What two inquiries and forced debate reveal about LNP and Labor’s lull

During a closing ceremonial hearing a fortnight ago, the head of Queensland’s fourth child safety inquiry in three decades was diplomatic about having to cut short his work by six months.

Initially given until November to report to government, Paul Anastassiou was instead told in February to wrap it up in time to feed his suggested fixes into this year’s state budget process.

“If I had longer, the report would be shorter,” he quipped, using one of what he said were two well-known aphorisms to address the matter of his truncated timeframe.

“The second, is the time taken to complete a task tends to expand to fill the time available in which to do it. Back in February, I was not so persuaded by the second, but the first remains true.”

What’s been unexplained by the Crisafulli government to date is why it didn’t instead require, or ask for, an interim report for its budget purposes. Political opportunity can maybe explain some of that.

The $20 million probe into the problematic system, the concerns of which go to the heart of how society and government supports (or fails) families, was set up before a second – into the CFMEU.

That this politically charged inquiry’s initial July reporting date was, in the same week its counterpart’s report was tabled, extended to December 2027, says much about the LNP’s approach.

Let alone the rhetoric around both. Releasing the 1400-page Child Safety Inquiry report on Wednesday, without a government response, senior cabinet figures instead went on the attack.

They castigated former Labor ministers responsible for system failures, but Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm refused to take responsibility (or even express concern) about some on her watch.

This is but just one example of the Crisafulli government seeming, so-far, to struggle shaking its long opposition-era attack footing.

While there are valid issues for CFMEU Inquiry figurehead Stuart Wood to delve into, many of the union’s most serious matters have reared their heads in the southern states.

Industry figures, a key investigator, and the target of much Queensland CFMEU activity – the AWU – have told public hearings the construction sector has, for months now, been in a much better spot.

But the government via Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie – who announced the inquiry extension while acting attorney-general on Sunday – seems intent on ensuring Labor has its “Fitzgerald moment”.

“The Crisafulli government has agreed to extend the commission, to ensure every allegation can be thoroughly investigated and no stone is left unturned,” he said in a statement.

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