Corrupt Robodebt Commissioner Catherine Holmes, who protected Scott Morrison, has been caught trying to protect corrupt former Deputy Queensland Premier Jackie Trad.
Catherine Holmes protected Scott Morrison and 5 public servants with the sealed section in the Robodebt report and has again been caught trying to protect corrupt politicians by recommending the muzzling of the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC).
The Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) chairman Bruce Barbour has said that Catherine Holmes’ recommendations are “very troubling” which is a major insult to Catherine Holmes and her credibility. But more on that in a minute.
Catherine Holmes and the Robodebt Royal Commission
Before looking at Catherine Holmes’ latest scandal with her dodgy recommendations trying to muzzle the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission it’s worth looking at her handling of the Robodebt Royal Commission and her final report.
Some people have defended Catherine Holmes regarding the sealed section of her Robodebt report and blamed the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) for deciding not to investigate the 6 people in the sealed section.
But Catherine Holmes never should have sealed the section in the first place and the fact that she did points to her being involved in the cover-up.
I published an article on the 13th of April 2024 titled “Was the Robodebt Royal Commission the biggest sucker punch in legal history on the Australian public?” which starts off:
Catherine Holmes AC SC, deliberately protected corrupt politicians and public servants when she handed down her findings for the Robodebt Scheme Royal Commission. The Royal Commission ultimately turned out to be a stitch up to silence the public and not much else.
Social media users, during the Robodebt Royal Commission, built Catherine Holmes’s reputation up to that of a working-class hero who defended the poor and helpless against the rich and powerful.
But at the end of the day, if you judge a Royal Commission and it’s Commissioner by the number of people who are held to account, then Catherine Holmes can only be regarded as a total failure as the Commissioner.
Catherine Holmes making a few people squirm in the witness box is hardly being held to account.
Unlike other Royal Commissions, Catherine Holmes sealed a section of her report which has recommendations for people to face civil and criminal changes. (Click here to read more)
I published an article on the 9th of June 2024 titled “How NACC Commissioner Paul Brereton hopped in bed with Robodebt Royal Commissioner Catherine Holmes to cover-up Robodebt crimes” which starts off:
NACC Commissioner Paul Brereton colluded with Robodebt Royal Commissioner Catherine Holmes to protect the 6 Robodebt criminals who should have faced charges by now.
The NACC released a statement on Thursday (6/6/24), as per below, saying they would not investigate, nor take any action, including against NACC Commissioner Paul Brereton’s good friend Kathryn Campbell, after sitting on the referral for 11 months.
Robodebt Royal Commissioner Catherine Holmes did 2 things that she should have never done, and Paul Brereton went even further with his corrupt conduct. (Click here to read more)
Catherine Holmes and the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) scandal
Catherine Holmes, who is a former Chief Justice of the Queensland Supreme Court and was Commissioner of the Robodebt Royal Commission, was hired by the Queensland government to review the Crime and Corruption Commission’s reporting powers.
Catherine Holmes made 16 recommendations and the Queensland government accepted all 16 recommendations which just happens to protect former Deputy Queensland Premier Jackie Trad from public scrutiny.
The Guardian reported on the 29th of May 2024:
Queensland’s attorney general has defended a decision to prevent the state’s anti-corruption commission from criticising politicians and public servants.
Yvette D’Ath told media on Wednesday the government had decided to support all 16 recommendations of a landmark review by Catherine Holmes.
The former Queensland supreme court chief justice recommended the crime and corruption commission should only be able to make a “public statement” about an individual in the public interest, and should only be able to release purely factual information about them, not opinion.
Holmes recommended that reports “must not include critical commentary or opinions or recommendations based on their conduct”.
Public reports on individual corruption investigations will be allowed where serious corrupt conduct is substantiated by a court, tribunal or disciplinary process.
Created in the early 1990’s as a recommendation of the Fitzgerald inquiry into police corruption, the CCC had long released reports critical of public officials without recommending criminal charges.
But the practice was ruled illegal last year by the high court, after challenges by the former deputy premier Jackie Trad and public trustee Peter Carne. (Click here to read more)
To put it into context, if NSW had the laws that Catherine Holmes has recommended, then Gladys Berejiklian would never have been found by the NSW ICAC to have “engaged in serious corrupt conduct” and therefor might have stayed on as NSW Premier instead of resigning in 2021 when she knew public hearings were about to start.
The ABC reported on the 26th of July 2024:
The head of Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) has hit out at the Queensland government over an independent review into its reporting powers, labelling the process “frustrating” and the recommendations “very troubling”.
Appearing at budget estimates on Friday, CCC chair Bruce Barbour was asked about a review undertaken by former Queensland chief justice Catherine Holmes that was released in May.
The CCC has been hamstrung and unable to publicly release reports about investigations since a High Court ruling last year.
Ms Holmes recommended that Queensland’s corruption watchdog should be able to report on corruption allegations about elected officials — even if the person is not found guilty — but with caveats.
The report must not contain critical commentary or expression of opinion except to say the allegations are unsubstantiated.
Mr Barbour said the proposed reporting modelling put forward by Ms Holmes in the review was “very troubling”.
“If what the government proposes to do is to introduce amendments consistent with the review’s recommendations, we have major concerns about those,” he told estimates.
“We don’t believe they’re appropriate. We believe they’re inconsistent with the public interest and we don’t support them.” (Click here to read more)
The Maderian reported on the
A corruption watchdog has taken aim at the Queensland government, calling proposed changes that will restrict its reports “very troubling”.
Queensland’s Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) chair said the watchdog had been hamstrung for almost a year after a High Court ruling prevented the release of a prominent report.
Bruce Barbour on Friday said it had been frustrating waiting months for the state government to introduce proposed law changes that will reinstate the watchdog’s reporting powers.
But Barbour said the commission would still be hampered by new legislation ushered in by an independent review, as it would block a long-awaited report on former deputy premier Jackie Trad.
Barbour said under the Holmes review model, damning reports with significant recommendations, like an Ipswich City Council probe that led to 15 people being charged, would not have been possible. (Click here to read more)
On the 20th of June 2024 I published an article titled “Scott Morrison outed as 1 of the 6 referred to the NACC by the Robodebt RC – The prima facie case” which starts off:
Scott Morrison is one of the 6 people the Robodebt Royal Commission referred to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) for further investigation for alleged criminal conduct regarding Robodebt.
The ABC’s Phillip Adams interviewed barrister Geoffrey Watson SC, who is also a director at The Centre for Public Integrity, on the 12th of June 2024 regarding the NACC’s refusal to investigate the Robodebt 6.
Two key elements of the Adams / Watson interview were that one of the six was a former cabinet minister and that Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has the power to immediately release the details and names in the sealed section of the Robodebt Royal Commission report.
I make out the prima facie case below with barrister Geoffrey Watson SC, in the below video, pointing out based on the facts that one of the 6 people must be a former cabinet minister and the evidence that points to the former cabinet minister referred to the NACC being former Prime Minister Scott Morrison. (Click here to read more)
(Click here to watch the above video on the Kangaroo Court of Australia YouTube channel) (I will also publish another video on this matter on Thursday 20-6-24)
Why should a journalist have to conduct an investigation to determine if former Prime Minister Scott Morrison was one of the 6 people Catherine Holmes recommended to the NACC for investigation.
Catherine Holmes had an obligation, and in the public interest, to release his name and not conceal it in a sealed section of her Robodebt Royal Commission report.
And now Catherine Holmes has done exactly the same thing, with her recommendations for the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission, trying to protect former Deputy Queensland Premier Jackie Trad.
Catherine Holmes has again shown she is a career public servant, and she will give the politicians whatever they want which includes covering up corruption on their behalf and that is why the politicians keep on employing her.
I am sure we will here from Catherine Holmes again and I will be there watching and reporting.
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Standard of the judiciary we’ve come to expect, selected by corrupt politicians to protect their vested interests, credibility rating of zero, take the bag of money on offer and await their next corrupt mission.
Thanks KCA. Such a disappointment. Aussie Bob
I totally disagree with your ‘opinion’. Commissioner Holmes did not have any conflict of interest (actual or perceived) that might have had an impact on the conduct of this inquiry
Sometimes, I think you’re being unfair and incorrectly attributing corrupt motives. Then the rest of the facts come out … and you’re proven right.
As always, KCA, thanks for exposing the rorters – the Robodebt crims and the legal appointments which guarantee their freedom. No wonder we remain so cynical of politicians and their ability to slither away from charges of corruption. To slough off their clear guilt as though simply removing a jacket… So who are the five apart from Scott Morrison – are we to speculate and blame those who are not the central rorters. Why don’t they all simply step forward and declare themselves?
Excellent reporting. Thank you, KCA. Completely fed up with this corrupt protection racket. It disgusts me.
Corruption breeds Corruption. As employees of the people, they must be held to account. Remove Honourable from their ill gained titles.
Remove LIFE LONG PENSIONS; travel PASSES AND ALL THE FREEBIES . ands these are some of the continuing freebies AFTER they suddenly resign or step down.
Does Gladys have these “benefits” automatically and permanently removed?
Youf comment re Qld and the newer “laws” passed, that if those type of laws had been in place in NSW, Berejiklian would not have “resigned”.
I couldn’t agree more. Especially…”Social media users, during the Robodebt Royal Commission, built Catherine Holmes’s reputation up to that of a working-class hero who defended the poor and helpless against the rich and powerful.
But at the end of the day, if you judge a Royal Commission and it’s Commissioner by the number of people who are held to account, then Catherine Holmes can only be regarded as a total failure as the Commissioner.”
Judges should be marched to the countryside and forced to pick fruit.
It’s insane to me that judiciary are held up as ‘heroes’ of an inquiry or commission. The same was done with Sofronoff on the QLD DNA lab case. Holmes, Sofronoff, Dyson etc are hired to do a job and are extremely well remunerated for it. That’s the requirement, they are not ‘heroes’ for doing what they have been contracted to do.
I’m sorry BUT, I cannot take any Royal Commission (RC) seriously from this point in time onwards, and I indeed question all those RCs before now. There have been some glaring examples.
Imagine you’re eagerly unwrapping two mysterious packages:
one, a dense “government” report with a tantalising “sealed section,” and the other, a glossy men or women’s magazine, promising an “exclusive” sealed section.
Both tantalise with the allure of the forbidden.
Just remember though: the real difference between the report and the magazine is that one pretends to be serious while the other is unabashedly not. And sometimes, just sometimes …
the latter might actually be more honest about its intentions!!!