Hunter to probe Qld archivist allegations – Daily Liberal

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The Queensland premier's director-general Rachel Hunter will probe serious allegations the former top public servant was forced to mislead parliament for two years. Former state archivist Mike Summerell says then Housing Minister Mick de Brenni told him in 2018 that he no longer had independence from the department. Mr Summerell said he was then forced to remove sections from his annual reports that were "embarrassing or damaging to the government", and if he didn't, they would be altered anyway before being tabled in parliament. Mr de Brenni says he's "not aware of any wrongdoing" during his time as housing minister. "If any public servant has evidence of wrongdoing they should and are obliged to take it up with the relevant authority," the energy minister said in a statement. Mr Summerell also said he felt pressured to leave his role in May after current Housing Minister Leeanne Enoch offered him a three-month extension on his five-year contract. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has ordered her own department's director-general Rachel Hunter to probe the allegations. She says Mr Summerell had a legal obligation to report his concerns to the Crime and Corruption Commission at the time. "Let the director-general have a look at these issues," Ms Palaszczuk told reporters on Tuesday. "But as I said, with serious allegations the public service know their code of conduct, and they know where to send serious allegations, and that is to the CCC." The premier refused to say whether she asked Ms Enoch about telling parliament last year that Mr Summerell had chosen not to renew his contract. The former archivist said after the 2018 meeting with Mr de Brenni, he was told to remove all references to his probe into an email scandal involving Transport Minister Mark Bailey from his annual report. When he later refused to change his annual reports to "make the government look good", they were tabled by Mr de Brenni with any controversial sections removed. "For 2 years I was directed to create misleading annual reports to parliament by DHPW senior officials with as far as I am concerned only one objective - don't say anything that could be embarrassing or damaging to the government," Mr Summerell said in a statement to News Corp. The former archivist said "misleading parliament" was a major issue for him, and that "I don't believe at all that my experiences were unique". "People need to know how little respect this government has for the integrity of the public record, transparency and accountability," Mr Summerell said. Liberal National Party leader David Crisafulli called for the premier to sack Mr de Brenni and Ms Enoch. He said the issues could only be resolved by proper inquiry into government integrity and Mr Bailey should also stand aside while that probe occurs. "The premier has no other choice but to launch a full royal commission into the integrity inferno burning her government to a crisp," Mr Crisafulli told reporters. Katter's Australian Party and Greens MPs back an integrity inquiry after the resignations of Queensland Integrity Commissioner Nikola Stepanov and Crime and Corruption (CCC) chairman Alan MacSporran. Like Mr Summerell, Dr Stepanov has also complained of "interference" in her role, with the CCC probing an allegation that the Public Service Commission confiscated a laptop from her office and later deleted its contents without her knowledge or consent last year. Australian Associated Press

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The Queensland premier's director-general Rachel Hunter will probe serious allegations the former top public servant was forced to mislead parliament for two years.

Former state archivist Mike Summerell says then Housing Minister Mick de Brenni told him in 2018 that he no longer had independence from the department.

Mr Summerell said he was then forced to remove sections from his annual reports that were "embarrassing or damaging to the government", and if he didn't, they would be altered anyway before being tabled in parliament.

Mr de Brenni says he's "not aware of any wrongdoing" during his time as housing minister.

"If any public servant has evidence of wrongdoing they should and are obliged to take it up with the relevant authority," the energy minister said in a statement.

Mr Summerell also said he felt pressured to leave his role in May after current Housing Minister Leeanne Enoch offered him a three-month extension on his five-year contract.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has ordered her own department's director-general Rachel Hunter to probe the allegations.

She says Mr Summerell had a legal obligation to report his concerns to the Crime and Corruption Commission at the time.

"Let the director-general have a look at these issues," Ms Palaszczuk told reporters on Tuesday.

"But as I said, with serious allegations the public service know their code of conduct, and they know where to send serious allegations, and that is to the CCC."

The premier refused to say whether she asked Ms Enoch about telling parliament last year that Mr Summerell had chosen not to renew his contract.

The former archivist said after the 2018 meeting with Mr de Brenni, he was told to remove all references to his probe into an email scandal involving Transport Minister Mark Bailey from his annual report.

When he later refused to change his annual reports to "make the government look good", they were tabled by Mr de Brenni with any controversial sections removed.

"For 2 years I was directed to create misleading annual reports to parliament by DHPW senior officials with as far as I am concerned only one objective - don't say anything that could be embarrassing or damaging to the government," Mr Summerell said in a statement to News Corp.

The former archivist said "misleading parliament" was a major issue for him, and that "I don't believe at all that my experiences were unique".

"People need to know how little respect this government has for the integrity of the public record, transparency and accountability," Mr Summerell said.

Liberal National Party leader David Crisafulli called for the premier to sack Mr de Brenni and Ms Enoch.

He said the issues could only be resolved by proper inquiry into government integrity and Mr Bailey should also stand aside while that probe occurs.

"The premier has no other choice but to launch a full royal commission into the integrity inferno burning her government to a crisp," Mr Crisafulli told reporters.

Katter's Australian Party and Greens MPs back an integrity inquiry after the resignations of Queensland Integrity Commissioner Nikola Stepanov and Crime and Corruption (CCC) chairman Alan MacSporran.

Like Mr Summerell, Dr Stepanov has also complained of "interference" in her role, with the CCC probing an allegation that the Public Service Commission confiscated a laptop from her office and later deleted its contents without her knowledge or consent last year.

Australian Associated Press

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Hunter to probe Qld archivist allegations - Daily Liberal