The word from Australia is that the Queensland house is not in order. Not even close. Treasurer David Hamill announced Sunday that he's stepping aside from his ministerial duties amid a pending investigation into his decision to grant Gocorp Pty Ltd a license to operated an online casino.
Hamill has been under intense scrutiny since it was revealed last week that three of his Australian Labor Party colleagues-- ALP backbencher Bill D'Arcy, ministerial adviser Don Livingstone and Ipswich City Councillor Paul Pisasale--are shareholders in a company holding 20 percent of Gocorp.
Opposition leader Rob Borbidge filed an official complaint Sunday with the Criminal Justice Commission, which may investigate the affair.
Premier Peter Beatti tried to put out the fire by flagging legislation banning all Queensland MPs and other elected public officials from investing in interactive gaming businesses. Such legislation would apply retrospectively to take out the three Labor stakeholders in Gogorp, without affecting the company's right to keep the license.
Beattie will become Acting Treasurer until Auditor-General Len Scanlan tables a report on the affair in Parliament at the end of the month.
Hamill, who rejected calls from the State Opposition to resign last week, has agreed to step aside until the Auditor-General's investigation is completed.
Hamill said he stepped aside to protect the government's integrity. "I am not prepared to allow this Government's reputation, nor its ability to provide stable government, to be brought into question," he said. "In all the media coverage in recent days, no story has identified any action by me which in any way could be construed as improper or illegal. I am confident that the processes put in place will clear my name in the near future."
Borbidge contends that Hamill's resignation isn't enough. "Clearly we have a situation where they think if they can take Mr. Hamill out of the equation they can get on with their business and everyone will forget about this," Borbidge said. "I can promise Mr. Beattie that's not going to happen, there are still too many unanswered questions," he said.
Beattie remains in Hamill's corner and insists that Hamill was at arm's length from the Gocorp application and that independent probity checks were conducted by the State gambling regulator. "The recommendation to issue that licence was made by an independent body," Beattie said.
The Queensland Office of Gaming Regulation was unavailable for comment on the affair.