Opposition MPs on the Volunteering in Queensland inquiry have accused Government members of “wasting public resources on political point scoring.”
They branded the inquiry an expensive missed opportunity to make “real practical improvements” and signaled a plan to attack inquiry findings in state parlieament.
In contrast to the enthusiastic welcome inquiry findings received from the Gympie-based Rural Fire Brigades Association of Queensland and complaints to the inquiry from the State Emergency Service, they said the inquiry had missed its chance to build on the actions of the previous Labor Government.
They claimed the review had produced only recommendations which did not generally require the government to do anything beyond investigating, considering and conducting further reviews.
In a strongly worded Statement of Reservation, they accused the Government of biasing its findings, suggesting Minister Ann Leahy had not ruled out suggestions she had told stakeholders the Government was mainly interested in suggestions that would not cost money.
“These recommendations are, at best, mere suggestions for the government to (consider) taking action,” they said.
“This Inquiiy should have been an opportunity to test and advance reforms.
“Instead, the Government sidelined weeks-old evidence-based policy, only to commence this Committee process for political point-scoring, wasting considerable public resources to do so,” they said.
“Coincidentally, the recommendations that have been made at the conclusion of this Inquiiy call for very little financial investment.”
They defended the previous Miles Government’s actions in implementing reforms based on “existing national and international frameworks, (and incorporat(ing) the largest evidence base of volunteering data ever collected in Queensland.
“It is therefore understandable that some stakeholders felt caught off-guard when only 8 weeks after the Strategy was released, the Crisafulli LNP Government announced they were proceeding with the Inquiiy, particularly given the Strategy had already identified nearly every matter within the Committee’s scope for consideration.
“The Inquiiy should not have been focused on rediscovering well-documented challenges but should have instead been scoped to build on
the Strategy to fully realise the opportunities that volunteering offers for all Queenslanders.
“As a result of this overlap, countless volunteers, community organisations and peak bodies have been asked to present much of the same evidence and recommendations already provided during the development of the (Miles Government’s) Strategy and Action Plan,” they said.
The four dissenting MPs included the committee’s deputy chair Margie Nightingale, who represents the Inala electorate, formerly held by earlier premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
They also included Shadow Tourism Minister Michael Healy, who is also Shadow Minister for Jobs and Training, Shadow Small Business Minister Joan Pease, who is also Minister for Customer Service and Open Data.
“The Queensland Labor Opposition would again like to share our gratitude to the millions of volunteers, and countless volunteer-involving organisations across the state.
“We would also like to thank the Queensland Parliamentruy service staff, with particular thanks to the secretariat of the committee, as well as Hansard, for thefr support throughout the Inquiiy .
“Tthe Opposition reserves the right to aiticulate further views through the debate (in parliament) of the committee report.
