In a shocking turn of events, Queensland’s Liberal National Party government has taken the unprecedented step of releasing a previously suppressed Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) report into the conduct of former deputy premier Jackie Trad. The move, which comes after a prolonged legal battle and a decisive high court ruling in 2023 that had effectively sealed the report, is being decried by Trad as a “terrifying and petty” abuse of power.
LNP Wields Parliamentary Privilege to Circumvent Courts
By tabling the contentious CCC investigation report under parliamentary privilege on Wednesday evening, the newly elected Crisafulli government has effectively sidestepped the judiciary and made the damning findings public. The report, which had been the subject of a years-long legal wrangle, details the watchdog’s criticisms of Trad’s “aggressive” advocacy for her longtime colleague Frankie Carroll during the selection process for a new state under-treasurer in 2018-2019.
For the LNP government to now release the reports against the judgment of the high court, and in light of the CCC’s recent track record, for the purposes of political point-scoring is both terrifying and petty.
Jackie Trad, Former Queensland Deputy Premier
Trad: Report Found No Evidence of Corruption
Despite the CCC’s sharp rebukes of her conduct, Trad maintains that the investigation ultimately found “no evidence [she] engaged in corrupt conduct, misconduct in public office or any other criminal offence.” She argues that the LNP’s decision to publish the “unlawful” reports sets a “dangerous precedent” by using their parliamentary majority to “disregard a well-considered, balanced and fair judgment from the highest court in our nation, without legislative amendment or scrutiny.”
CCC Under Fire for Misunderstanding Its Powers
The embattled ex-deputy premier also took aim at the CCC itself, asserting that it was “both deeply concerning and an embarrassment” that the watchdog had “fundamentally misunderstood the legislation governing the exercise of their enormous and expansive powers.” She pointed to recent controversies involving the CCC, including a parliamentary committee finding that it had “failed to act independently, impartially and fairly” in pursuing elected Logan city councillors, and the Director of Public Prosecutions being forced to withdraw multiple cases due to a lack of evidence from CCC investigations.
Fallout Remains to Be Seen
As the political shockwaves from this explosive development continue to reverberate through Queensland, the long-term ramifications for Trad, the CCC, and the state’s political landscape remain uncertain. Will this perceived overreach by the LNP galvanize opposition and public sentiment against them, or will the sordid details revealed in the report further tarnish Trad and the Labor party’s reputation? Only time will tell, but one thing is clear: the battle lines have been drawn, and Queensland politics is in for a tumultuous ride.
