Corruption watchdog silent on political investigations

Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission is still probing allegations into Annastacia Palaszczuk’s ex-chief of staff and Jackie Trad

Queensland Treasurer Jackie Trad. Picture: AAP.

Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission is still probing allegations into Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s former chief of staff, David Barbagallo, nine months after the claims were ­referred to the watchdog.

The CCC is also continuing to examine allegations against Deputy Premier Jackie Trad, whom the opposition accused in late ­November of interfering in the hiring of a school principal in her South Brisbane electorate.

Ms Trad and Mr Barbagallo have strenuously denied any wrongdoing.

Mr Barbagallo’s part-owned company, Fortress Capstone, received $267,500 in government co-financing in 2018 for development of a cruise ship-tracking app.

The Palaszczuk government’s Queensland Business Development Fund bought Fortress Capstone shares worth $267,500 in February of that year. Mr Barbagallo is a founding director of the private company, and he and his wife, Land Court president Fleur Kingham, owned about $300,000 worth of its shares.

The Australian revealed Mr Barbagallo lifted his and Judge Kingham’s stake in Fortress Capstone by $100,000 in July 2017, at the same time the company applied for QBDF investment. Mr Barbagallo has insisted he properly declared his shares and had no involvement in the decision to award government financing.

The government has said his decision to increase his shareholdingholding was not related to the ­financing application.

A spokesman for the CCC would not say why the probe was taking so long, or whether it had progressed to an investigation from the initial assessment phase.

“This matter is yet to be finalised. On that basis, it is not appropriate for the CCC to comment further,” the spokesman said.

Opposition education spokesman Jarrod Bleijie wrote to CCC chair Alan MacSporran on Nov­ember 28, asking him to investigate allegations Ms Trad “interfered with the independent recruitment process for the principal of the Inner City South State Secondary College”.

Mr Bleijie alleged a whistleblower told the opposition an independent selection panel had picked one candidate for the job, who was asked to meet with Ms Trad, who is the local member, Deputy Premier and Treasurer.

The position was then readvertised and another person was eventually given the job.

The CCC spokesman said the matter relating to Ms Trad was also “yet to be finalised” so the watchdog could not comment.