KAP has Premier in sights
QUEENSLAND’S Katter MPs will push for the Director of Public Prosecutions to investigate Annastacia Palaszczuk’s slashing of the party’s staff, regardless of what a parliamentary probe into the matter finds.
The Ethics Committee could this week be poised to finally hand down its findings into allegations Ms Palaszczuk committed a contempt of the parliament when she cut the additional staff first awarded to the Katter’s Australian Party in the hung parliament after its Queensland MPs refused to admonish former Senator Fraser Anning.
It comes a year after the matter was first referred to the powerful parliamentary oversight committee after being considered by the Crime and Corruption Commission.
“The KAP has consistently been of the view that there are two separate matters to be considered in relation to the Premier’s conduct,” KAP state leader Robbie Katter said.
“Firstly, there are the very serious and very unusual alleged breaches of the criminal code.
“Secondly, there is the matter of contempt of parliament.
“Although these matters have arisen from the same conduct, we firmly believe they both need to be properly investigated by the appropriate bodies with the appropriate knowledge and expertise to make a judgment.”
Ms Palaszczuk has previously chalked the saga up to the argy bargy of debate in the parliament.
The Premier is prevented from commenting while the matter is before the Ethics Committee.
The KAP has sought its own legal advice, which it referred to DPP Michael Byrne QC.