The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) has responded to the adoption of a first tranche of recommended changes to the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC).
LGAQ CEO, Alison Smith, said the LGAQ was still awaiting the State Government’s response to the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee’s (PCCC) investigation into the Logan matter involving the wrongful charging of a group of councillors, but the association was heartened by the State’s support of an initial report by the PCCC recommending change.
“The recommendations supported by the State today include limiting the term of a CCC Chairperson or ordinary commissioner to no more than seven years and amended section 225 of the Crime and Corruption Act 2001 to ensure the composition of the CCC matches the original Fitzgerald Inquiry intent,” Ms Smith said.
“The Attorney-General has also committed to considering recommendations related to the CCC’s prosecutorial practices.”
Ms Smith said the adoption of these recommendations would go some way towards allaying public concerns with the way the watchdog has been operating.
“These are important protections that will help safeguard the CCC against groupthink and bias,” Ms Smith said.
“We now look forward to the Government’s response to the PCCC’s inquiry into the CCC’s handling of the Logan matter.”
The LGAQ’s Policy Executive this month passed a motion calling for the CCC chair to take responsibility for the findings of that inquiry and resign.
