'Never-ending Story'
Public Accountability and Public Administration Reform in Queensland Since 1989
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1375/qr.18.2.175Keywords:
Johannes Bjelke-Petersen, Premier of Queensland, public accountability, administrative reform, backslidingAbstract
Soon after Johannes Bjelke-Petersen became Premier of Queensland in 1968, companies in which he held shares were given six-year leases to explore for oil on the Great Barrier Reef. The following year, ministers in his government accepted parcels of Comalco shares. So did senior bureaucrats and the Premier’s wife. Criticism at the time was muted because Labor politicians and some journalists had also taken shares (Whitton 1989, p. 19). Bjelke-Petersen was adamant that he had done nothing wrong — a feeling that presumably was shared by other beneficiaries of Comalco’s largesse (Wear 2002, p. 93). Because it is inconceivable that a saga of such blatant conflict of interest would be played out in today’s Queensland, there is a temptation to tell a simple ‘before and after Fitzgerald’ story of public accountability and administrative reform. Considered analysis suggests, however, that the reality is much more complex. There was progress, but there was also backsliding.
References
ABC News 2010, ‘Gordon Nuttall: From MP to Inmate’, 16 December, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-10-27/gordon-nuttall-from-mp-to-inmate/2313660. Accessed 20 September 2011.
Alvey, J. 2007, ‘Parliament’s Accountability to the People, The Role of Committees: A Queensland View’, paper presented to the Australasian Study of Parliament Group Conference, Adelaide, http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/web/webpages.nsf/WebFiles/ASPG+2007+-+Alvey/$FILE/Alvey.pdf. Accessed 20 September 2011.
Beattie, P. 1998, Communication with Peter Wellington, 25 June, http://www.peter-wellingtonmp.com/Govt%20agreement%20letters.pdf. Accessed 20 September 2011.
Bishop, P. 2005, ‘Working the Electorate’, Griffith Review no. 3, http://griffithreview.com/edition-3-webs-of-power/net-working-the-electorate. Accessed 20 November 2011.
Bligh A. 2009, Speech to the Australian Public Sector Anti- Corruption Conference, Brisbane, http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/29/anna-bligh-has-nothing-or-everything-changed-in-queensland. Accessed 20 November 2011.
Brisbane Times (2009) ‘Bligh May Outlaw Lobbyist “Success Fees”’, 9 August, http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/bligh-may-outlaw-lobbyist-success-fees-20090720-dqng.html. Accessed 20 September 2011.
Brown, A.J. 2009, ‘Restoring the Sunshine to the Sunshine State’, Griffith Law Review, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 666–91.
Brown, A.J. 2010, ‘Whistle Can Now Be Blown Louder in Queensland’, The Australian, 17 September.
Coaldrake, P. 1989, Working the System, University of Queensland Press, St Lucia.
Courier Mail 2010a, ‘Transparency Undermined by the State’, 19 April.
Courier Mail 2010b, ‘Health Must End Appalling RTI Games’, 4 December.
Davis, G. 1993, ‘Executive and Policy Co-ordination’, in B. Stevens and J. Wanna (eds), The Goss Government: Promise and Performance of Labor in Queensland, Macmillan, Melbourne, pp. 31–51.
Fitzgerald, T. (Chair) 1989, Commission of Inquiry into Possible Illegal Activities and Associated Police Misconduct: Report of a Commission of Inquiry Pursuant to Orders in Council, Queensland Government, Brisbane.
Fitzgerald, G.E, 2009. Speech of introduction at Inaugural Tony Fitzgerald Lecture Series. Retrieved from http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file /0020/156125/Tony-Fitzgerald—-Arthurs-introduction—-Griffith-lecture-web.pdf 28 July 2009.
Fraser, A. 2009, ‘Terry Mackenroth Leads Lobby Clear-out’, The Australian, 11 August.
Green, A. 2011, ‘Can Campbell Newman Be Opposition Leader While Not an MP?’ Antony Green’s Election Blog, http://blogs.abc.net.au/antonygreen/2011/03/can-campbell-newman-be-opposition-leader-while-not-an-mp.html. Accessed 20 September 2011.
Houghton, D. 2009, ‘Double Talk from Bligh on Right to Know’, Courier Mail, 6 June.
Hurst, D. ‘Cash for Access OK if Declared’, Brisbane Times, 10 May.
J.W. 1990, ‘Political Chronicles’, Australian Journal of Politics and History, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 420–56.
J.W. 1992, ‘Political Chronicles’, Australian Journal of Politics and History, vol. 38, no. 2, pp. 218–69.
J.W. 1993, ‘Political Chronicles’, Australian Journal of Politics and History, vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 140–301.
J.W. 1996, ‘Political Chronicles’, Australian Journal of Politics and History, vol. 42, no. 3, pp. 402–56.
Kellett, C. 2008, ‘Mickel Cleared Over “Gravy Train” Scandal’, Courier Mail, 13 May.
Lauchs, M. 2006, ‘Rational Avoidance of Accountability by Queensland Governments’, PhD thesis, School of Justice, Law Faculty, QUT, http://eprints.qut.edu.au/16368/1/Mark_Lauchs_Thesis.pdf. Accessed 20 September 2011.
Lawe Davies, C. 1993, ‘Relations with the Media’, in B. Stevens and J. Wanna (eds), The Goss Government: Promise and Performance of Labor in Queensland, Macmillan, Melbourne, pp. 74–87.
Lewis, C. 2010, ‘Crime and Misconduct Commission: Moving Away From Fitzgerald’, in C. Lewis, J. Ransley and R. Homel (eds), The Fitzgerald Legacy: Reforming Public Life in Australia and Beyond, Australian Academic Press, Brisbane, pp. 57–81.
Lion, P. 2008, ‘Reports on ALP Gravy Train Find Mickel’s Staff Knew They Had a … TICKET TO RIDE’, Courier Mail, 2 May.
Lion, P. 2009, ‘Perception in Politics is Everything’, Courier Mail, 18 July.
Lion, P. 2010, ‘Health Web of Secrecy Laid Bare’, Courier Mail, 3 December.
McMillan, J. 2010, Freedom of Information Reforms and Cultural Change, paper presented at UNESCO Conference to Mark World Press Freedom Day, Brisbane.
New South Wales Ombudsman 2009, ‘Opening Up Government’, in Review of the Freedom of Information Act 1989, A Special Report to Parliament Under s. 31of the Ombudsman Act 1974, New South Wales Government, Sydney.
Norton A. 2011, ‘Strangling Political Activity with Red Tape’, Blog archive, http://andrewnorton.info/2011/05/17/strangling-political-activity-with-red-tape. Accessed 20 September 2011.
O’Loan, J. 2008, ‘ALP’s Secret Gravy Train’. The Courier Mail, 25 April.
Prenzler, T. 2009,‘Reform in Politics, Criminal Justice and the Police in Post-Fitzgerald Queensland: An Assessment’, Griffith Law Review, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 576–95.
Preston, N. 2003, ‘Peter Douglas Beattie: The Inclusive Populist’, in D. Murphy, R. Joyce, M. Cribb and R. Wear (eds), The Premiers of Queensland, University of Queensland Press, St Lucia, pp. 400–22.
Preston, N. 2010, ‘The Renewal of Parliament: A Fitzgerald Legacy?’ in C. Lewis, J. Ransley and R. Homel (eds), The Fitzgerald Legacy: Reforming Public Life in Australia and Beyond, Australian Academic Press, Brisbane, pp. 184–98.
Queensland Business Review n.d., http://www.qbr.com.au/news.aspx?mid=548&dnnprintmode=true&ArticleID=57516&SkinSrc=%5BG%5DSkins%2FQueensland%20Business%20Review%2FPrinterFrendlySkin&ContainerSrc=%5BG%5DContainers%2F_default%2FNo+Container. Accessed 20 September 2011.
Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory 2011, ‘Cabinet Documents’, http://rti.cabinet.qld.gov.au/cabinet.aspx. Accessed 20 November 2011.
Queensland Government 2005, Queensland Public Hospitals Commission of Inquiry Report, Queensland Government, Brisbane.
Queensland Government 2009, Integrity and Accountability in Queensland: Discussion Paper, Queensland Government, Brisbane.
Queensland Integrity Commissioner 2007, Annual Report 2006/2007, Queensland Government, Brisbane.
Ransley, J. 1992, ‘Reform of Parliamentary Processes: An Assessment’, in A. Hede, S. Prasser and M. Neylan (eds), Keeping Them Honest: Democratic Reform in Queensland, University of Queensland Press, St Lucia, pp. 149–59.
Ransley, J. 1993, ‘Legal and Administrative Law Reform’, in B. Stevens and J. Wanna (eds), The Goss Government: Promise and Performance of Labor in Queensland, Macmillan, Melbourne, pp. 106–17.
Ransley, J. 2010, ‘EARC: A Short-term Experiment in Permanent Reform?’ in C. Lewis, J. Ransley and R. Homel (eds), The Fitzgerald Legacy: Reforming Public Life in Australia and Beyond, Australian Academic Press, Brisbane, pp. 81–95.
Reynolds, H. 1989, ‘Getting on in Queensland’, Australian Society, November, pp. 40–42.
Scott, R. and Scott A. 2001, ‘The Search for Virtue and the Role of Anti-Corruption Agencies: A Queensland Case Study’, paper presented to Annual Conference of the Public Administration Committee of the British Inter-Universities Council, Sunningdale.
Simons, M. 2010, ‘Life After Red Kerry: What’s the Future of ABC Current Affairs?’, Crikey, http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/10/07/life-after-red-kerry-whats-the-future-of-abc-current-affairs. Accessed 20 November 2011.
Solomon D. 2006, ‘Whistleblowers, and Governments, Need More Protection’, in Democratic Audit of Australia, Australian National University, Canberra.
Solomon D. 2009, ‘Reform Fatigue Following the Fitzgerald Report?’ Griffith Law Review, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 621–37, http://democratic.audit.anu.edu.au/papers/20060208_solomon_whistleblowers.pdf. Accessed 20 September 2011.
Solomon, D. 2010a, ‘Government Integrity in Queensland: The Journey So Far’, paper presented at the Ethical Leadership and Governance in the Public Sector Forum, Canberra.
Solomon, D. 2010b, ‘Freedom of Information (FOI) in Queensland and Its Fitzgerald Origins’, in C. Lewis, J. Ransley and R. Homel (eds), The Fitzgerald Legacy: Reforming Public Life in Australia and Beyond, Australian Academic Press, Brisbane, pp. 198–212.
Solomon, D. 2011, ‘Integrity Measures to Ensure Accountability and Transparency of Government’, Address to Evolving models of Governance and Accountability in a Changing Public Sector Environment conference, Canberra.
Stevens, B. and Wanna, J. 1993, ‘The Goss Government: An Agenda for Reform’, In B. Stevens and J. Wanna (eds), The Goss Government: Promise and Performance of Labor in Queensland, Macmillan, Melbourne, pp. 1–12.
Strong, G. 2003, ‘Sir Joh Back in the Spotlight’, The Age, 8 August.
Wanna, J. 1993, ‘Managing the Politics: The Party, Factions, Parliament and Parliamentary Committees’, in B. Stevens and J. Wanna (eds), The Goss Government: Promise and Performance of Labor in Queensland, Macmillan, Melbourne, pp. 51–65.
Wanna J. 2003, ‘Wayne Keith Goss: The Rise and Fall of a Meticulous Controller’, in D. Murphy, R. Joyce, M. Cribb and R. Wear (eds), The Premiers of Queensland, University of Queensland Press, St Lucia, pp. 357–87.
Wanna, J. 2002, ‘Political Chronicles’, Australian Journal of Politics and History, vol. 48, no. 2, pp. 153, 304.
Wanna, J. 2004, ‘Political Chronicles’, Australian Journal of Politics and History, vol. 50, no. 4, pp. 469–639.
Wardill, S. 2009, ‘Anna Bligh had 90 Meals with Business and Lobbyists’, Courier Mail, 5 August.
Wear, R. 1993, ‘Wayne Goss — a Leader in the Queensland Tradition?’ in B. Stevens and J. Wanna (eds), The Goss Government: Promise and Performance of Labor in Queensland, Macmillan, Melbourne, pp. 23–31.
Wear, R. 2002, Johannes Bjelke-Petersen: The Lord’s Premier, University of Queensland Press, St Lucia.
Wear, R. 2003, ‘Robert Edward Borbidge: In the Shadow of Bjelke-Petersen’, in D. Murphy, R. Joyce, M. Cribb and R. Wear (eds), The Premiers of Queensland, University of Queensland Press, St Lucia, pp. 387–400.
Whitton, E. 1989, The Hillbilly Dictator, ABC Publishing, Sydney.
Williams, P. 2005, ‘Peter Beattie’s Strategies of Crisis Management: Mea Culpa and the Policy “Backflip”’, Australian Journal of Public Administration, vol. 64, no. 4, pp. 41–52.
Williams, P. 2005, ‘Political Chronicles’, Australian Journal of Politics and History, vol. 51, no. 4, pp. 481–627.
