Labor members of a parliamentary committee have prevented legal costs incurred by Queensland's anti-corruption watchdog in court action taken by former deputy premier Jackie Trad from being made public.
Ms Trad has taken action in the Supreme Court to have a Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) report withheld from public release.
At a Tuesday meeting, the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee (PCCC), which oversees the CCC, voted on whether to release a response from the CCC that detailed the legal costs incurred by the anti-corruption body so far.
The CCC took questions about the costs at a public meeting earlier this month.
PCCC chair and LNP member Jon Krause moved a motion to release the response, but Labor MPs Jonty Bush, Ali King, Jess Pugh and Corrine McMillan opposed it.
Ms Bush said they opposed it as the matter was still "under investigation".
LNP MP Jarrod Bleijie said that was incorrect.
"The matter before the court is based on an investigation that I understand was completed," he said.
"They've given that information – I think the CCC's best placed to know what can be released publicly.
"They've redacted all the information that they believe needs to be redacted."
Ms Pugh said she did not think there was "any rush" around the matter and it did not need to be decided that day.
'Some sort of protection going on'
The CCC's response also addressed a question on notice about whether there had been an increase in nepotism allegations, particularly about family member appointments to roles in the public service, over the past two years.
LNP Member for Coomera, Michael Crandon, said it was clear in his mind there was "some sort of protection going on" and he saw no reason why the material should not be published.
"Neither of those have anything to do with matters under investigation or court matters — they are simply giving the people of Queensland something that they are entitled to," Mr Crandon said.
Ms Bush responded: "We are happy to support the release of the general reports in relation to nepotism — it is the detail relating to the matter that is before the court that we are cautious to."
However after first voting down the motion, the Labor MPs then blocked another motion to release the response about general nepotism complaints.
"The letter that's been provided is overwhelmingly about matter number one, and a very small portion of it is about matter number two, and my concern with it … it is better if the documents referred to are released entirely as a freestanding release," Ms King said.
Mr Krause replied: "The letter from the CCC actually provides context around the document attached to it."
"I really cannot see an issue … with the rest of it being published," he said.
'Palaszczuk government says no'
Labor used its majority to vote against the motion and the material remains secret.
After the meeting, Ms King and Ms McMillan declined to take questions from journalists about why the Labor members blocked the release.
Mr Bleijie said after the meeting: "Let's be clear — the CCC believes the public should know this information, but the Palaszczuk government says no".
