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| Premier Anna Bligh |
The Australian newspaper on Friday reported that any adverse references to key witnesses would not be published unless commissioner Cate Holmes agreed with them in the flood inquiry's final report, due on March 16.
The secrecy direction was not challenged by any of the lawyers at the inquiry and was supported by the state government's legal team, the report said.
The inquiry was reopened following media reports the commission missed key pieces of evidence about the potential mismanagement of Wivenhoe Dam.
Dam engineers have strongly denied orchestrating a cover-up.
Ms Bligh has also faced scrutiny over what she and her staff knew about the management of the dam when Ipswich and Brisbane flooded in January last year.
On Friday, she said it wasn't known whether there would be any adverse findings, and said no decision had been made about what information would be released by the commission.
"They have indicated that some material will not be put into the public arena if it breaches the rules of natural justice and procedural fairness," she told reporters.
"What the judge has to do is balance the public's right to know and openness and transparency with fairness and justice to some of those before the inquiry.
"I think Queenslanders expect that balance to be the right balance.
"So far we've had a commission that has been very open and put all of those submissions into the public arena, and I would hope that that is the spirit in which it continues."
She said the commission was completely independent.
"They don't get political interference, they don't get political direction and to do so would be illegal," Ms Bligh said.
The Liberal National Party's parliamentary leader, Jeff Seeney, said Ms Bligh hand-picked the commission.
"The responsibility has to rest with her," he told ABC radio.
He said Ms Bligh had used the commission as a political tool when she pushed back the election date, saying the outcome of the flood inquiry could affect the way people voted on March 24.
"There was a clear implication when she delayed the date of the election that somebody ... significant in the state election was going to be impugned by the commission."
He said the opposition had tabled a letter in parliament this week, from the commissioner, making it clear "they had no questions to ask (LNP leader) Campbell Newman and there is no issue for him".
"The premier back-pedalled at a million miles an hour."
www.news.ninemsn.com.au17.2.12
COMMENT FROM GREATER GOODNA FLOOD GROUP: How could it possibly be "in the interest of natural justice" for the Floods Commission to censor or cover up any information.This needs to be a full, open and accountable Commission - nothing more, nothing less. Anything else will taint the Commission and leave a trail of suspicion in the minds of Queenslanders which will never disappear. - PaulGTully@gmail.com
