ETU member, and Mr Simpson.

Mr Bailey was first contacted about the merger deal by Mr Simpson in November last year.

“Mate, I’m unsure if you’re across Energy Super’s current discussions with Equip Super in Victoria about a possible merger?” the email states.

“The (government-owned corporations) that are represented on the board will have a big say in whether or not any merger proceeds ...”

Mr Bailey responds: “Let’s chat soon. Flat chat atm. M.”

“Yup, not urgent but important when you have five before Xmas,” Mr Simpson replies.

Mr Bailey sent Mr Simpson two “thumbs-up” symbols.

Mr Simpson later emails Mr Bailey: “I don’t know where we go from here but I’m fast getting to the stage where we want to kill it once and for all.”

The Energy Super merger was later abandoned, but chairman Mark Williamson has rejected that it was related to the ETU lobbying, saying it had not had contact with Mr Bailey over the merger.

Mr Bailey last night said that he was not a decision-maker in the merger process and that no issue had been identified with his emails ­following the CCC’s investigation.

Mr Simpson is currently on sick leave.