Evidence of more texts in Jackie Trad’s case

More evidence has emerged ahead of a corruption probe into direct correspondence between Jackie Trad and a senior Queensland education official.

Ex-treasurer Jackie Trad has denied any wrongdoing. Picture: 7NEWS

More evidence has emerged of the extent of direct correspondence between Jackie Trad and a senior Queensland education official, both facing a corruption probe that forced the former treasurer and deputy premier to quit cabinet.

A Right to Information request confirms there are now “27 documents” found in exchanges between the pair over text and possibly email during the months that Ms Trad is alleged to have interfered in the selection of a school principal in her electorate.

Almost all of the documents, sought under RTI to the Education Department by the state opposition, are not being released on the grounds they are in the hands of the Crime and Corruption Commission and could “prejudice the investigation’’.

Last week, several text messages were released under a similar RTI to Queensland Treasury showing Ms Trad discussing issues outside her ministerial portfolios in a familiar exchange with Education Department deputy director-general Jeff Hunt.

Mr Hunt stood aside in the face of the probe.

While the RTI to Treasury showed five documents were found in the application for correspondence between the pair, the latest RTI application to the Education Department has identified 27 documents.

Both RTIs seeks any “SMS or messages” between the pair between January 1 and July 1 last year but the latter specifically extends the scope to also including (but not limited to) emails.

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said the Liberal National Party would be writing to the state archivist seeking an investigation over the disparity between the number of documents identified in the two RTI applications.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk could release these documents but instead she continues to cover up Jackie Trad’s behaviour,’’ she said.

“Enough is enough, it is time to restore accountability and integrity.”

It follows a year-long investigation in 2016-17 by the state archivist and CCC over then energy minister Mark Bailey’s deletion of his private email account after The Australian made an RTI application for his secret correspondence with union officials.

Mr Bailey was not charged under the Public Records Act because the emails — which later showed he was receiving secret instructions from the Electrical Trades Union — were retrieved after his account was reactivated.

The text exchanges occurred the month before Tracey Cook, selected by an Education Department panel to be principal of the Inner City South Secondary College, was dumped after a meeting with Ms Trad and the job readvertised.

Ms Trad has denied any wrongdoing.