Public money between us and the tax office, says Acting Premier

Acting Premier Paul Lucas

In a recent post we commended the Queensland Information Commissioner's submission on the Government's Green Paper on Integrity and Accountability, which included the suggestion that the push agenda of Right to Information reforms (transparency) should be applied to the expenditure of all public monies, including Ministerial and Parliamentary allowances unless it can be shown to be clearly contrary to the public interest. Well how about this from AAP in The Australian today when the Acting Premier commented on the idea:

"Acting Premier Paul Lucas said on the Gold Coast that MPs were already accountable to the tax office. "I don't want to see an army of bureaucrats - who are taxpayer funded - being employed to check expense claims," Mr Lucas said."

Has anyone told Mr Lucas the Commissioner's suggestions also included "make work" ideas that gifts and hospitality received by Ministers, Members of Parliament and public sector employees and their travel and entertainment expenses should be published online? He'll be starting to wonder what you have a tax office for.