Not in the way that the LNP’s Newman Government did through the broadscale job losses, but in more subtle ways which reduced its independence and its role in delivering fair and unfettered advice.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has to use the Coaldrake Review as a line in the sand and put an end to the conga line of Labor mates who have far too much power.

If she does, it could save her Government.

What the report clearly shows is a Government listening to itself, of a lack of trust in anyone outside the Labor circle.

Former State archivist Mike Summerell, who highlighted a lot of the integrity problems, summed it up with his comment that: “Unless people speak up nothing will change … if people choose to remain silent there really is nothing that this review can do and they are clearly running out of time.

“Speak up. If you don’t you really can’t complain about the outcome or the consequences. Peter Coaldrake won’t be your excuse,” he said.

Coaldrake pointed out the public service had been “hollowed out’’ by the use of external consultants and that some lobbyists were acting for clients to influence government, then acting for political parties to help them win elections. 

The frank advice once delivered by public servants had been stripped away and that young loyalists with no life experience “aside from a university Labor or Liberal club or trade union office’’ had far too much reach.

Consultants had moved in and “while the intention might have been for the externalisation of advice to be a good deal for the taxpayer, in practice the opposite can be the case when skilled public officials walk out the door of government and step across the street to assume new roles in leading professional advisory firms.’’ 

And while one of the more frequent concerns raised during his consultations was the perceived overreach of ministerial staff, it wasn’t uniform with one Minister bravely standing up for the role of the service: “I am the politician,’’ the Minister is quoted as saying. “There is no need for you as a public servant to second-guess or presume the politics, that’s my job. Your job is to give frank and fearless advice.’’

Three cheers to whoever that was because it isn’t a widespread belief. 

Fear had meant that senior public servants were directing others to sanitise advice and alter recommendations to align with what was presumed to be the Minister’s position and a Director-General took steps to prevent a report from “reaching the Minister’s ears” so as to ensure that the Minister could continue to plausibly deny knowledge of the matter.  

There was also a fear among public servants of getting caught in a paper trail that could be exposed by Right To Information, but anyone who has tried to deal with RTIs would know just how ridiculous it has become to get any information.

Much of what has happened under the Palaszczuk Government is not restricted to Queensland. Other governments are also guilty of falling into the same traps. In fact, it seems as if following this path is considered best practice.

What Coaldrake has given the Government is not just an admonishment but a recipe for survival.