Reprinted from the Courier Mail 17-1-13.  Read the article directly from their website here.

Bruce Flegg and his son exchanged a series of emails about Government staff. Source: The Courier-Mail

STARTLING new documents reveal the extent of the professional relationship between former Newman Government minister Bruce Flegg and his lobbyist son. The documents filed in the Supreme Court show a trail of emails between Dr Flegg and his son Jonathon, who was working for lobbying firm Rowland.

They include a clear directive from Mr Flegg to keep the correspondence off government computers – a move that would mean the emails would be exempt from Right to Information laws. 

The emails include a critique of 16 of the Newman Government’s ministerial chiefs-of-staff, sent by Jonathon’s Gmail account to his father’s BigPond email address just three weeks after last year’s state election. 

It is not clear who wrote the critique, but Dr Flegg forwarded it to the personal accounts of his own chief-of-staff and media adviser, with the warning: “Very confidential. For your info. Useful. Don’t send to any govt computors (sic).”

The dossier of emails is part of former media adviser Graeme Hallett’s defence to an $800,000 defamation damages claim brought by Dr Flegg.

Included is a directive from the minister to his chief-of-staff to have a policy officer look at information that “Jonathon will forward”. Continue reading →

Earlier this year the state government announced it would sell the Monte Carlo caravan park in Brisbane.  This park was purchased in the early 1990s by the then Labor government to protect it from private sector redevelopment.

Given the recent announcement, anxious residents have been attempting to purchase the park themselves but have so far received a limited response.

4ZZZ’s Steve Riggall caught up with the residents about the situation.  Listen to the interview here.

The story below was reported by ABC online on Tuesday December 11.  It outlines concerns over the WA government’s ‘three strikes and you’re out’ policy for public housing tenants, something that was being considered her by ex-Housing Minister Flegg.

The Housing Minister Terry Redman has rejected criticism that the State Government’s three strikes housing policy is adversely impacting on children.

The Equal Opportunity Commissioner Yvonne Henderson wants the policy reconsidered because she say it results in a high number of Aboriginal families being evicted from public housing.

She says while traditionally most complaints to the commission have been about discrimination in the workplace, the biggest increase in complaints concerns accommodation.

Ms Henderson says there has been a 65 percent increase in those complaints. Continue reading →

The ABC website reported this story last Wednesday, December 5.  Unfortunately the Tenants’ Union of Tasmania were not successful in trying to save the tenancies fo a number of public housing tenants.  Even though they weren’t successful at least there is an organisation standing up for tenants rights.  Where would the community be without tenant advocates?

The Tenants Union is considering its legal options after losing a Supreme Court case in Hobart to stop the eviction of public housing tenants.

The union took legal action against Housing Tasmania after five tenants were evicted.

It argued the tenants were denied natural justice because they were served eviction notices without reasons or opportunity to appeal.

One of the cases, involving a single mother, was tested in the Supreme Court.

Justice Alan Blow found Housing Tasmania was within its rights to evict the woman because her lease had expired and was not terminated.

The judge said that meant she had no right of appeal.

The union’s Ben Bartl, says the decision is disappointing.

“It sends an appalling message to all Housing Tasmania tenants; it says that the government can simply tell tenants that their lease is not going to be extended,” he said.

“In our view the judge has made a decision that is overly legal.”

He says it sends a bad message to other public housing tenants.

See the report on line here.

Reported in today’s Courier Mail by Robyn Ironside

FORMER Public Works and Housing Minister Bruce Flegg has launched legal action against his sacked media advisor Graeme Hallett for defamation, and for costing him his ministerial income.

In a lawsuit lodged in the Brisbane Supreme Court this week, Dr Flegg lays the blame for losing his job squarely on Mr Hallett.

 He is believed to be seeking up to a million dollars in special damages for the income he will forgo after quitting the ministry and returning to the backbench.

Dr Flegg also accuses Mr Hallett of defamation as a result of a press conference he called the day after he was sacked by his boss, who said he was untrustworthy.

 At the press conference, attended by all major media organisations, Mr Hallett accused Dr Flegg of being unfit to hold office.

 He released documents from Dr Flegg’s lobbyist son Jonathon showing he had regular contact with his father’s office despite previously claiming he had been banned from lobbying the minister.

Mr Hallett also revealed diary entries showing Dr Flegg was working in his electorate office were untrue, with the Minister instead working at a Burpengary medical centre as a GP.

Although Dr Flegg and Premier Campbell Newman initially dismissed Mr Hallett’s statements as a “fizzer” the Minister resigned before Parliament sat the following day.

Mr Hallett has raised the possibility of taking action for wrongful dismissal.

Blue ribbon law firm Cooper Grace Ward is representing Dr Flegg in his action.

 No date has been set to hear his case.

There is a considerable difference between a backbencher’s and a minister’s salary, equivalent to about $60,000 a year,

On Thursday the Courier Mail reported that ex Housing Minister Flegg will not get referred to the Ethics Committee because there is not enough evidence that he knew that the lobbyist register was incorrect.  Read the article here.

Reported in the Courier Mail today by Sarah Vogler

FORMER NRL referee Tim Mander was this morning sworn in as Minister for Housing and Public Works at a ceremony at Government House.

Mr Mander has now officially replaced Dr Bruce Flegg who resigned from the portfolio last weeks following “sloppy administration in his office.

His resignation came just seven months into the new government’s term.

Dr Flegg’s departure also allowed Gympie MP David Gibson to come back from the backbench to a minor role as the chair of the state development, infrastructure and industry committee.

Mirani MP Ted Malone was also this morning officially appointed Assistant Minister for emergency volunteers at the Government House ceremony.

Mr Mander will attend his first cabinet meeting today.

Steve Wardill also ruminated about the openness of the govenrment in this piece in today’s Courier Mail.  Click here to read the piece in which he focusses some thought on the issues surrounding ex Housing Minister Dr Bruce Flegg.

The following is reprinted from today’s Brisbane Times, reporter Daniel Hurst.

The lobbying revelations, the 30-minute berating of a minister, and the downfall of a career … Daniel Hurst reports on the drama behind Bruce Flegg’s departure from Campbell Newman’s cabinet.

ANALYSIS

It was November 2 and Queensland Housing Minister Bruce Flegg’s chief of staff was angry about a story on lobbying.

“You journos sure know how to twist a story,” Fraser Stephen wrote, according to the email’s recipient, Dr Flegg’s former senior media adviser Graeme Hallett.

“Talk about desperation to make a tale out of nothing.”

The email was a reference to a Fairfax Media story highlighting two occasions in which Dr Flegg’s office was recorded as having lobbying contact with his son, Jonathon Flegg, who happened to be manager of government relations at private sector consulting firm Rowland.

Within two weeks, Mr Stephen was sacked as Dr Flegg’s chief of staff, Mr Hallett was dumped from his senior media adviser job, and Dr Flegg ultimately fell on his sword and resigned as a minister.

So how did a desperate and twisted tale about “nothing” set off a chain of events that provoked the Newman government’s second ministerial resignation?  Click here to read the rest of the article.

Premier Campbell Newman is rallying behind Bruce Flegg, the latest LNP minister to become entangled in a scandal involving their child’s role in Government circles. Picture: Kidston Liam Source: The Courier-Mail

The Courier Mail provided extensive coverage of the situation of the Housing Minister and Premier in todays on line and print newspaper.  The articles below are written by Steve Wardill and Sarah Vogler.  Read below or click here to go to the online version.

TROUBLE-prone minister Bruce Flegg held undeclared discussions with his lobbyist son about a client just hours before claiming his office’s register of contact with the industry was accurate.

 A document detailing all contact between Jonathon Flegg and his father’s Public Works and Housing ministerial office has exposed how the pair exchanged emails about Viking Rentals, a company that promotes “dunnies with dignity”, from October 3.

Compiled by Mr Flegg Jr and released yesterday by the minister’s sacked media adviser Graeme Hallett, the document reveals the pair continued to exchange emails with the subject line “Discuss Viking Rental” until October 18. Continue reading →

Queensland Housing Minister Bruce Flegg’s former senior media officer Graeme Hallett. Photo: Daniel Hurst

Below is an updated version of the Brisbane Times article covering the media conference and related concerns of sack Flegg media advisor, Graeme Hallet.A former state government adviser claims Queensland’s Housing and Public Works Minister Bruce Flegg failed to disclose multiple dealings with his son on the government’s lobbyist register, making the minister unfit to hold office.

Dr Flegg has fired back in Parliament, saying the allegations come from “a vengeful, bitter ex-staffer, who wanted to take revenge and try to harm his former employer”.

 Senior media officer Graeme Hallett, who was sacked yesterday with Dr Flegg saying he had lost confidence in the veteran Liberal party staffer, released documents this morning that he claimed proved the minister was unfit for office.

He alleged Dr Flegg’s lobbyist son, Jonathon Flegg, had regular contact with his father’s office, but the minister failed to disclose those dealings.

 ‘‘The actual lobbyist register document that was tabled when asked for by members of the opposition is in fact grossly inaccurate, misleading and fails to indicate a number of events, if you like, or contacts, or indeed, as the Premier says, recording all encounters,’’ Mr Hallett said in a media conference this morning.

“The public, if they are to have any confidence in the fabric of democracy and institutions like this, have to know that what is provided is accurate, true and correct, and not doctored.” Continue reading →

Reprinted from the Brisbane Times, November 13, 2012

A former state government adviser claims Queensland’s Housing Minister Bruce Flegg failed to disclose multiple dealings with his son on the government’s lobbyist register, making the minister unfit to hold office.

 Senior media officer Graeme Hallett, who was sacked yesterday with Dr Flegg saying he had lost confidence in the veteran Liberal party staffer, released documents this morning that he claimed proved the minister was unfit for office.

 He alleged Dr Flegg’s lobbyist son, Jonathan Flegg, had regular contact with his father’s office, but the minister failed to disclose those dealings.

‘‘The actually lobbyist register document that was tabled when asked for by members of the opposition is in fact grossly inaccurate, misleading and fails to indicate a number of events, if you like, or contacts, or indeed, as the Premier says, recording all encounters,’’ Mr Hallett said in a press conference this morning.

 Mr Hallett was sacked on Monday, only days after Dr Flegg fired his chief-of-staff Fraser Stephen.

 It’s also believed Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek simultaneously dismissed his personal assistant Leonie Shepherd, a former electorate officer for Dr Flegg.

 Mr Hallett has worked as a ministerial adviser in the Howard government and also helped Dr Flegg when he was Liberal leader in 2006.

 In 2005, Mr Hallett was at the centre of controversy, when the then federal ministerial adviser was accused of trying to influence the Wyong Shire Council in NSW over a $1.5 million federal grant it was seeking to dredge a creek.

Reprinted from Danial Hurst, Brisbane Times, November 12, 2012

UPDATED

For the second time in a week, Queensland Housing and Public Works Minister Bruce Flegg has dumped a senior staffer.

The second – his senior media adviser – is planning to fight back tomorrow morning at a press conference designed to tell why his boss shouldn’t be minister.

The major overhaul in the minister’s office poses a political headache for the Newman government on the eve of the second last parliamentary sitting week of the year.

Earlier, the Newman government confirmed Dr Flegg had dumped chief of staff Fraser Stephen on Thursday, but the circumstances remained a mystery.

Now Dr Flegg’s senior media adviser Graeme Hallett says he has also been sacked.

Mr Hallet, who has served in the role since shortly after the March election, said he would front the media on Tuesday morning to discuss “aspects of Dr Flegg’s behaviour that makes him not fit to be a minister”.

He was reluctant to explain publicly the nature of the information he would disclose. It is understood documents may be released. Continue reading →

The Brisbane Times today reported that the Queensland Housing Minister, Dr Bruce Flegg, dumped his Chief of Staff.  The following is from the Brisbane Times today, reported by Daniel Hurst.

Queensland Housing and Public Works Minister Bruce Flegg has dumped his chief of staff, but the circumstances remain a mystery.

A Newman government spokesman said Dr Flegg lost confidence in his top political adviser Fraser Stephen, who left his position as chief of staff on Thursday.

He said Mr Stephen’s job was “terminated” but would not disclose the reasons.

Dr Flegg reportedly refused to comment on the matter when questioned by media on his way into a weekly cabinet meeting this morning.