Queensland's Deputy Premier and Treasurer has announced she is standing aside from her ministerial duties during an investigation launched by the state's corruption watchdog.
Jackie Trad said the Crime and Corruption Commission informer her yesterday afternoon that it would investigate the recruitment and selection process for the principal of the new Inner City South Secondary College.
Ms Trad said that she told Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk last night that she would stand aside from her duties "until the investigation is concluded", so she was not a distraction for the Labor Government.
Ms Trad said she would be standing for her South Brisbane seat at this year's state election and would fully co-operate with the investigation.
"It will provide me with an opportunity to set the record straight on this matter," she said.
"Let me be clear, no applicant to the principal position was known to me in any capacity, personal, political or professional.
"Further, I have never expressed a view to anyone on who should fill that role."
"I fully intend on running for the seat of South Brisbane and ensuring strong, progressive leadership for our community."
Principal Kirsten Ferdinands was last year appointed to lead the school, which is currently under construction in Brisbane's south, despite a panel selecting candidate Tracey Cook weeks earlier.
While the selection panel originally signed off on Ms Cook's appointment, the position was re-advertised in May at a more senior level based on new modelling that the school would likely outgrow its projected size, according to the Department of Education.
The selection process drew political attention late last year when Ms Trad admitted she spoke with both candidates during the recruitment period but denied interfering.
At the time, Education director-general Tony Cook backed up the Deputy Premier's statement, saying the department initiated those meetings and re-advertised the position after it received "new demographic modelling [that] indicated the school would exceed 1,600 students".
Documents tabled to Parliament revealed the report containing the new demographic modelling was received by the department in January — the same month the original position was first advertised.
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2020-05-09 02:10:23Z
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