Qld watchdog’s laptop probe questioned
Marty Silk |
Queensland’s anti-corruption boss can’t explain if the watchdog finalised a controversial probe into a laptop lawfully or not.
The Crime and Corruption Commission probe into the removal of a laptop from the Integrity Commissioner’s office wrapped up in July.
The watchdog found no wrongdoing by public servants or the Labor government.
But the opposition has raised fresh questions about the probe and how the report was signed off.
Liberal National Party MP Jon Krause asked CCC executives if the probe took “a different turn” when Bruce Barbour was appointed as acting CCC chairman in January.
However, they denied the tone changed from concern about the laptop to the incident being framed as “business as usual”.
“No, I don’t believe it changed direction at all, and importantly, the decisions made in relation to that matter … I actually took no role in the specific decisions,” Mr Barbour told a parliamentary committee on Thursday.
“Having worked for a short time as the Integrity Commissioner on an acting basis, I thought it was inappropriate for me to be involved directly in the decisions.
“And so whilst I manage the administrative process, in terms of reporting to this committee and so forth, I didn’t take a role in relation to the specific decisions.”
Mr Krause, the committee chair, also asked how Mr Barbour had signed off on the CCC’s report into the laptop incident.
The MP said at the time the CCC only had three commissioners, but under the law four were needed to adopt reports.
“I’m happy to look at that issue, and we’ll get back to the committee,”Mr Barbour replied.
Mr Krause asked Mr Barbour if he knew there was a legal requirement for four commissioners to adopt a CCC report.
“Yes, but as I said, I’ll take it on notice and I’ll get back to the committee,” the CCC chair replied.
The watchdog launched its probe last year after then Integrity Commissioner Nikola Stepanov raised concerns about the laptop being taken from her office without her knowledge or permission by public servants.
She was worried data had potentially been lost or leaked, and subsequently resigned over the matter.
However, the CCC later cleared the government, saying the incident was “unremarkable”.
Earlier in Thursday’s hearing, CCC executives were asked about a decline in staff engagement in a recent workplace survey.
Mr Barbour said he was not surprised about the results, blaming critics of the corruption watchdog.
“There are any number of reasons that you’re all well aware of about why staff would be feeling concerned about their roles, concerned about how their work is perceived externally, dealing with critical views that are expressed constantly about their work,” he said.
AAP