Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad has been referred to State Parliament's Ethics Committee over the purchase of an investment property at Woolloongabba on Brisbane's southside.
Key points:
- Speaker Curtis Pitt says he referred the matter to the Ethics Committee for further assessment
- In a statement, a spokesperson for Ms Trad said she would comply with the committee
- Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington says 'dodgy Jackie Trad' should be sacked
The committee will specifically examine whether Ms Trad failed to include the property on her register of interests within the required time frame.
Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) was asked to examine Ms Trad's purchase of the Woolloongabba house, which had the potential to grow in value because of its proximity to the nearby Cross River Rail project, which Ms Trad was overseeing at the time of purchase.
In September, the CCC found no evidence to support a reasonable suspicion of corrupt conduct, but did recommend sweeping changes to the way conflicts were handled, including new criminal offences for occasions when a member of Cabinet does not declare a conflict.
In a document tabled in State Parliament, Speaker Curtis Pitt said CCC acting chairman Marshall Irwin wrote to him after the corruption watchdog finalised its assessment into the matter, asserting there were matters Parliament should consider and determine whether Ms Trad should be referred to the Ethics Committee.
Mr Pitt said after careful consideration, he decided to refer the matter to the Ethics Committee for further assessment.
"I have reached the conclusion that there are sufficient questions of fact to be determined against the evidence such that it would be prudent to refer the matters to the Ethics Committee for further consideration," he said.
"I also wish to stress that I have not taken this decision lightly, and I have given this decision lengthy and serious consideration."
In a statement, a spokesperson for Ms Trad said she would comply with the committee.
"The Deputy Premier will cooperate fully with the ethics committee, as she did with the CCC," the spokesperson said.
"The CCC found there was no evidence of corrupt or dishonest conduct in the Deputy Premier's late lodgement of paperwork relating to the purchase of a property.
"As the matter is now before the Ethics Committee, it would be inappropriate to comment further."
The Woolloongabba house was sold for $695,500 in early October, the same price Ms Trad's husband bought it for in March.
'Sack dodgy Jackie Trad', Opposition says
In a statement, Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said Ms Trad should be sacked.
"This has never happened before in Queensland politics and shows how deep the integrity crisis goes in the Palaszczuk Government," she said.
"It is now another test of leadership for the Premier, she must finally act and sack dodgy Jackie Trad.
"Jackie Trad's position is untenable as a decision maker while this investigation is taking place."
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