Thursday 30 June 2022 05:48 AM Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk battles with journos over integrity ... trends now
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has battled with journalists as she fronted the media for the first time since a scathing report exposed the 'fear-based' practices used by the state's public service.
At one stage she cold-shouldered a journalist who questioned what the consequences would be for the 'bullies and belittlers' that the report, conducted by Professor Peter Coaldrake, found were endemic to the profession.
The exchange began when the reporter asked if public servants who were bullied and belittled by senior and ministerial staff were owed an apology.
'I think everyone needs to be treated with respect,' Ms Palaszczuk said, without making a specific apology.
'Honestly, if people have time to belittle and bully other public servants it was time to move on'.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk had some strained exchanges with reporters after fronting the media for the first time since a damning report on the culture of government
Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured with her boyfriend Dr Reza Adib at the Logies on the Gold Coast) said she was 100 per cent committed to her job after claims she had 'checked out'
The journalist objected that the report specifically identified a problem with ministerial staff and asked if they weren't setting an example, why they shouldn't lose their job.
Ms Palaszczuk responded that training was important but when the reporter tried to insist the 'report was a lesson in itself' the premier turned away from him with a curt 'OK'.
The premier was asked about the last-minute cancellation of a media event on Wednesday after the report's release, saying she had to rush to an emergency dental appointment.
'I just had to get it done, alright, I'm sorry,' a stony-faced Ms Palaszczuk said.
'I was in my office working, I would have loved to have come and seen you. I was hoping to see you in the afternoon but unfortunately I couldn't speak.'
Ms Palaszczuk ducked questions about whether ministerial staff found to be 'bullying' others would be fired and did not issue an apology to any potential victims
Ms Palaszczuk admitted she was 'shocked and surprised' by some of the things she read in the report but vowed to implement all 14 recommendations in the review, calling it a 'health check'.
'It is absolutely healthy for government to have a health check from time-to-time,' the premier said.
She said the most 'revolutionary' move would be to release Cabinet papers in 30 days rather than waiting 30 years, which would follow the practice of New Zealand.
'This is the most fundamental change (to cabinet conventions) that this state and this nation has ever seen,' she said.
Following her testy press conference, Ms Palaszczuk headed to Ipswich to look at the building site for the new Ripley Hospital.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk headed to Ipswich to inspect the new Ripley Satellite Hospital
The premier turning the sod at the new hospital site, which will cost $40 million to build
Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured in parliament last week) vowed to implement the integrity
