Article: Transport boss Michael Caltabiano signals Queensland Rail shake-up

[ozbob]

The Australian --> Alarm bells for Newman

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Controversial bureaucrat Michael Caltabiano faces new questions over diary entries for meetings with minister's son

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> COMMENT: CMC must report on Gommers

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Caltabiano paid $130,000 for doing nothing

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Caught in a mire of their own making

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Main Roads director-general Michael Caltabiano has earned $150,000 since CMC probe into appointments began

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Lobbyist Santo Santoro has two clients shortlisted for $1.1b Moreton Bay Rail Link contract

[Stillwater]

Caltabiano to be sacked - ABC radio report at 3.30pm today.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Senior bureaucrat Michael Caltabiano sacked

[SurfRail]

Ha!

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Senior bureaucrat Michael Caltabiano sacked

[Stillwater]

What is the fate of Master Bates?

[colinw]

Took 'em long enough to figure out that was the right thing to do, which is disappointing for a Government that claimed from the outset that its top priority was "restoring openness and accountability".

[ozbob]

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2013/2/15/statement-about-michael-caltabiano?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Premier
The Honourable Campbell Newman
Friday, February 15, 2013

Statement about Michael Caltabiano

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 15 March 2013.

Mr Caltabiano will remain on leave until that date.

No further comment will be made.

[ENDS] 15 February 2013

[ozbob]

Now for a new DG at TMR (suggest give it back to Mr Dave Stewart for the time being) and get Mr Neil Scales back to TransLink.

[Stillwater]

Sounds good.

Mr Caltabiano was the Premier's man in transport, hence, perhaps the reason for the three-line statement from Mr Newman about his sacking and the 'no further comment' tag line.  It was Mr Emerson, the Transport Minister, who referred Mr Caltabiano to the Ethic Committee, leading subsequently to the CMC investigation.

Mr Newman has said he may look at a Cabinet reshuffle following the departure of Ros Bates as Arts and IT Minister.  The question is will he get his own back on Mr Emerson for reporting his mate, Mr Caltabiano, by making Mr Emerson the Minister for Animal Welfare, or some other obscure posting.

[ozbob]

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow

Time Mr Caltabiano resigned, failing that Premier sack him. Transport in disarray. @tmr @theqldpremier http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/michael-caltabiano-listed-on-entree-vous-website-as-one-of-our-people/story-e6freon6-1226501035648 ... #qldpol #auspol

Surprised it took so long ...   Mr Emerson I think is secure.  Wouldn't be surprised to see Mr Gibson brought back with a couple of minor reshuffles.

[ozbob]

http://www.queenslandlabor.org/2013/02/15/statement-on-michael-caltabiano/

Statement On Michael Caltabiano

Annastacia Palaszczuk | Posted Friday, 15 February 2013

The Premier's complete lack of leadership has been exposed twice in one day with the revelation late today that he has sacked suspended Transport Department Director General Michael Caltabiano.

Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk said Mr Caltabiano's sacking – which followed the resignation early today of Arts Minister Ros Bates – left a host of unanswered questions.

"The simple fact is the Premier should have shown the leadership that's required of his job and undertaken this termination some months ago," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"There has been a cloud over this Director General for months now, dating back to the Estimates Hearings where the answers he provided were enough for the government to stand him down.

"But the Premier has failed in the basic task of leading his government by doing nothing in relation to Mr Caltabiano and doing nothing in relation to Ms Bates when she was clearly not performing as a Minister.

"The result is this Premier has been happy to let this Director General sit at home and do nothing for 20 weeks on full pay.

"That's $200,000 this Director General has been handed for doing nothing and that is obscene."

[ozbob]

[Golliwog]

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2013/2/15/statement-about-michael-caltabiano

Premier
The Honourable Campbell Newman
Friday, February 15, 2013
Statement about Michael Caltabiano

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 15 March 2013.

Mr Caltabiano will remain on leave until that date.

No further comment will be made.

[ENDS] 15 February 2013

Kind of interesting that it's the Premier making the announcement, not Minister Emerson. It'd be interesting to know what exactly it is that made them act now, rather than earlier (or indeed later once the various investigations had been completed).

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Senior bureaucrat Michael Caltabiano sacked

Clue in this yarn Golli ... 

[Golliwog]

Brisbanetimes --> Senior bureaucrat Michael Caltabiano sacked

Clue in this yarn Golli ... 

I'm assuming you mean:

Mr Dowling, who attended a meeting of the parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Commission committee this morning declined to say if he had received any progress reports on the investigation.

"It would be inappropriate for me to comment on any discussions or communications with any matter that is afoot."

He said there was timeline to the CMC inquiries.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/senior-bureaucrat-michael-caltabiano-sacked-20130215-2ehyn.html#ixzz2Kx86dV5A

I actually think it's a worse look if they're sacking him based on a possible progress report (i.e. something unofficial). If they had the guts to stand by him when he was first referred to the Ethics Committee and the CMC, then they should stick with him until those investigations are complete, or alternatively reveal what it is they've now been told that has made his position untenable.

I'm not disagreeing with him being sacked, just the way they've gone about the whole sorry affair has a bad smell to it.

[ozbob]

10/10 

Something has changed for sure ... it really needs to be clarified by the Premier, but possibly he cannot preempt the final CMC report ... which makes events today even more remarkable.  Former Minister Bates resigning, and the sacking of Mr Caltabiano  I think are not unrelated random events, only a wild guess ..

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Michael Caltabiano to lose DG post

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Michael Caltabiano's seven-month stint as Transport and Main Roads DG will have cost taxpayers about $720,000

... In a twist, it is possible former TMR director-general Dave Stewart may now be returned to the role.

Mr Stewart was given a $343,000 termination payout when he was displaced by Mr Caltabiano but has since returned to the public service as head of Projects Queensland.

He has made it known he would be keen to return to his old post, but could face competition from Translink CEO Neil Scales, who has performed well as acting DG ...

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Resignation of embattled arts and IT minister Ros Bates came ahead of new nepotism scandal involving contract for friend

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Newman set to shuffle the board

... Premier Campbell Newman is likely to promote assistant ministers Deb Frecklington and Ian Walker to his cabinet and shift several ministers into new portfolios this weekend.

The expected changes follow Friday's shock resignation of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts Minister Ros Bates, and the sudden sacking of Mr Newman's hand-picked transport expert, Michael Caltabiano, as director-general of the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Transport Minister Scott Emerson's chief of staff Mark Gorter – formerly Tim Nicholl's policy advisor – also resigned yesterday afternoon, strongly indicating Mr Emerson would be shifted out of the problematic Transport portfolio ...

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> LNP to enter new year with a new look?

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Answers demanded in new Ros Bates scandal

[tomato]

Interesting question posed a couple of posts back... as to the timing of all this.....

This is really the first (full) week Qld parliament has sat in 2013....

This page shows a number of Committees sitting http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/en/work-of-committees/Upcoming-Committee-Business

" THURSDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2013
Ethics Committee
Private meeting

12:00pm – 1:00pm

Committee Room 1

FRIDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2013

Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee

Private Meeting
   
8:30am – 9:00am

Dandiir Room

Private Meeting with Crime and Misconduct Commission
   
9:00am – 11:00am

Dandiir Room

Private Meeting
   
11:00am-12.30pm

Dandiir Room "

.... everyone back @ work ... all briefed...all on the same page... release the news Friday ("Can do" not available to comment according to 7 pm ABC News tonight=Saturday16th)...

[Golliwog]

Really hoping that next question time they get something like: "With regards to the sacking of TMR DG Michael Caltabiano, could the Premier advise the house of what information he has received which has led to his sudden change of heart about the DG he appointed?"

In my opinion, if it's solid enough information that it can justify the sacking the DG, then it's solid enough information to make public.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

17th February 2013

Transport clarification needed

Greetings,

Startling developments these past days with the sacking of Mr Caltabiano from the position of DG TMR.

Senior bureaucrat Michael Caltabiano sacked http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/senior-bureaucrat-michael-caltabiano-sacked-20130215-2ehyn.htm

The public would like to know what is going to happen now.  Is Mr Scales to return to his position as DDG TransLink?  Who will be appointed as DG TMR?  Would it make sense to re-appoint Mr Stewart?

There is much to do for public transport in SEQ and throughout Queensland.  Bus and fare review imminent.   TransLink is taking over Q-Connect.   Cross River Rail is languishing.  Long distance travel review is underway.

Are there to be any ministerial changes involving Transport and Main Roads?

Some clear direction as to what is to happen is needed to assert public confidence.

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Twitter

24 mins Chris O'Brien  ‏@ChrisOBrienABC

. @theqldpremier to announce ministerial appointments later this morning. @ABCNewsBrisbane @612brisbane

[mufreight]

Perhaps now with the departure of Caltiabano permanently from TMR it is time in the public interest for Government and Mr Newman to reconsider some decisions made during Caltiabano's tenure as DG.
The first of these decisions would be the edict that Queensland Rail and Roadtec (Main Roads Department) were not to tender for or be part pf any consortum tendering for major infrastructure projects.
The track record of the Trackstar Alliance in carring out major infrastructure works in some cases under adverse conditions and completing these works to a high standard both under budget and ahead of time points to the absurdity of that directive.
The short list of approved tenderers for the Moreton Bay Rail Link should also be reviewed particularly as the only two consotria approved following the edict that excluded consortia such as Trackstar Alliance and Horizon Alliance are both firms/groups for which LNP political heavyweight and Newman and Caltiabano compardrie Santoro was the principal lobbiest for.
In the light of the events of recent times with questions raised of high level jobs for mates, nepotism, and party political influience surely at least these matters should be reviewed

[somebody]

^ Fair points there mufreight.

The inference in all of that is far more serious than the allegation of misleading (or whatever) evidence to the estimates committee.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow

MT Chris O'Brien @ChrisOBrien ABC New minister Ian Walker @theqldpremier @ABCNewsBrisbane @612brisbane http://t.co/RaoFoq79 #qldpol

============

Twitter

Sarah Vogler ‏@SarahLVogler

MP Ian Walker to replace Ros Bates as Arts Minister. #qldpol http://t.co/Yf1AlDjL

[ozbob]

Twitter

Sarah Vogler ‏@SarahLVogler

Southport MP Rob Molhoek will replace Ian Walker as Assistant Minister for Planning. #qldpol

[ozbob]

Twitter

Chris O'Brien ‏@ChrisOBrienABC

. @theqldpremier won't comment on Caltabiano contract termination except has not heard from CMC. @ABCNewsBrisbane http://t.co/HmHaM3Lk

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Newman announces ministerial appointments

Premier Campbell Newman has announced his new ministerial appointments as part of a possible wider reshuffle in the wake of the resignation Friday of Ros Bates.

Ms Bates held the portfolios for science, the arts, innovation and IT. 

Mr Newman named Ian Walker as her replacement.

In other appointments, Rob Molhoek - the Member for Southport - was named Assistant Planning Minister and Tarnya Smith - Member for Mount Ommaney - as Assistant Minister for Child Safety ...

[ozbob]

Minor changes to the Cabinet, appears no Ministerial level changes Transport and Main Roads, as I expected.