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Ethics Committee slaps Qld Premier’s wrist over $200,000 non-disclosure

Premier David Crisafulli has been labelled “careless” for failing to disclose a $200,000 settlement on his register of interests.

Premier David Crisafulli, Qld parliament Question Time, Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston
Premier David Crisafulli, Qld parliament Question Time, Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston

Premier David Crisafulli has been labelled “careless” for failing to disclose a $200,000 settlement on his register of interests – but has been cleared of contempt of parliament.

The powerful Ethics Committee on Friday found Mr Crisafulli failed to disclose three payments he made to liquidators between March 12, 2020 and July 19, 2021 over his involvement as a director of failed training company SET Solutions.

The Ethics Committee, however, could not determine if he “knowingly did not disclose the liability” on his register of interests, but found the Premier “was required” to.

Mr Crisafulli acknowledged he “should have sought advice” from Clerk of the parliament Neil Laurie about whether the payment should be on his register, but insisted it was not deliberate.

“I acted in good faith, I genuinely did,” he said.

“Not only have I been cleared, that there are no actions to be taken.

“The Labor Party had this for a long time and they chose to drop this in the shadows of an election and as a result they try to make this another one of the scare campaigns in the election.”

However, the Premier repeatedly declined to say how he paid the $200,000 and whether he was under financial stress at the time.

“I’ve met my obligation, have a look at the report,” he said.

Mr Crisafulli has previously denied misleading Queenslanders by claiming SET Solutions was not trading while insolvent while he was a company director.

Deputy Opposition Leader Cameron Dick, who referred Mr Crisafulli to the Ethics Committee on the eve of last year’s election, argued this wasn’t ‘case closed’.

“David Crisafulli has a problem with his character and his integrity and this is just one example of it and I think Queenslanders need to reflect on this report and what it says about the most powerful man in Queensland,” Mr Dick said.

“The Premier should give us more details about the nature of those payments. Where did the $200,000 come from?

“Who’s got $200,000 lying around in a bank account that he can just use to pay this?”

It is the second time Mr Crisafulli has been investigated by the Ethics Committee over his failure to disclose a matter on his register of interests.

The Premier apologised in 2020 for failing to disclose his interests in Revalot Pty Ltd – a super fund that was set up to purchase a cane farm adjoining his parents’ property – but was found not to have done so knowingly.

Originally published as Ethics Committee slaps Qld Premier’s wrist over $200,000 non-disclosure

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/queensland/ethics-committee-slaps-qld-premiers-wrist-over-200000-nondisclosure/news-story/84c49388c4ae92b0581aee215433cb8b