Coronavirus: Ex-Labor MP Mike Kaiser brought in despite Queensland hire freeze

Queensland Treasurer Jackie Trad has ordered a hiring freeze but has headhunted former Labor MP Mike Kaiser.

Former Queensland Labor MP Mike Kaiser.

Queensland Treasurer Jackie Trad has ordered a hiring freeze for the state’s public service but headhunted former Labor MP Mike Kaiser to help respond to the coronavirus jobs crisis.

Ms Trad confirmed last week she had ordered “business-as-usual” public sector recruitment to pause in response to the pandemic, forecast to cause a $4bn hit to the state’s budget bottom line.

Despite the hiring freeze, KPMG partner Mr Kaiser — a former state MP, state secretary of the Labor Party and chief-of-staff to former premier Anna Bligh — has been engaged by Ms Trad’s ­department to work on its jobs package.

A Treasury spokesman said KPMG was an approved government provider for professional ­services, and Mr Kaiser was a partner at KPMG with significant ­experience in government, ­fin­ance, policy development, program design and disaster management.

“KPMG is one of the firms providing professional advice and services for a range of agencies, including State Development, Employment and Training and Treasury,” he said.

Asked whether Mr Kaiser’s role violated the hiring ban, the spokesman said his role through KPMG — an approved provider for professional services — had been acknowledged previously.

Liberal National Party deputy leader Tim Mander criticised the appointment, accused Ms Trad of employing “Labor cronies” and said she should explain.

“Jackie Trad needs to explain why Labor Party cronies are being put on the taxpayer payroll during a hiring and wage freeze,” he said.

“The public will be rightfully sceptical about these appointments less than six months before an election.

“The Queensland public service should not be an employment agency for Labor campaigners.”

Right to Information documents reveal the Department of Premier and Cabinet had a contract with KPMG for five uncompleted audits in late August last year, including an Anzac program, general computer controls, network security, ministerial services expense claims and access to priv­ileged identity management ­systems.

In October, the Premier’s Department approved the spending of $94,140 on a review by KPMG of the government’s Advancing Queensland’s Priorities policy, ­including interviews with all cabinet ministers. That fee did not ­include GST or expenses.

Last year, the government spent more than $300,000 on external consultants — including Mr Kaiser and Ms Bligh’s former chief-of-staff, Nicole Scurrah, now with PwC — to help prepare the state budget.

The government’s total annual spend on consultants and contractors has been estimated at about $1.5bn.

Consultant Ms Scurrah was hired to oversee a public service razor gang directed to advise the government on how to reduce spending on consultants, which found $700m in savings.