Editorial: David Crisafulli says what’s good enough for Labor is good enough for LNP

Late last week, the Attorney-General revealed public servant John Sosso had been appointed to the body overseeing a review of the state’s electoral boundaries. The timing of her announcement was a disgrace, writes The Editor.

Premier David Crisafulli at the weekend. Picture: John Gass

It has gone largely unremarked – as we are sure was the hope, and the plan. But it is time we called out the Good Friday eve actions of Deb Frecklington, the Attorney-General who is also – almost laughably in this case – the Integrity Minister.

At 3.09pm on Easter Thursday, April 17, Minister Frecklington’s office issued a media release which confirmed three appointments to the Queensland Redistribution Commission – the group that will now oversee a review of the state’s electoral boundaries.

One of them was John Sosso, an experienced public servant who is currently the director-general of Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie’s department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning.

There is no suggestion Mr Sosso is not duly qualified for this important role. To the contrary, a private solicitor earlier in life, Mr Sosso has a long history since of meritorious public service, including most recently being president of the Commonwealth Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

But his appointment was one the Opposition has refused to support, as they claim he is now too close to the LNP. Their vehement objection over several weeks prompted the state’s iconic corruption-buster, Tony Fitzgerald, to issue – via Labor frontbencher Shannon Fentiman – a rare public statement warning about the dangers to the system of even the sniff of politics entering into the way electoral boundaries are determined.

A key part of Mr Fitzgerald’s 1989 inquiry into police and government corruption in Queensland was to establish a truly independent body to determine electoral boundaries, one that was unquestionably free from any political affiliations.

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

The infamous “gerrymandering” of Queensland’s electorates under both parties when in power over decades last century cynically trampled on the central tenet of Australian democracy – that of one vote, one value. It allowed those in power to hold on to it for longer than they might otherwise have.

This is important stuff anywhere, but no more important than here with that uniquely corrupt history.

Minister Frecklington’s decision to push ahead with Mr Sosso’s appointment was not unexpected. Premier David Crisafulli had been defiant, arguing it was justifiable because of what he claimed had been questionable appointments by Labor to the same body.

But the timing of the Minister’s public statement revealing that the governor had signed off on the appointments was a disgrace. Ms Frecklington did so late in the afternoon the day before one of the only two days a year that none of the state’s daily newspapers go to print (Good Friday and Christmas).

It was a textbook example of what is called in politics “taking out the trash” – the act of releasing damaging information when the media is distracted by bigger news, or not paying attention, in the hope the bad news is buried (we still published this online within hours).

The timing certainly appears to suggest a cynical attempt to avoid broad public awareness of the formal notice of a controversial appointment to one of the most important bodies in our electoral system – one that it is just so critical voters retain full faith in.

It is not the sort of action befitting the office of the state’s “Minister for Integrity”. In fact, this example is almost Orwellian in its unashamed contrast to that title.

Minister Frecklington would no doubt protest. But sadly it has only added to the unseemly stench that has clung to this affair since it came to light in early April, when she alerted the Labor Opposition to the government’s preferred candidate.

As we have noted here before when discussing this episode, it is all a shocking sign of hubris from an LNP government that should surely have learned the lessons of the ill-fated 2012-15 administration led by Campbell Newman.

And for Premier Crisafulli to be arguing that it’s all fine because – he claims – the other mob acted in exactly the same way when they were in office, well that is a deeply concerning precedent.

Premier, you won. You do not have to sink to their level. Be better.

TOURISM TRIFECTA

It is clear Queensland has a great tourism story to sell to the rest of Australia and the world.

A new advertising blitz spearheaded by singer Kita Alexander was launched yesterday to capitalise on that appeal, but of equal importance the state government has declared it wants to clear away red tape to help struggling tourism operators get on with the job.

Queensland has a golden runway of seven years to capitalise on its exposure on the world stage in the lead-up to the 2032 Games and it is right for the Crisafulli government to pull every lever it can to ensure we not only attract holiday-makers but give our tourism industry the tools needed to provide a world-beating experience while they are here.

The launch is also well timed to coincide with the nation’s biggest gathering of tourism representatives.

The Australian Tourism Exchange is being held this week in Brisbane for the first time in almost two decades, giving the state even more vital exposure to 3000 industry members from around the world.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Chris Jones, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details here

Originally published as Editorial: David Crisafulli says what’s good enough for Labor is good enough for LNP