After nearly two weeks of silence, Queensland's corruption watchdog has confirmed it dismissed credit card misuse allegations against the Integrity Commissioner, but was still investigating complaints relating to an office laptop.
Acting chair of the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) Bruce Barbour told a parliamentary committee on Friday that, since October 2020, the CCC had received 10 complaints either from or involving the Integrity Commissioner, Nikola Stepanov, or her office.
These included a complaint from the Public Service Commission (PSC) in mid-December 2020, which levelled two allegations relating to Dr Stepanov.
"One allegation concerned misuse of a credit card. The CCC determined there was insufficient evidence to raise a reasonable suspicion of corrupt conduct and it advised the [PSC] of that decision … five weeks later," Mr Barbour said.
"The second allegation concerned bullying over a two-year period.
"Because the CCC has no jurisdiction with respect to such conduct involving an officer of the Parliament, we could take no action.
"We have received no further complaints against the Integrity Commissioner and accordingly the CCC is not currently investigating the Integrity Commissioner."
Two complaints against Integrity Commissioner being investigated
His comments come after calls from both the Premier and the opposition in recent weeks for the CCC to clarify what it was examining.
Of the 10 complaints, Mr Barbour said four required no further investigation, a further four were being assessed, and two were the subject of investigations.
The committee heard the CCC launched a probe – dubbed "investigation workshop" – in August last year, which was now in its "final stages".
Mr Barbour said it centred on allegations about the "security" of confidential information relating to the office of the Integrity Commissioner.
Allegations have surfaced in the media that the PSC had seized a laptop from the office of the Integrity Commissioner and data was wiped.
In a statement earlier this month, PSC chief executive Robert Setter denied the PSC had conducted a "raid" or "seized" anything from the Integrity Commissioner, saying a "laptop was provided to the CCC at their request".
Laptop 'raid' disputed
But Mr Barbour told the committee that the CCC had not requested the laptop's removal, saying "the timing … does not support that fact".
"The request that was made by the CCC for a laptop to be provided to it was only made after the commencement of the investigation, which we've named 'workshop, in August'," he said.
"As has been reported in the public arena, a laptop or laptops were removed from the office in March."
When asked to clarify some of the terminology in regard to the laptop being taken, Mr Barbour said he would not describe it as a raid, saying the actual circumstances "could be described in different ways".
He said the CCC's investigation was expected to be finalised by April.
"We will be seeking consent and direction to make a report to Parliament and … therefore public," Mr Barbour said.
He revealed there was also a current PSC investigation that was "subject to the highest level" of CCC monitoring, relating to an allegation of workplace bullying.
"This matter involves a complaint against a PSC employee, who was a staff member of the office of the Integrity Commission," he said.
