CCC once again able to report on probes under new Qld laws

New laws introduced by the state government will again allow Queensland’s corruption watchdog to issue reports on its investigations.

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington in Parliament this week

New laws introduced by the state government will again allow Queensland’s corruption watchdog to issue reports on its investigations.

The watchdog has been muzzled since September 2023, when the High Court found reports should only be released if prosecution or disciplinary action against an individual should be considered.

It prompted urgent demands from the CCC and LNP for an overhaul of the CCC’s reporting powers to allow it to publish reports into former public trustee Peter Carne and former deputy premier Jackie Trad.

The two reports were released through a motion of Parliament on Wednesday evening, but the government has now introduced new laws to ensure future reports will be released.

It will again allow the CCC to issue public reports and make statements at any time about particular corruption complaints or investigations.

Some 32 investigation reports and 256 media releases will be restored to the CCC’s website, with the legislation to retrospectively validate the watchdog’s previous work.

The new laws will also allow the CCC to continue criticising the conduct of politicians and bureaucrats where there is no finding of wrongdoing.

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said the laws would restore the strength of the watchdog.

“We vowed to restore integrity and transparency in government by restoring the CCC’s reporting powers and the Bill I introduce today does just that,” she said.

“Queenslanders have been kept in the dark for too long because the CCC has been unable to provide vital information to the public about corruption and corruption risks.

“Queenslanders have a right to know, to be kept informed about the activities of their government … openness and transparency are essential if the public is to have confidence in the process of government, its leaders, managers and the public sector.”

Ms Frecklington said the CCC would be forced to determine how releasing information would be in the public interest and ensure it can’t “take lightly” the decision to reveal somebody was under investigation.

“The significance of publicly revealing that someone is the subject of a corruption investigation cannot be understated, however, the discretion will remain with CCC in regards to this,” she said.

The CCC will also be forced to give someone the opportunity to make submissions about any proposed adverse comment made against them in a report, so that the person can give their side of the story.

Originally published as CCC once again able to report on probes under new Qld laws