2021-01-22
The Premier's Office has been found to have illegally destroyed at least three government briefings in relation to the $250 million Stronger Communities Grants scandal in a report by the State Archives and Records Office. The report was delivered late Friday and puts further pressure on the Premier to tell the full truth about her involvement in the grants scandal.
*David Shoebridge, Greens MP and Chair of the Public Accountability Committee that is undertaking the Grants Inquiry, said:*
“This report makes it clear that the Premier’s Office repeatedly broke the law by illegally destroying important state records.
“These are systemic breaches of the law that the Premier needs to accept responsibility for.
“There are findings that three of the Premier’s briefing notes were illegally destroyed, the report also highlights that this was part of her office’s broader practice so it is likely many more briefing notes were shredded.
"The Premier's Office continues to be in denial trying to say this all came about as part of a misunderstanding. These documents were deliberately and illegally destroyed and ignorance of the law is no defence.
“It’s unfortunate that due to a lack of resources, and the fact that the Premier’s office is refusing to clearly state when the documents were destroyed, that the State Records Office will not be prosecuting.
“This is all the more reason to continue the Parliamentary inquiry into these grants scandals and ensure there is a public reckoning for the partisan use of public money," Mr Shoebridge said.