Queensland integrity watchdog backs probe

Departing Qld Integrity Commissioner Dr Stepanov has slammed a state body's oversight of her office. Photo: AAP
Queenslandâs outgoing Integrity Commissioner says sheâs in a position of âinherent vulnerabilityâ and has backed calls for a formal investigation into the Public Service Commissionâs actions and âconsiderable powersâ.
Dr Nikola Stepanov, who maintains the register of lobbyists and give politicians confidential integrity advice, announced her resignation last week, midway through a three-year term.
Her decision comes with the Crime and Corruption Commission reportedly probing a complaint Dr Stepanov made against the PSC for seizing a laptop from her office and then wiping the device without her knowledge or permission.
The commissioner initially remained silent about her reasons for quitting, but has since released a lengthy statement partially aimed at the peak public service body.
Dr Stepanov says âit is not appropriateâ for the PSC to have control over the Integrity Commissionerâs budget, staff and resources.
ââThe provision of financial and administrative support for the Integrity Commissioner through the PSC creates the potential for conflicts of interest to arise between the two entitiesâ functions,â she said in a statement on Wednesday night.
ââFurther, the current governance arrangements operate in such a way as to place the Integrity Commissioner in a position of inherent vulnerability, due to dependence on the PSC exercising its considerable powers in a judicious manner.â
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk initially downplayed Dr Stepanovâs resignation, saying on Monday that âpeople change jobs all the timeâ.
Ms Palaszczuk hasnât fronted the media in Brisbane for three days or responded to the Integrity Commissionerâs call for a PSC probe.
Health Minister Yvette DâAth refused to comment on Dr Stepanovâs statement, which she said she hadnât seen, but said the government was âproud of the transparency we had hadâ.
âIâm not going speak for the premier, Iâm sure you can ask her those questions,â Ms DâAth told reporters on Thursday.
âSheâs had plenty of questions on the integrity commissioner over the last few days and sheâs answered those questions.â
Liberal National Party leader David Crisafulli has called for a full inquiry into the PSC raid, saying it wasnât just a âminor breach of transparencyâ.
He accused Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk of ordering a âgoon squadâ raid and said the public had a right to know how she would benefit from it.
âThatâs the sort of stuff that you see in the Kremlin in Russia,â Mr Crisafulli said.
Dr Stepanovâs decision to resign came shortly before CCC chair Alan MacSporran announced on Tuesday afternoon that he would also quit.
The corruption watchdog boss had been under a cloud with Cabinet considering a scathing Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee report into the CCC.
The committeeâs recommended a royal commission into the watchdog after its botched probe into Logan Council.
The Integrity Commissioner said the timing of her resignation, so close to Mr MacSporranâs, was a coincidence.
âMy resignation has been considered and planned for some time and could not be regarded as unexpected,â Dr Stepanov said.
However, she noted that details of her confidential resignation notice âwere provided to the mediaâ before the statutory processes had been completed.
Dr Stepanov said it was her âabsolute privilegeâ to serve as the stateâs fifth Integrity Commissioner, but a strategic review completed in September âsignalled the start of what ought to be a new chapter for the office.â
â AAP
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