Annastacia Palaszczuk acted on dismissed claims against Integrity Commissioner

Annastacia Palaszczuk has again been forced to defend the timing of an investigation into the state’s Integrity Commissioner.

Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission had already ­assessed and dismissed allegations against state Integrity Commissioner Nikola Stepanov before she was referred to a parliamentary committee over the same ­issues by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Ms Palaszczuk on Sunday was again forced to defend her referral of Dr Stepanov to the Economics and Governance Committee in April after it emerged the main allegation was two years told.

This month, The Australian revealed Ms Palaszczuk had personally referred Dr Stepanov to the committee soon after the commissioner had complained to the head of the Premier’s Department, Dave Stewart, about suspicious conduct and interference in her role.

The allegations, never raised with Dr Stepanov, centred on the use of a credit card in relation to a research project and unspecified bullying complaints.

Multiple sources said the allegations, first made by the Public Service Commission, had already been taken to the CCC before Ms Palaszczuk asked the committee to investigate Dr Stepanov.

The CCC had assessed the allegations and made a decision not to launch a formal investigation.

Sources have told The Australian Ms Palaszczuk was likely to have been aware of the CCC’s determination before she asked the committee to investigate. It also declined to investigate.

“The Premier received and referred the allegation in April,” a spokesman for Ms Palaszczuk said on Sunday.

“The Premier was guided only by the advice of the Solicitor-General.”

Dr Nikola Stepanov at Parliament House, Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston

Dr Stepanov, who tendered her resignation last month, made a formal complaint to the CCC after a laptop was allegedly seized from her office in March last year and its contents wiped by officials of the Public Service Commission, without her knowledge.

She raised the issue with Mr Stewart two weeks before the Premier referred the then two-year-old credit card and bullying allegations to the committee.

Dr Stepanov this month said she was stunned by revelations in The Australian that Ms Palaszczuk had referred her to the committee, which could have led to her sacking.

After being told of the date of Ms Palaszczuk’s referral, Dr Stepanov said: “The timing of the referral is of great interest to me, particularly in light of the fact I had raised formal concerns about conduct I was suspicious of through to the Public Service Commission in late 2020.

“I was dissatisfied with how those concerns were handled by the PSC and I escalated the matter to the Department of Premier and Cabinet and to the then ­director-general (Dave Stewart) and current director-general ­(Rachel Hunter).”

Ms Palaszczuk was forced to defend the allegations at a fiery press conference on Sunday where she said she had been compelled by law to refer Dr Stepanov to the committee.

She said her referral to the committee followed legal advice from the state’s Solicitor-General.

Ms Palaszczuk called for the CCC to give a public update on its investigation into Dr Stepanov’s complaints about the wiping of a laptop she wanted forensically examined.

“The Solicitor-General advised me that that was the right course of action … the right thing to do,” she said.

“Certain matters relating to this complaint have been referred to the CCC, which continues its investigation. I think it would be helpful if the CCC could provide an update to the public on this investigation.”

The CCC declined to comment. Following the press conference, Public Service Commission chief executive Robert Setter issued a statement saying the referral of Dr Stepanov and her office to the CCC, as well as provision of the laptop to the CCC, was based on statutory obligation.