Queensland minister's email use may be corrupt

Queensland's corruption watchdog has found state government minister Mark Bailey may have acted corruptly when he deleted a private email account.

Queensland's Energy Minister Mark Bailey

Queensland's Energy Minister Mark Bailey. Source: AAP

An investigation into Queensland government minister Mark Bailey's use of a private email account has determined he may have acted corruptly.

The Crime and Corruption Commission investigation cleared Mr Bailey of corrupt conduct around allegations he used his personal account to conduct secret negotiations with an Electrical Trades Union official.

However, the CCC found there was "sufficient evidence to raise a reasonable suspicion of corrupt conduct" around the energy and main roads minister's decision to delete his email account.

"In reviewing the emails, the CCC did not identify any evidence to support allegations Minister Bailey had used his personal email account to engage in negotiations with the Electrical Trades Union that would amount to corrupt conduct," the CCC said in a statement.

"However, the CCC considers there is sufficient evidence to raise a reasonable suspicion of corrupt conduct relating to the potential destruction of public records by the Minister as this may be an offence under the Public Records Act 2002."

Mr Bailey deleted his private email account earlier this year, but reactivated it when media reports alleged he had used it for ministerial business.

The watchdog has referred the matter to the State Archivist for investigation, and said it would "monitor" that investigation.

Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls called for Mr Bailey to be sacked as a minister.

""If Annastacia Palaszczuk is serious about accountability and transparency, she has one last chance to show some guts and leadership tonight," Mr Nicholls said in a statement.

"This finding against Mark Bailey is damning and Annastacia Palaszczuk must move swiftly to remove this minister."

The CCC also said it had identified a number of other government ministers who had been using private emails, however it did not believe any of the others were engaged in corrupt conduct.

But it pointed out that use of a private email by government ministers was a "corruption risk".


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Source: AAP



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