Condamine MP Pat Weir calls for full inquiry into Palaszczuk Government’s integrity

The integrity of the Palaszczuk Government has been called into question, with the inquiry into the CCC ‘not enough’ according to Condamine MP Pat Weir.

Growing up during the 1980s, Condamine MP Pat Weir remembers all too well the bombshells that rocked the state with the lack of transparency and secrecy within Joh Bjelke-Petersen’s government.

Now, he fears we are seeing a repeat of that unfolding within the halls of power again.

Mr Weir has added his voice to the chorus of calls for a widespread inquiry into the integrity of Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s government.

“There is no transparency, it’s been buried and hidden,” he said.

“This is very serious, and now that some people are speaking out we’re seeing that secrecy has become an ingrained culture of this government, and that’s the problem.

“The thing that’s concerning is while the Premier has announced there’s going to be an inquiry into the Crime and Corruption Commission by Tony Fitzgerald, I’m worried that’s a smokescreen to hide the other integrity issues that are breaking out in the government.

“To have a raid on an integrity commissioner’s office, seize a computer and wipe it, that’s not behaviour we expect in our state government. There is more and more emerging about the (former state) archivist (Mike Summerell) being forced out the door. We were told he was just moving on to another position, but that’s not exactly true. He was basically told to pack his bags and get out.

“The interference that he is alleging goes to a ministerial level, so these are extremely concerning allegations and everyone in the state should be worried about this.”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Pointing to secrecy surrounding the costs of the Palaszczuk Government’s Wellcamp quarantine hub, Mr Weir said the newly announced commission of inquiry into the state’s corruption watchdog didn’t go far enough to address integrity concerns held by the Opposition.

“You look at the auditor-general, Brendan Worrall, he has said that the state government had no right to keep commercial in confidence clauses in contracts such as Wellcamp, those are state funds,” he said.

“We have a right to know how our money is being spent, particularly when it wasn’t open for tender, there was only one bidder, so why is it confidential?

“We’ve been told it’s a great deal, but you don’t keep great deals confidential.

“This needs to be called out and this government needs to be held to account.”

Originally published as Condamine MP Pat Weir calls for full inquiry into Palaszczuk Government’s integrity