Call for inquiry into CCC after Logan fraud charges dropped

Fraud charges against eight sacked Logan councillors, including the former mayor, have been dropped, prompting calls for an inquiry to investigate the Crime and Corruption Commission.

Former Ipswich councillor David Pahlke has called for the Minister to step aside and for an inquiry into the CCC.

A call has been made for a commission of inquiry to investigate the Crime and Corruption Commission after fraud charges were dropped against eight sacked Logan councillors this morning.

The fraud charges were dropped after the Director of Public Prosecutions withdrew the charges in Brisbane Magistrates Court this morning after filing a nolle prosequi notice, claiming there was not enough evidence to proceed to trial.

Eight sacked Logan City councillors said they were now considering launching legal action for compensation.

Former Ipswich councillor David Pahlke, a 27-year local government veteran, made the call, saying the CCC and the former Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe had acted prematurely in sacking the Logan and Ipswich councils.

The Local Government Association of Queensland has also called for an independent inquiry into the sacking of both councils after the charges were withdrawn.

LGAQ CEO Greg Hallam said careers, lives and reputations were ruined and Logan council “wrongly sacked” before the charges could be properly tested in courts.

Mr Pahlke said he wanted payments of legal or ex-gratia compensation to the 19 Ipswich and Logan councillors sacked between 2018-2019 as well as a public apology to restore people’s reputations and refute imputations made against them by these actions.

Ipswich councillors were sacked after former mayor Andrew Antoniolli became the second Ipswich councillor to be charged by the CCC in 2018 on alleged fraud charges.

He won his appeal against all fraud charges in the District Court.

Clockwise from top left: Russell Lutton, Steve Swenson, Laurie Smith, Cherie Dalley, former mayor Luke Smith, Jennie Breene, Trevina Schwarz and Phil Pidgeon.

“Logan councillors have also lost their careers as a result of inappropriate ministerial and CCC intervention,” Mr Pahlke said in a statement this morning.

“Elected members, their families and people’s mental health have all been destroyed by unwarranted ministerial action determined by the courts to be lacking in substance.”

Mr Pahlke said former Local Government Minister Hinchliffe should be stood down for his failed role in the Logan and Ipswich matters.

Mr Pahlke called for a public inquiry with the powers of a royal commission to investigate major CCC reforms including terminating serving police officers with the CCC in line with operational procedures of ICAC in NSW.

He also wanted the CCC’s power to prosecute alleged offenders be removed and transferred to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Other changes he suggested included getting the CCC to engage a full-time independent internal adviser with previous high-level local government experience in Queensland at senior management or elected member level.

Mr Pahlke also wanted any inquiry to examine the routine leaking of information by the CCC to the media about imminent planned arrests of high-profile individuals and investigate if those disclosures were sanctioned by management.

He also asked for any inquiry to examine separation of powers between the CCC and the state government and to investigate issues of natural justice.