LNP defiantly doubles down on controversial John Sosso appointment

The Deputy Premier has doubled down on the appointment of John Sosso to help determine the state’s new electoral boundaries, despite fears it marked a return to “the bad old days”.

Director-General John Sosso. Pic: Tim Marsden

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has doubled down on the appointment of his director-general John Sosso to the body that determines the state’s new electoral boundaries, despite corruption-buster Tony Fitzgerald fearing it marked a return to “the bad old days”.

Mr Bleijie on Saturday refused to be drawn on Mr Fitzgerald’s explosive statement to Labor MP Shannon Fentiman, instead saying Queenslanders should not be concerned that Mr Sosso had been a member of the LNP because “you’re talking about events 45 years ago”.

Mr Fitzgerald, in a rare public statement revealed exclusively in Saturday’s The Courier-Mail, said he was “concerned that Queensland might be reverting to the bad old days of biased electoral boundaries – the notorious Queensland gerrymander”.

When asked about Mr Fitzgerald’s concerns, Mr Bleijie defended the Queensland Redistribution Commission (QRC) appointment and said Mr Sosso had served “both sides of politics”.

Then-Justice Tony Fitzgerald in his Brisbane chambers in 1998.

“He is above reproach, and I think attacks by the Labor Party we saw last week are more (of) it’s unbecoming of the opposition,” Mr Bleijie said.

When asked if people should be concerned that Mr Sosso had been a member of the Liberal Party, Mr Bleijie said “no”.

“You’re talking about events 45 years ago,” he said.

“This is a panel of a retired district court judge, the electoral commissioner of Queensland, appointed by the Labor Party, and a sitting director-general who has served this state and this Commonwealth for 45 years in the public service.”

Mr Fitzgerald, in his landmark 1989 report into police and government corruption in Queensland, recommended the predecessor of the QRC – the Electoral Administrative Review – be set up and remain independent and free from any political affiliations.

Mr Sosso has been a former member of the LNP and Mr Bleijie revealed earlier this week he had also applied to become a member of the Labor Party in 1972.

Deputy Premier of Queensland Jarrod Bleijie. Picture: John Gass

Deputy Opposition Leader Cameron Dick said the appointment “just susso” for Queenslanders.

Mr Dick said John Sosso was the one person the Premier wanted to appoint to the electoral redistribution commission out of 17 other director generals who could be appointed to the job.

“But David Crisafulli is hell bent on appointing the one person who was working with the LNP before the election and helped them with their transition to government,” Mr Dick said.

“Every Queenslander should be alarmed by this, and they should be alarmed by Tony Fitzgerald at his comments today.”

Mr Dick said we needed someone “above politics, and in Tony Fitzgerald’s own words, they need to be impartial and independent.”

Opposition Leader Steven Miles said Tony Fitzgerald rarely made comments on ongoing political issues in Queensland.

“So for him to speak out today, that is a really big deal,” he said.

“If David Crisafulli appoints John Sosso to redraw the states electoral boundaries that will take us back to the dark old days of the 1980s, the days when the national party drew the boundary to suit their political interests.

“This is much more than politics this is about the nature of our democracy.”

Originally published as LNP defiantly doubles down on controversial John Sosso appointment