Opposition alleges Jackie Trad interfered in hiring of senior treasury official
Jackie Trad will again come under the scrutiny of the Crime and Corruption Commission after the Opposition asked the corruption watchdog to investigate a new allegation that she interfered in the hiring of a senior treasury official.
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THE Opposition has again asked the corruption watchdog to investigate claims involving Jackie Trad, this time over allegations she interfered in the hiring of a senior treasury official.
Shadow treasurer Tim Mander has written to Crime and Corruption Commission head Alan MacSporran requesting he investigate an allegation that the then treasurer last year interfered with the independent recruitment process for the role of under treasurer, filled by Frankie Carroll.
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He has asked the body to look into allegations an independent recruitment process had actually chosen former Commonwealth Bank executive Leon Allen.
It is the third time this term the CCC has been asked to investigate claims involving the Member for South Brisbane.
She has previously been cleared of corrupt conduct by the body over her failure to declare a house purchase and in relation to the recruitment of the principal of the Inner City South State Secondary College.
“I submit that if Ms Trad did interfere with the selection process for the Under Treasurer’s role then the Crime and Corruption Commission should consider whether this amounts
to Misconduct in relation to public office under section 92A of the Criminal Code 1899,” Mr Mander wrote in the letter, sent Thursday morning.
“Additionally, I request that the Crime and Corruption Commission does not devolve this matter back to the Department of Premier and Cabinet or the Public Service Commission given the Director General and senior departmental officials were directly involved in this recruitment process, including the extraordinary decision to include Ms Trad in the selection process.”
“This is the third time the LNP has referred me to the CCC in the past year,” Ms Trad told The Courier-Mail.
“They are clearly possessed with political point scoring and have absolutely no interest in helping Queensland through the Covid-19 pandemic health crisis.
“They have no plan and no vision for our state.
“For the shadow treasurer to be fixated on this and not the economic recovery of the state defies belief but underlines where his priorities lie.
“The LNP have vacated the field when it comes to helping everyday Queenslanders who are doing it tough at this time.
“They’re the same old LNP focused on themselves and their political games, not the five million people who live here.
“I will not be distracted by the LNP’s political games.”
Ms Trad earlier labelled the LNP as “farcical” and said they had a “very unhealthy obsession with me”.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Wednesday urged the Opposition to refer any evidence it had about the appointment process to the corruption watchdog.
It followed Mr Mander raising the claims in the House
“If the Opposition has any evidence or a whistleblower, it should refer that immediately to the (Crime and Corruption Commission),” the Premier said.
Mr Carroll was shifted to the new Department of Regional Development after Ms Trad quit her ministerial role in May upon learning she would be investigated by the CCC over the school principal recruitment saga. There’s no suggestion of wrongdoing on his part, nor is it suggested he was not qualified for the role.
Mr Carroll was replaced by long-serving public servant Rachel Hunter.
Mr Allen was appointed as deputy under treasurer.
Originally published as Opposition alleges Jackie Trad interfered in hiring of senior treasury official