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Get over me: Trad’s message to ‘obsessed’ Opposition

Former deputy premier Jackie Trad has called on the Liberal National Party to stop the “mud-slinging” after she was cleared of wrongdoing by Queensland’s corruption watchdog.

Jul 03, 2020, updated Jul 03, 2020
Former Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad. (Photo: AAP Image/Dan Peled)

Former Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad. (Photo: AAP Image/Dan Peled)

The Crime and Corruption Commission found no evidence Trad committed a criminal offence or was motivated by dishonesty in the selection process for the principal of a new high school in her South Brisbane electorate.

However the CCC found her interference in the process posed a “corruption risk”, in a report tabled in parliament.

Trad had denied any wrongdoing but stood down from her cabinet position in May.

She said the LNP had turned the matter into a “political witch-hunt” and the “ongoing smear campaign” had affected her, her family and the South Brisbane community.

“Since my election in 2012 the LNP has thrown everything at me, from racial slurs to vicious smear campaigns, all unfounded, and all in vain,” Trad said in a statement.

“It’s time for the LNP to get over their obsession with bringing me down and instead focus on contributing to the economic recovery of Queensland.”

The CCC found Trad did not intend to influence decision-making in the way she did but the decision to involve her in the recruitment process was “ill-advised”.

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CCC chair Alan MacSporran QC said the investigation uncovered some “disturbing practices” in the public service, including poor record keeping, misleading a candidate, publishing or using false information to make decisions, and deleting an email supposed to remain on the public record.

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington called for the recruitment process within the Department of Education to be overhauled, and for the Premier to rule out ever returning Trad to cabinet.

“Just because what they found wasn’t a criminal offence doesn’t make it right,” she told reporters on Thursday.

“Why was Jackie Trad allowed to influence an independent recruitment process that had already been decided? It is simply not good enough.

-AAP

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