Campbell Newman sacks bureaucrat Michael Caltabiano, loses arts minister Ros Bates
Michael McKenna and Rosanne Barrett The Australian
February 15, 2013
THE resignation of trouble-prone Queensland arts minister Ros Bates
has been followed by Campbell Newman's sacking of hand-picked public
service boss Michael Caltabiano.
Just hours after Ms Bates resigned - the third minister to go since
Mr Newman won office last year - the Premier announced he had given
notice to Mr Caltabiano, a friend who he had personally appointed as
director-general of the Department of Transport and Main Roads.Mr Caltabiano, a fellow councillor with Mr Newman at Brisbane's city hall, was stood down as director-general last year over comments he made to an estimates hearing.
He is subject to an ongoing Crime and Misconduct Commission investigation into his department's appointment to a senior role of Benjamin Gommers, son of Ms Bates.
The former Liberal MP and factional powerbroker stepped down when he was referred to the parliamentary ethics committee for allegedly misinforming an estimates hearing about his work history.
Mr Caltabiano today declined to comment on his sacking.
“Queensland Premier Campbell Newman today confirmed he had given the director-general of the Department of Transport and Main Roads, Michael Caltabiano, notice that his employment will be terminated, effective March 15, 2013,” Mr Newman's ofice said in a statement.
“Mr Caltabiano will remain on leave until that date. No further comment will be made.”
Earlier, Mr Newman said Ms Bates had cited health and family reasons for her resignation as arts minister.
Mr Newman said he did not ask Ms Bates to quit, but also said he didn't ask her to stay.
“She has been under intense pressure,” the Premier told reporters.
Ms Bates has been under fire for months over nepotism and lobbyist disclosure allegations that she has strongly and consistently rejected.
Mr Newman said it was “with sadness” that he had accepted Ms Bates' resignation.
“It is with sadness because I think Ros Bates has been trying very hard to do a great job for Queensland,” he said.
“The minister has conveyed to me that she has been under a lot of pressure.
Bruce Flegg resigned as housing minister late last year because he failed to declare all contacts his office had with his lobbyist son.
David Gibson also resigned as police minister over his poor driving record.
Mr Newman said while Ms Bates had been feeling the pressure, it had nothing to do with the opposition's attacks.
He said Labor had “not laid a glove on” Ms Bates, despite a week of opposition questioning in parliament.
“I think she goes now with her head held high,” he said.
“You've got a cabinet made up of real people and at the end of the day you've got a minister who has been under immense pressure and frankly, it has affected her health.”
Mr Newman said he did not ask the Gold Coast-based former Liberal to stay on in the ministry as it would not have been fair to subject her to the ongoing pressure.
Ms Bates first ran into political trouble last May when it was revealed she had used a recycled speech from the Bligh government arts minister in parliament to explain a bill.
In July, it was revealed a staffer in her office - the 20-year-old daughter of another minister - had collapsed at work. She later pleaded guilty to drug possession
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