Successive Queensland governments have become "too close to industry lobbyists" and have lost the public's trust, an open letter signed by prominent Australians and written with the help of corruption fighter Tony Fitzgerald QC warns.
The letter, released overnight, also condemns the Newman government's changes to the former Crime and Misconduct Commission and political donation transparency laws as well as last year's attacks on the Queensland judiciary by senior LNP figures.
"The current government has weakened Queensland's anti-corruption watchdog, the Crime and Corruption Commission, and used its almost unlimited Constitutional power to legislate without regard to proportionality or individual liberties," it says.
The letter, released by Canberra-based think tank, The Australia Institute, and signed by 50 prominent Australians – mostly Queenslanders – calls for all political parties to commit to four principles of "accountability and good governance".
They are:
As of Wednesday night all of the parties - except for the LNP - had agreed to the principles.
In a media statement, Mr Fitzgerald criticised the party.
"It's disappointing that the LNP apparently continues to yearn for the Bjelke-Petersen era of ethics-free government," he said.
"The LNP's failure to commit to these basic and surely uncontroversial principles of good governance, or even to explain why it won't is capable of only two interpretations.
"It either intends to continue to act inconsistently with good governance, or it considers that the public is not entitled to know how it plans to govern, if elected."
Mr Fitzgerald declined to directly comment on the letter, however said by email he had been making similar comments publicly for a long time.
One Queenslander who has signed the open letter is former CMC commissioner, Judith Bell, who served on the CMC from 2008 until 2013.
"I signed because I support what Tony Fitzgerald has said and because I have been in the past been a part-time commissioner at the CMC," she said Wednesday night.
"I have an interest in these things - so do all citizens of course – and I was very happy to be a signatory."
In 2014, Ms Bell was one of four former CMC commissioners who strongly objected to the LNP's proposed changes to the corruption watchdog.
Among the 50 signatories are broadcaster Alan Jones, social justice advocate Father Frank Brennan, former Queensland Integrity Commissioner Gary Crooke, former Courier Mail editor Greg Chamberlin (1987 to 1991), Jo-Anne Bragg from the Environmental Defenders Office, former Labor Attorney-General Matt Foley, former Queensland Supreme Court judge Martin Moynihan, former National Party families minister Beryce Nelson, and political donations expert Professor Graeme Orr from Queensland University.
The letter, released overnight, also condemns the Newman government's changes to the former Crime and Misconduct Commission and political donation transparency laws as well as last year's attacks on the Queensland judiciary by senior LNP figures.
"The current government has weakened Queensland's anti-corruption watchdog, the Crime and Corruption Commission, and used its almost unlimited Constitutional power to legislate without regard to proportionality or individual liberties," it says.
The letter, released by Canberra-based think tank, The Australia Institute, and signed by 50 prominent Australians – mostly Queenslanders – calls for all political parties to commit to four principles of "accountability and good governance".
They are:
- Govern for the peace, welfare and good government of the state;
- Make all decisions and take all actions, including public appointments, in the public interest without regard to personal, party political or other immaterial considerations;
- Treat all persons equally without permitting any person or corporation special access or influence; and
- Promptly and accurately inform the public of its reasons for all significant or potentially controversial decisions or actions.
As of Wednesday night all of the parties - except for the LNP - had agreed to the principles.
In a media statement, Mr Fitzgerald criticised the party.
"It's disappointing that the LNP apparently continues to yearn for the Bjelke-Petersen era of ethics-free government," he said.
"The LNP's failure to commit to these basic and surely uncontroversial principles of good governance, or even to explain why it won't is capable of only two interpretations.
"It either intends to continue to act inconsistently with good governance, or it considers that the public is not entitled to know how it plans to govern, if elected."
Mr Fitzgerald declined to directly comment on the letter, however said by email he had been making similar comments publicly for a long time.
One Queenslander who has signed the open letter is former CMC commissioner, Judith Bell, who served on the CMC from 2008 until 2013.
"I signed because I support what Tony Fitzgerald has said and because I have been in the past been a part-time commissioner at the CMC," she said Wednesday night.
"I have an interest in these things - so do all citizens of course – and I was very happy to be a signatory."
In 2014, Ms Bell was one of four former CMC commissioners who strongly objected to the LNP's proposed changes to the corruption watchdog.
Among the 50 signatories are broadcaster Alan Jones, social justice advocate Father Frank Brennan, former Queensland Integrity Commissioner Gary Crooke, former Courier Mail editor Greg Chamberlin (1987 to 1991), Jo-Anne Bragg from the Environmental Defenders Office, former Labor Attorney-General Matt Foley, former Queensland Supreme Court judge Martin Moynihan, former National Party families minister Beryce Nelson, and political donations expert Professor Graeme Orr from Queensland University.
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