Unwise, unusual: Jackie Trad releases diary note
A note details the Queensland Deputy Premier’s “unusual” phone call to corruption watchdog chief.
Queensland’s embattled Deputy Premier Jackie Trad has publicly released a diary note detailing her “unwise” and “unusual” Sunday phone call to the boss of the state’s corruption watchdog.
Crime and Corruption Commission head Alan MacSporran stood aside from the watchdog’s assessment of a complaint about Ms Trad’s purchase of an investment property after the call. Though he said his integrity had not been compromised by the phone call, he described it as “clearly unusual and possibly could be said to be unwise, because of what we’ve seen develop in the debate about it, but quite harmless really.”
Today, Ms Trad’s diary file note detailing the call was released.
“Spoke with MacSporran and advised him of self-referral and submission being prepared,” Ms Trad wrote in her diary at 12.41pm on Sunday July 21.
“Further information if required will be provided via lawyers.”
“IC (Integrity Commissioner) advised not to release her advice.”
“No desire to compromise assessment. Simple media statement will be released after submission is lodged Will await assessment outcome before selling Abingdon St.”
Ms Trad finishes the entry by noting that the conversation took five minutes.
It came after Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday indicated she could take “independent action” against Trad, if Trad was found to have breached the ministerial handbook.
The Crime and Corruption Commission is assessing a complaint against Ms Trad, after she failed to publicly declare her husband’s decision to buy an investment property that was expected to rise in value thanks to its proximity to Ms Trad’s signature infrastructure project, the Cross River Rail.
The three-bedroom Woolloongabba house was bought through the couple’s family company, of which Ms Trad is a beneficiary.
Ms Palaszczuk said she would wait for the outcome of the CCC assessment, and possible investigation, before deciding whether Ms Trad should be punished for allegedly breaching the handbook, which requires conflicts of interest to be declared at relevant meetings.
“What I said that the CCC is carrying out their assessment and when they look at these issues they look at everything, they may look at the issues of pecuniary interest register, they may look at the Cabinet handbook, let’s take one step at a time and then I’ll look at whatever CCC says and then I may take independent action.
But when asked to elaborate, Ms Palaszczuk would not say what form the “independent action” might take.
‘I am not prejudging anyone here,” she said. “I think everyone needs to take a cold shower and wait until the assessment is done by the CCC.”
Ms Trad has denied any wrongdoing but has apologised for failing to update her pecuniary interest register to reflect the purchase.
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