BLEIJIE CONCEDES SOME CMC REFORM RECOMMENDATIONS

ATTORNEY-GENERAL Jarrod Bleijie has announced the government has accepted some of the amendments recommended by the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee for proposed reforms to the Crime and Misconduct Commission.

Accepted recommendations include providing its oversight committee the power to veto the appointment of commissioners and expanding the types of exceptional circumstances that exempt a complainant from submitting a statutory declaration, which includes anonymous whistle blowers.

There will also be clarification of the new Commission’s priorities meaning corruption and crime will be investigated equally.

Bleijie has thanked those who made submissions in a prepared statement.

“Debate on this important issue was healthy and the Government accepted the majority of the Committee’s recommendations,” he says.

“We are keeping our promise to Queenslanders that we would revitalise frontline services and restore accountability in government.

“The sad reality is the CMC was plagued with problems. Three independent reports all found serious issues with its internal structure, administration, culture and complaints handling processes.

“We are restoring integrity to an important body that was being abused.”

Proposed reforms to the CMC were met with opposition by a number of Brisbane’s legal community.

READ MORE: CMC REFORMS 'A STEP TOO FAR'