Queensland’s corruption watchdog will be able to report on allegations about elected officials, even if the person is not found guilty, but will have to obey strict rules around when it would be appropriate.
Premier Steven Miles has vowed to accept all 16 recommendations made by former chief justice Catherine Holmes following her review into the Crime and Corruption Commission’s public reporting powers.
The review was sparked by a High Court decision that left the CCC unable to publicly release reports about investigations.
The state government has accepted all 16 recommendations from former chief justice Catherine Holmes’ review of the Crime and Corruption Commission’s reporting powers.Credit: Mark Cranitch
Under Holmes’ recommendation, elected officials may be the subject of a public report even if corruption allegations are not proven, “provided it [the report] contains no critical commentary or expression of opinion concerning them”, other than if the allegations of corruption are unsubstantiated.
Holmes found reporting against an individual where there has been no finding of corrupt conduct “cannot ordinarily be justified” but for a number of reasons, elected officials should form an exception.
She recommended the watchdog be able to report to dispel allegations of corrupt conduct because “that is in the interests of public confidence in the integrity of the public sector.
“The reporting should be purely factual and neutral,” Holmes wrote.
“If the conduct in question is particularly blameworthy, one can be confident members of opposing parties and the media will make that clear. But it is no function of the commission’s in such a case to express its views. …
“The conclusions I have reached almost certainly will not please all, but they set up a workable regime which balances the considerations of human rights protection and the desirability of public sector transparency and accountability.”
with AAP