‘Bitch on a witch-hunt’: agency head says he didn’t make slur against Queensland integrity commissioner

Queensland integrity commissioner Nikola Stepanov has previously raised concerns about interference with her office by the Public Service Commission, which controls her agency’s budget and staffing. Photograph: Dan Peled/AAP

The chief executive of the Queensland Public Service Commission has denied claims heard by a parliamentary committee that he called the state’s integrity commissioner “a bitch on a witch hunt”.

Queensland’s integrity commissioner, Dr Nikola Stepanov, made the comments under parliamentary privilege during a hearing of the parliament’s economic and governance committee on Monday.