Mark Bailey under-fire after $2.4bn Downer train blowout deleted

Queensland’s Transport Minister failed to disclose a $2.4bn blowout on the state’s signature train building program because it ‘was not the theme of the day’.

Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE / John Gass

Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey approved the ­deletion of a $2.4bn blowout on the state’s train-building program from a media release and failed to disclose it at a press conference because it “was not the theme of the day”.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Mr Bailey both knew the contract with Downer, to build 65 passenger trains in Maryborough, had surged to $9.5bn when they issued a joint press ­release on June 30 with the old ­estimate of $7.1bn.

Mr Bailey, who was invest­igated by the Crime and Corruption Commission in 2017 for deleting his private email account, said the correct $9.5bn figure had been provided by his department but was deleted by his staff and a “blank” inserted while they ­waited for the Downer contract to be finalised.

He approved the release with no figures in it, before it was sent to Ms Palaszczuk’s office for final sign-off. “The press release was given to me with the blank there on the basis that it would go on to other offices, the Premier’s office, to be worked on,” he said.

“There was an expectation that the final figure would go in there and be correct, but that didn’t eventuate. I didn’t see the final media release. You know, sometimes you just got to trust the staff so I can’t speak for anyone other than my office.”

Ms Palaszczuk’s office, which inserted the old $7.1bn figure, said standard processes were not ­followed.

“The media officer who is usually responsible was working from home because they were ill and did not have access to all relevant information,” a spokesman for the Premier said. “The Premier has stressed to her staff the importance of ensuring correct processes are followed at all times.”

Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie said he believed the correct figure was deliberately ­removed from the press release “to hide it from Queenslanders”.

“I don’t believe for a minute that what has occurred is a simple error or blaming some ministerial staffer,” he said. “Mark Bailey ­received a draft press release with the correct figure from his ­department.”

Mr Bailey blamed a busy schedule for not checking the final release before it was issued.

On the same day, he held a press conference at Downer’s rail plant in Maryborough and did not disclose the blowout.

“I don‘t recall using a figure in the press conference because what it was, was an historic day for Maryborough,” Mr Bailey said.

“We saved that town from being derelict, because we brought the jobs back there and that was the theme of the day.”

Asked if it was his job as minister to be open about updated figures and “cough up those numbers”, Mr Bailey said: “The number was absolutely coughed up on the website.

“Should I have mopped it up a bit better? Sure, and I take full ­responsibility for that.”

Queensland CFMEU boss ­Michael Ravbar, who demanded Mr Bailey’s resignation last week over safety concerns at Brisbane’s Cross River Rail project, said the minister’s “use-by-date has long passed”.

“Mark Bailey is a one-man, walking disaster zone,” Mr Ravbar said. “He’s like a reverse version of King Midas, except everything he touches turns to poo, not gold. He is a risk to workers, a risk to taxpayers, and a risk to all Labor MPs who hope to ­retain their seats next year. Premier Palaszczuk must … act swiftly and decisively to cut him loose.”