CFMEU leader calls on Jackie Trad to stand down

Pressure on Jackie Trad from a union in her own faction to resign exposes a split in Labor’s left.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad. Picture; AAP.

The corruption watchdog’s assessment into Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad’s undeclared investment property will be finished in the “next couple of weeks,” with “loose ends” being tied up now.

Crime and Corruption Commission chair Alan MacSporran this morning told a parliamentary committee that it was “not unusual” that the watchdog’s assessment of the complaint had taken more than five weeks.

“There’s just a few loose ends that need to be tied up before we can reveal the results of our assessment,” Mr MacSporran said.

“It’s not unusual for this to take five weeks…because of some of the complexities.”

He said the process had been sped up because Ms Trad had swiftly provided a bundle of relevant documents through her lawyer, after she referred herself to the CCC.

Through her family trust, Ms Trad’s husband bought an investment property in Woolloongabba in March. It is alleged the house is likely to rise in value thanks to its proximity to the Cross River Rail, Ms Trad’s signature infrastructure project.

Ms Trad did not publicly update her pecuniary interest register to reflect the house purchase until she was contacted by The Courier-Mail months later. It is alleged Ms Trad did not declare a potential conflict of interest relating to the house purchase at a number of key meetings about the Cross River Rail in late March and April, when major decisions about the project were made.

Mr MacSporran said if Ms Trad was found to not have properly declared the property, she could be found to have breached the ministerial rules, which would not fall in the watchdog’s jurisdiction and would not require a formal investigation.

However, if Ms Trad was found to have deliberately tried to hide the purchase for financial gain, it would potentially be corrupt conduct, and would require a CCC investigation, Mr MacSporran said.

Ms Trad has apologised for not updating her pecuniary interest register but has denied all wrongdoing. She has promised to stand aside from her Cabinet roles of Treasurer and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships if the CCC does decide to investigate.

Yesterday, CFMEU boss and Ms Trad’s supposed factional ally Michael Ravbar called for Ms Trad to resign over the integrity issue, and Cross River Rail procurement, exposing a split in state Labor’s dominant Left flank.

CFMEU construction and general branch state secretary Michael Ravbar, a member of Labor’s nat­ional executive and a key Left powerbroker, yesterday ­demanded the Treasurer’s scalp over her undeclared investment property and alleged “mismanagement” of the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail infrastructure project.

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At a noisy rally outside Parliament House in Brisbane, Mr Ravbar threatened a showdown over Ms Trad’s position at this weekend’s Labor’s state conference, the second-last before next year’s election.

“There’s no doubt Trad is not well-liked out there in the community,” Mr Ravbar said. “She’s never been one (to have a) good relationship with unions…the ­(investment) property stuff is pretty average at the very best, pretty poor actually.

“You get the build-up of all of these things and … I don’t think she connects well with Queenslanders in general.”

Ms Trad is under assessment by the Crime and Corruption Commission for allegations she failed to declare her family trust’s purchase of an investment ­property that stood to rise in value because of its proximity to a new station for the Cross River Rail, her signature infrastructure ­project.

Michael Ravbar, centre. Picture: Annette Dew

Ms Trad has denied any wrongdoing, but has promised to “do the right thing” and step aside from cabinet if the corruption watchdog launches a formal ­investigation.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has spent weeks defending her government over a series of alleged integrity issues relating to Ms Trad, her chief of staff David Barbagallo, Employment Minister Shannon Fentiman and Assistant Education Minister Brittany Lauga.

Ms Palaszczuk has resisted opposition calls to immediately sack Ms Trad and stand aside Mr Barbagallo, whose part-owned company received $267,500 in fin­ancing from the state government’s Business Development Fund.

Mr Ravbar said the CFMEU had not taken the decision lightly to call for Ms Trad’s scalp but his hard-line stance on his factional ally, Ms Trad, has caused ructions in the party’s Left faction, with the Electrical Trades Union boss Peter Ong expressing “dis­appointment” at Mr Ravbar’s call.

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The ETU stood alongside Mr Ravbar’s Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union members at an anti-­government protest yesterday, but Mr Ong said he was blindsided by Mr Ravbar’s demand for Ms Trad’s head.

“There’s been a lot of ministerial mismanagement, and the Cross River Rail authority has mismanaged the whole thing, but to come out and call for Jackie Trad to resign is not the right move,” Mr Ong said.

“To call for Jackie Trad’s head, I’m very disappointed because all it’s done is take away from the main point of the rally.”

The Liberal National Party opposition maintained its pressure on the Palaszczuk government over what it is calling “integrity crises”.

In parliament, LNP deputy leader Tim Mander asked Ms Palas­zczuk: “In the last month, it has been revealed that the Deputy Premier bought a house via her family trust putting her in conflict of interest with her ministerial responsibilities. The Deputy Premier did not properly disclose the interest, refuses to release her Integrity Commissioner advice and called the CCC chair when under assessment. Does the Premier retain confidence in the Deputy Premier?”

Ms Palaszczuk responded: “The answer is yes”.

Ms Trad yesterday reiterated her promise to stand down should the corruption watchdog decide to launch a formal investigation.

“I have always endeavoured to do the right thing,” Ms Trad said.

“I have referred myself to the CCC. I will ensure that I abide by the rules. If there is an investi­gation that follows the assessment of the CCC ,I will do what is right.”

A spokesman for Ms Trad declined to respond to Mr Ravbar’s criticism yesterday.