ICAC CLAIMS MEAN NEWMAN MUST ANSWER

Media Release

Deputy Opposition leader, Tim Mulherin, says Premier Campbell Newman needs to answer some basic questions following revelations today in the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption.
“If necessary the Premier should come back to Queensland and provide explanations to what are very serious allegations given at a corruption hearing in Sydney,” Mr Mulherin said.
“The Deputy Premier or Treasurer could easily take his place on the current trade mission.”
Mr Mulherin said following evidence alleging a payment of $5,000 was required before a meeting could be held with Mr Newman while Brisbane Lord Mayor, the Premier needed to say:
What was discussed at the meeting and who attended? What project or work, if any, arose from that meeting? Who received the money paid to arrange the meeting? Is it correct it went to the then Lord Mayor’s campaign fund Forward Brisbane Leadership? Were any other meetings arranged in this way, was this the way business was done under Campbell Newman as Lord Mayor?
“For a long time the Opposition has been concerned about a possible Queensland connection with matters currently under investigation by ICAC,” Mr Mulherin said.
“Only last week in State Parliament we posed questions directly to the Premier about links between his current Director-General Jon Grayson’s company and those connected to the matters dealing with Australian Water Holdings now under investigation by ICAC.
“As usual the Premier gave no satisfactory answers to those Opposition questions.
“But now that further questions have been raised in a corruption inquiry he clearly needs to provide answers to Queenslanders.

“The government should also declare if its hand-picked acting chair of the CMC, Dr Ken Levy, has or will be investigating this claim,” Mr Mulherin said.