In a speech criticising the Queensland Government for corruption, Tony Fitzgerald QC has broken his 20-year silence.
Mr Fitzgerald warned that short-sighted political attitudes had led to a free fall in ethical standards and the potential return of the state’s “dark past” of corruption.
Listen to an excerpt from Tony’s speech.
This year marks the 20th anniversary since Tony Fitzgerald QC handed down the far-reaching report of his commission of inquiry into police corruption and other official misconduct in Queensland.
Griffith University announced its Tony Fitzgerald Scholarship Program at the inaugural Tony Fitzgerald lecture at the State Library last night.
Watch Tony Fitzgerald on Griffith in Motion now.
The scholarship fund will support full-time PhD study in an area reflecting the ethos of the Fitzgerald reforms in law, public policy, political science, governance, criminology, criminal justice and the role of the fourth estate.
Director of Griffith’s Key Centre of Ethics, Law, Justice and Governance Professor Paul Mazerolle said the Fitzgerald report marked a watershed in Queensland and Australia’s political history.
“In addition to the justice and governance reforms, the report and inquiry served as a catalyst and inspiration to many researchers and practitioners working in the field,’’ he said.
The aim of the biennial lecture series is to publicly acknowledge the importance of the Fitzgerald reforms and to inspire continued focus, commitment and vigilance.
The Fitzgerald Inquiry took two years and made more than 100 recommendations grouped under three major categories including the establishment of the Electoral and Administrative Review Commission, the Criminal Justice Commission and the reform of the then-named Queensland Police Force.
Listen to the full proceedings.
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