A review examining accountability issues in Queensland's public sector has painted a scathing picture of its culture, saying it is "too tolerant of bullying" and is dominated by "short-term political thinking".
Professor Peter Coaldrake released his final report titled Let The Sunshine In, which has made 14 recommendations designed to strengthen accountability and integrity mechanisms in the Queensland government.
The recommendations include:
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Proactive release of Cabinet documents with submissions and their attachments, agendas and decisions papers to be published online within 30 business days of a final decision being made by Cabinet
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Integrity bodies' independence be enhanced by involvement of parliamentary committees in setting their budgets and contributing to key appointments
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Whistleblowers be protected by the Government immediately activating its promised review of Public Interest Disclosure legislation
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Changes to the auditor-general role to extend its status as an Officer of the Parliament
- The establishment of a single clearing house for complaints with capacity for the complainants and agencies to track progress and outcomes
- The Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) will avail itself of the benefits of the new complains agency to redouble its own attention on major crime and public sector corruption
He also recommended lobbying regulation be strengthened.
Professor Coaldrake said there needed to be a requirement to register all professionals offering paid lobbying services for third parties, more transparent description of meeting purposes, an extension of ministerial diaries to include staff meetings with lobbyists and explicit prohibition of lobbyists "dual hatting" as political campaigners.
In a statement, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said her government would accept and implement all of his recommendations "lock, stock and barrel".
He said the review was prompted by a number of issues, some that had been made public, which "paint the picture of an integrity system under stress trying to keep check on a culture that, from the top down, is not meeting public expectations".
"Part of the problem is an identifiable loss of capacity in the public service, which has been accelerated by what is now an over-reliance on external contractors and consultants," Professor Coaldrake said.
"This has become ever more frustrating for the community."
The report detailed a culture of bullying and pressure experienced by public service officials from staff in ministerial offices and more senior bureaucrats.
"Public service officials can feel pressured, sometimes by ministerial staff, sometimes by more senior officers, to moderate advice developed with a 'public interest' goal in mind, to fit with a perceived ministerial preference – which may or may not be real – or to avoid giving advice on difficult issues in writing," Professor Coaldrake said.
"Personal interactions with some ministers and ministerial staff, and indeed some senior officers, can be disrespectful, belittling or bullying, and [cause] long-term detriment to careers real or apprehended.
"If unreasonable deadlines, bullying interactions, and intemperate demands for action or for compliant advice become pervasive, a fear-based response becomes entrenched in the culture.
"It puts the organisation itself at risk."
'Current visibility of paid lobbying ... highlights a serious issue'
Professor Coaldrake also identified lobbying as a serious risk.
"The role of influence has been a constant undertone to this review," he said.
"The review's recommendations widen the net of what activity is regulated but importantly, match this with an expectation that ministers and their officials will offer more disclosure of the representations influencing their decisions.
"The Premier announced some changes to lobbying regulations on the eve of this final report, an action portrayed as urgently responding to community concerns.
"This review welcomes the emphasis and looks forward to similar urgency in implementing its full package of recommendations."
'Bold, comprehensive, visionary' recommendations, Palaszczuk says
In a statement, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she welcomed and embraced Professor Coaldrake's review.
"I wouldn't have asked him to do it if I didn't want reform — we will accept all of his recommendations," she said.
"They are bold, they are comprehensive and they are visionary, and they are exactly what I want.
"The report will go to Cabinet on Monday and we will begin work on implementing these sweeping reforms, lock, stock and barrel."
The Coaldrake review received more than 320 submissions and almost 100 meetings were held.
LNP leader David Crisafulli told ABC Radio Brisbane the report was alarming and he highlighted the opposition's concerns.
"When you talk about a culture where officers are deliberately trying to withhold things because of their political masters and the pressure that's there, you know that there needs to be overhaul.
"The cultural issues in the Queensland government are massive and I seriously believe that those cultural issues are seeing systematic corruption raging through our agencies."
Review encourages culture of openness 'from the top'
Professor Coaldrake said the key to lasting positive change in government was culture, which he said was shaped by leaders at all levels – including the premier of the day, ministers, MPs, directors-general and senior executives.
He said their tone was a precondition for success but it had "not reached the required pitch".
"In every case, whether the trivialising of parliamentary committees, lack of independence needed by integrity bodies, or lack of clarity about decision making, this can be reversed by a commitment to openness, supported by accountability," he said.
"This review aspires to influence a cultural shift, which encourages openness from the top, starting with cabinet processes and a resulting shared focus on identifying and dealing with the challenges Queensland faces."
Ms Palaszczuk appointed Professor Coaldrake in February to conduct the four-month independent review in which he gathered evidence through public submissions and interviews.
It came after growing calls for a review into integrity and transparency issues after allegations were raised about the Queensland government involving the Integrity Commissioner, a former state archivist and the Public Service Commissioner.
An interim report in April revealed concerns about the overreach of ministerial staff, the influence of lobbyists and the erosion of functions designed to hold the government to account.
Ahead of the final report being handed down, Ms Palaszczuk announced on Monday several changes to strengthen lobbying rules in Queensland that she described as a "fundamental first step".
The changes, which will take effect within the next month, include expanding the definition of lobbyist and "lifting points of contact" in ministerial offices to a higher level.
