16 February 2012

Queensland Floods Inquiry nearing end

Brisbane River Flood 11 January 2011
Civic Video Smiths Rd Goodna

The legal parties involved in the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry have until Thursday afternoon to make their final submissions on what happened during last year's flood disaster.

In the written submissions, the parties can object to the final submission made by the counsel assisting the inquiry or can raise an issue they believe should be considered in Commissioner Justice Cate Holmes' final report.

The report is due on March 16 and will make public the final submissions.

Any details in them that do not pertain to the findings will be edited out to protect anyone who may be falsely accused.

The inquiry was reconvened for an extra 10 days of hearings after media reports suggested it had missed key evidence about Wivenhoe Dam operators and when they moved to a water-release strategy designed to save Brisbane and Ipswich from floods.

Parliament was on Wednesday told Liberal National Party (LNP) Leader Campbell Newman had written to Justice Holmes, seeking advice on whether he would be implicated in the final report.

The LNP argues Premier Anna Bligh has suggested the report may be critical of the former Brisbane lord mayor - a claim she denies.

"I made no imputations and nor would I ever do so in relation to any commission of inquiry," she told parliament.

"None of us knew what the findings or conclusions of the commissioner were or would be.

"Any suggestion that I sought to pre-empt or impute anything to the commissioner or her inquiry is not borne out of any scrutiny of Hansard or the facts."

Justice Holmes' reply to Mr Newman - which said he would not be mentioned by name or position in her report - was tabled in parliament.

"Had any allegation been made against you, I would, of course, have given you the opportunity to respond," she wrote.

Ms Bligh ridiculed the LNP for one day questioning the commissioner's thoroughness and the next relying on her as an "authority for the character of Campbell Newman".

"Do you or do you not support a properly lawfully constituted commission of inquiry, led by one of Queensland's finest legal minds?" she said.

On Tuesday, Mr Seeney questioned in parliament how the commission missed key evidence and how the inquiry could "not be regarded as a total farce" after deputy commissioner Phil Cummins was asked to step aside amid conflict-of-interest allegations.

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15.2.12