Des Houghton: CCC failing to probe record number of corruption claims

Professional misconduct. Fourteen allegations of rape. Theft. Fraud. What other dirty secrets are there in Queensland’s public service?

It is known that a number of workers who blew the whistle on alleged corrupt conduct remain suspended on full pay, with their cases still in limbo more than a year later. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

• Qld public servants history

What dirty secrets are buried in the Queensland public service and our government-owned corporations? What crimes?

After a decade of ALP governments, the list of allegations is a long one. Professional misconduct. Inappropriate sexual relationships. Falsifying evidence to be used in court cases. Bullying. Cronyism. Favouritism. Discrimination. Assault with a weapon. Assault without a weapon. Dishonesty in claiming employee entitlements. Theft of public property or funds. The unauthorised use of public property or funds including government resources such as work time, equipment or facilities.

In the past year alone there were 14 allegations of rape or other “uninvited sexual contact” and one case involving the alleged possession of child exploitation material.

There are outstanding allegations of wrongdoing against unidentified executives within the so-called units of public administration.

Some involved alleged serious misconduct.

It is known that a number of workers who blew the whistle on alleged corrupt conduct remain suspended on full pay, with their cases still in limbo more than a year later.

Some of this information is contained in the annual report of the Crime and Corruption Commission. It shows there was a massive jump in corruption allegations inside the public service and some unidentified government-owned corporations.

Many allegations are buried in the fine print and obscure tables. Regrettably they remain unexplained.

That is unacceptable in my view.

There were 5139 complaints of “serious and systematic” corruption.

I was shocked to see the CCC fully investigated only 43 of them.

I was even more shocked to see only one person had been charged.

That’s right. Of 5139 complaints, only one scalp.

And we have no idea what that case was because the CCC neglected to tell us.

So what happened to the other complaints?

More than 1000 were dismissed out of hand. A total of 3228 were “referred to the appropriate agency, with no further advice required by the CCC”.

Another 103 complaints were referred to the appropriate agency “subject to the CCC’s monitoring role”, whatever that means.

Another 694 were referred to the appropriate agency “with outcome advice required by the CCC”.

Worryingly, the public is left in the dark. So, too, are the honest whistleblowers in the public service who raise the alarm. The CCC report was quietly tabled in parliament just before the election caretaker period kicked in.

The volume of complaints suggests maladministration in the public service is widespread. Remember Peter Coaldrake warned about wrongdoing and bullying in the public service in his Let the Sunshine In report. And he was told of reprisals against brave public servants who gave “frank and fearless” advice.

Peter Coaldrake warned about wrongdoing and bullying in the public service.

The latest CCC report seems to confirm that. But it offers only a small window, and an opaque one, into the allegations of wrongdoing.

There were 201 complaints of “misuse of authority”.

The CCC’s own definition says misuse of authority “can involve misusing authority to act, or omit to act, to further one’s own interests or to favour a family member, friend, associate or benefactor (favouritism), as well as to threaten or cause a detriment (including harassment and bullying) or as a reprisal for making a complaint or public interest disclosure”.

In my experience, many of the government-owned corporations and departments are skilled at deflecting criticism. They often refer matters to outside law firms to investigate but do not make the results public.

The CCC seems happy to allow these entities to police themselves.

Secrets remain hidden.

Clandestine activity inside government departments and GOCs eats away at public trust.

The Fitzgerald Inquiry in 1989 was told of bribery and corruption and kickbacks known as “The Joke”.

It exposed systemic political and public sector corruption in Queensland and led to the creation of the CCC.

Could it be that there is a new Joke we haven’t quite uncovered yet?

CCC chairman Bruce Barbour was asked for comment but he was on leave, said a spokeswoman.

Originally published as Des Houghton: CCC failing to probe record number of corruption claims