Queensland Premier Campbell Newman insists there isn't a problem with nepotism in his government. Source: AAP
QUEENSLAND Premier Campbell Newman insists there isn't a problem with nepotism in his government and he wouldn't have a problem with being lobbied by his chief of staff's brother.
Housing Minister Bruce Flegg resigned on Wednesday amid allegations he misled parliament by failing to record more than 30 contacts his office had with his lobbyist son, Jonathon.
One of the emails proposed a candidate for a deputy director-general position and included a CV.
Mr Newman conceded he had only been briefed about the emails just before Dr Flegg resigned, and was "horrified" when he later learnt their full content.
The opposition now wants the ethics committee to investigate whether Arts Minister Ros Bates knowingly tabled an incomplete lobbyist register, which had to be corrected a month later, on Tuesday.
The revised version contains three previously excluded meeting requests from Luke Myers, the brother of the premier's chief of staff, although the register said no further action was taken.
Mr Newman said Ms Bates shouldn't resign because her administrative failures weren't as serious as Dr Flegg's.
The premier also doesn't have a problem with Mr Myers lobbying Ms Bates, or himself.
"He's got a right to earn a living but it has got to be declared," Mr Newman told reporters.
The opposition says Ms Bates has failed to explain why contact with Mr Myers was left out of her register.
Ms Bates says the discrepancies only came to her attention on Tuesday, when she tabled a corrected register.
"This was done in the interest of openness and frankness. Instead of applauding the fact, this opposition tries to make some scandal out of it," she told parliament.
Mr Newman believes Ms Bates has been up-front about her lobbyist register.
He counter-accused the opposition of potentially breaking the law by not lodging former ministers' lobbyist registers with state archives.
"Did they shred them?" he asked.
Mr Newman wants to know who was lobbied before IBM was awarded the contract for the failed Queensland Health payroll system, and would use any possible inquiry to investigate this matter.
Federal Liberal MP Andrew Laming said Dr Flegg's resignation couldn't have come a day too soon.
"I have had a gutful of pollie relies getting insider jobs. Worse still not 'fessing up to (it)," Mr Laming tweeted.
Mr Newman said nepotism claims were only hype.
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