Taxpayers may have to pay Trad’s tab for secretive CCC court action

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has confirmed taxpayers may be forced to cover some or all of the legal costs accrued by her former deputy Jackie Trad amid secretive court action against the Crime and Corruption Commission.

But the government is refusing to further detail the nature and extent of its support under a scheme that can cover damages or costs awarded against a serving or former minister — and even provide or fund legal assistance — for matters relating to their official role.

Then deputy premier and treasurer Jackie Trad and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announcing the state budget together in 2018.Credit: Robert Shakespeare

Ms Palaszczuk and Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman had previously cited a non-publication order banning the identification of Ms Trad in relation to the matter when questioned about the discretionary arrangement.

On Thursday, Supreme Court Justice Martin Burns lifted the order, weeks after deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie first revealed details of what he said was Ms Trad’s attempt to suppress a CCC report under parliamentary privilege, sparking a political row largely unable to be repeated in the media until now.

Mr Bleijie had told Parliament the court was delaying a decision on the matter until the Court of Appeal made its own around a public attempt by former Public Trustee and Labor identity Peter Carne to block the release of a separate CCC report detailing misconduct allegations against him.

A government source with knowledge of the matter said Mr Carne, who would fall under a separate but similar scheme for public officials more broadly, was not being granted state support.

Both Ms Trad and Mr Carne have launched separate attempts to have the unrelated corruption watchdog reports involving them made public.Credit: Michelle Smith

On Friday, Ms Palaszczuk confirmed that Ms Trad, who lost her South Brisbane seat to the Greens at the 2020 state election after being spared criminal or corrupt findings by two previously critical CCC probes, was being covered under the ministerial indemnity scheme.

The Premier said she was unable to detail what this might have already cost the government due to elements of the indemnity guidelines, and the fact a decision had not been made by the court on who would ultimately have to pay any costs ordered.

Her disclosure prompted a statement from the Centre for Privacy, Transparency and Accountability — comprising current and former Queensland public servants — which described the use of public money to suppress official investigations as “incredibly complex and dangerous”.

Mr Bleijie revealed details of Ms Trad’s effort to block the release of a corruption probe into her alleged role in the recruitment of a senior Treasury official during the last parliamentary sitting, citing a “number of sources”.

“This investigation has in fact been completed by the Crime and Corruption Commission and is ready for tabling in Parliament,” Mr Bleijie told Parliament. “The only thing stopping this ... is Jackie Trad.”

It is unclear what, if any, findings were made by such a report against Ms Trad. Selection panel processes for recruiting top public servants were quietly altered in June last year in a move Public Service Commission chief Rob Setter has said was sparked by matters considered by the CCC.

The previous court orders, from May last year, had barred anyone but the CCC’s parliamentary oversight committee from being informed of Ms Trad’s identity in relation to the case. Access to documents on the file remains restricted and the case has been adjourned.

In a statement issued on Thursday night, Ms Trad said of the court application: “This is a course of action I have not taken lightly but one I felt compelled to take”. She declined to comment further until the matter had been heard and decided in full by the court.

The government declined to answer whether legal indemnity, support, or both, was granted to Ms Trad for the action against the CCC or carried over from the watchdog’s probe.

Under the scheme, both scenarios require approval by either Ms Fentiman or Ms Palaszczuk.

The Morning Edition newsletter is your guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.