LNP links for nearly half members of revamped TAFE Queensland board

The LNP has come under fire after it was revealed nearly half of the members picked for a revamped TAFE Queensland board have links to the party.

Employment and Training Minister Ros Bates. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Shadow Minister for Integrity Leanne Enoch has taken aim at the LNP after it was revealed nearly half of the members picked by Employment and Training Minister Ros Bates for a revamped TAFE Queensland board have links to the party.

The appointments build on a growing list of more than a dozen people with links to the party or previous relationships with ministers now appointed by the government in the seven months since the election.

On Friday, Ms Bates announced seven new TAFE board members, three of which — including the new chair — boast strong party connections.

Vivian Grayson, an LNP member and former chief financial officer of a property development company, has been chosen as the new chair and is understood to have worked on several campaigns, even gaining a mention in both Housing Minister Sam O’Connor and Federal MP Angie Bell’s maiden speeches.

Leanne Enoch has questioned the LNP. NCA NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

Christopher Lehmann was a LNP candidate for the seat of Ferny Grove in 2020, while corporate and strategic adviser Andrew Knox is a party donor according to electoral records.

At a press conference at TAFE Springfield on Saturday, Ms Enoch questioned whether the appointments aligned with government values of merit based appointments and accountability.

“They are sliding down a very slippery slope into a murky place where integrity, accountability and transparency does not exist,” Ms Enoch said.

“Did they go through a merit based process? We don’t know that.”

She said the previous TAFE board were appointed after an extensive process beginning with applying through an agency and then through a departmental assessment.

Ms Enoch said it was unclear if similar standards were met under the revamped board.

“It is a disgrace and we need to hear from them directly on how these members have been appointed, the same way that we’ve seen all of these other positions being appointed across very significant boards,” she said.

Christopher Lehmann campaigned for the seat of Ferny Grove in 2020.

The revelations come after the controversial appointment of senior bureaucrat John Sosso caused outcry from the Labor opposition and eminent corruption fighter Tony Fitzgerald.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie also named Julian Simmonds, the defeated LNP MP for Ryan, the new head of Economic Development Queensland.

In a letter seen by The Courier-Mail, former board members were only notified of their removal by Ms Bates 24 hours before the announcement.

“As the Queensland Government’s strategic needs evolve, it is necessary for the board to be responsive and adaptive to ensure Queensland’s vocational education and training sector remains well positioned for the future,” Ms Bates wrote.

A sacked member claimed Ms Bates had not met with the board since becoming minister in October, despite several attempts to organise a meeting.

It is understood members were not warned of the changes and had even travelled to Cairns for a board meeting on Tuesday.

Ms Bates was asked if she thought it was ethical to appoint members with LNP links to the board and if she had met with the previous board since October, but she did not address the questions.

Two of the members from the previous board – Professor Jody Currie and Nicole Brigg – will continue in their current positions.

Opposition Training spokesman Michael Healy slammed the board picks as politically motivated.

“It appears the primary qualification to get a gig from the LNP is either being a candidate, donor or close mate,” he said.

Originally published as LNP links for nearly half members of revamped TAFE Queensland board