CMC clears Coast land deal

Mark Furler | 10th November 2009

QUEENSLAND's crime watchdog has found no evidence of official misconduct involving the former deputy premier and lobbyists in relation to land at Palmwoods.

However, the Crime and Misconduct Commission has criticised record keeping for face to face meetings between lobbyists and departmental staff.

The CMC today released a report on its investigation into an allegation that a former Deputy Premier and professional lobbyist improperly influenced a review process which led to the inclusion of land in the 2009 South East Queensland Regional Plan.

The CMC investigated the allegation following a media report which implied that certain parcels of land, owned by Terry Ell, in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, were included in the ‘urban footprint’ of the 2009 SEQ plan after Mr Elder lobbied departmental officers.

CMC investigators interviewed key witnesses involved in the review process that led to the inclusion of land at Palmwoods and examined all available records relevant to the investigation.

The investigation showed that Mr Elder met regularly with the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Infrastructure and Planning, Gary White, to discuss planning issues, but only one of these meetings related directly to land at Palmwoods.

According to Mr White, an experienced planning professional, his recommendation for the inclusion of land at Palmwoods was on the basis of a written submission by the land holder who based his report on extensive technical data prepared by an urban development consultancy.

The state government also requested that the CMC examine every instance in which an extension was made to the urban footprint of the 2009 SEQ plan to determine whether any individual had inappropriately influenced the review process.

Previously, the CMC had investigated another land extension involving Terry Mackenroth as a lobbyist.

Apart from that matter and the one involving Mr Elder, departmental records showed that lobbyists made representations with respect to nine sites.

Each representation was promoting an expansion to the urban footprint. No expansion was recommended in respect of any of these sites.

CMC Chairperson Robert Needham says while there is no evidence of inappropriate influence by any of the lobbyists, the department’s lack of record-keeping was cause for concern.

‘The department had formally and systematically recorded the names and addresses of more than 3500 individuals and organisations which had provided written submissions, but no process exists for oral representations.’

‘To ascertain which matters involved lobbyists the CMC had to rely on entries in personal diaries and the recall of individual departmental officers,’ Mr Needham said.

The CMC has recommended that the department urgently consider implementing a procedure where some written record of all communication with registered lobbyists and other interested parties is kept.

The investigative report is available on the CMC’s website – www.cmc.qld.gov.au .

Do you agree with the findings of the Crime and Misconduct Commission? What do you think? Leave your comments below...

Recent Comments

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Posted by Joe_Smith from Maroochydore, Queensland

10 November 2009 1:14 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

"Leave your comments below"?
- Sorry, No-Can-Do. Someone might bring them up as evidence in the future!
This Blog did not really happen, ok Ed?
p.s. What's your home address? - I have a couple of cases of some really good Bollinger to get rid of.

Posted by dunno from Mount Pleasant, Queensland

10 November 2009 3:23 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

oh, now we can't critisise the CMC can we now, we have to watch our Ps&Qs here dont we, dont want to put anything at risk here, if the CMC says no corruption then GAME, SET and MATCH, looks like another politician has pulled the wool over someones eyes.

just dunno, do u ?

Posted by birdwing from Coolum Beach, Queensland

10 November 2009 3:55 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

Despite Anna Bligh's assurances to the contrary, the CMC is not an independent investigative agency. Official misconduct complaints against ministers are either not investigated at all, or the CMC investigation consists of asking the department whether there is evidence of any such problem.

The exercise of taking planning responsibility from Dept. of Local Government and forming the Department of Infrastructure and Planning (DIP) under Mackenroth was a sop the development lobby then and now there is a former development lobbyist made minister of the DIP. Planning legislation has been redrafted to give even more power over planning decisions to this minister relative to local government.

Tony Fitzgerald has again blown the whistle on this second coming of the Russ Heinz approach to development, yet it just goes on and will continue until there is a change of government. The long tradition of an unsustainable development feeding frenzy continues in S.E.Qld.

Posted by nearqueue from Coolum Beach, Queensland

10 November 2009 6:27 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

"the department’s lack of record-keeping was cause for concern." what an understatement !

"no process exists for oral representations."... just a bunch of guys having a yarn and exchanging paper bags !

"‘To ascertain which matters involved lobbyists the CMC had to rely on entries in personal diaries and the recall of individual departmental officers" ... if I can't remember, or there is is no record of it, then it didn't happen !

About the CMC:

* The CMC boss was appointed by the Labor Govermnent.
* Is a typical government department that comes with all the dysfunctionality, morale issues, low levels of job satisfaction coupled with high levels of distress and workloads.
* It is answerable to the people of Queensland and an all-party parliamentary committee, the Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee (PCMC) http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view...
* The PCMC is another bunch of politicians, potentially soon-to-be lobbyists, with a vested interest in keeping the revolving door spinning to assure their next career move.

Last Year an independent study:
– obtained under Freedom of Information laws http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/st... –
slammed the culture of the Crime and Misconduct Commission who are responsible for keeping the State Government honest while fighting major crime.

The study found that the Crime and Misconduct Commission has cut corners on important investigations because of overwork and understaffing, the corruption watchdog's employees claim in the damning report

The study claims CMC boss Robert Needham is an 'invisible man' and his leadership team was slammed as being poor role models and unable to inspire.

The report raised serious concerns about part-time commissioners Douglas Drummond, QC, Dr David Gow and Ann Gummow. "I don't even know what they are supposed to do," staff said. "A quarterly morning or afternoon tea with the different sections of the CMC so the 'little people' know what the 'big people' look like and what they do."

Posted by PeterBaulch from North Arm, Queensland

11 November 2009 10 a.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

More editorial churlishness, It is equally disappointing that there are no repercussions or consequences for people who make vexatious claims to the CMC.