Contributed from Queensland

Prominent Queensland anti-corruption campaigner and president of the Ipswich Resident’s and Ratepayer’s association, Jim Dodrill​, was led to a secluded dirt road on Sunday and assaulted by several men. He was subsequently hospitalised with multiple injuries. Dodrill’s father was also assaulted.

He is an outspoken critic agianst corruption, who had recently exposed goings on in relating the Ipswich, Gold Coast and Moreton Bay councils,   involving how to vote cards and hidden collusion to secure political advantage, while claiming to stand as independents.

It seems the connection is through shared business interests.

By speaking out, Jim Dodrill has attracted attention and it is believed that the beating is connected. It happened after the man who led him down the dirt road, had asked him for help. This means that the attack was premeditated.

The Ipswich CIB is making inquiries.

Dodrill helped put together the dossier on former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale that was tabled in parliament by local federal member Rob Pyne and contributed to a broader call to clean up political corruption in Queensland, through a the setting up of an anti-corruption body.

Queensland has seen a raft of corruption allegations in recent times.

Former Fitzgerald Inquiry senior counsel and National Crime Authority chairman Gary Crooke has slammed the Queensland government for charging business thousands of dollars for meetings with Cabinet ministers. Ministerial diaries show nearly 60 companies paid at least $5,000 each and included big banks, leading accounting firms, developers, miners and resource companies.

There are also allegations relating to gifts given to politicians by mining magnate Adani.

Queensland has no shortage of cases of corruption by politicians over recent years.

 Scott Drsicol

Former Liberal National Party MP sentenced to six years’ jail, but able to apply for parole after 18 months, for soliciting hundreds of thousands of dollars in secret commissions from supermarkets before and after being elected in 2012.

Gordon Nuttall

Former Labor minister jailed in 2009 for a total of 14 years for perjury, corruption and receiving secret commissions. Among his convictions were 35 relating to corrupt payments from businessman Ken Talbot, totaling $300,000.

Merri Rose

Former Labor minister jailed in 2006 for 18 months, suspended after she served three, for trying to blackmail former premier Peter Beattie.

Bill D’arcy

Former Labor MP who was convicted of child sex offenses less than a year after he quit parliament in January 2000. He was sentenced to a total of 11 years behind bars for offences which occurred while he was a teacher in the 1960s and ’70s. He was released on parole in 2007.

Keith Wright

Former Labor opposition leader and federal MP. He was jailed in 1993 for nine years for raping and indecently dealing with two young girls. In 2009, he publicly apologised to his two victims. He died at the age of 72, in January 2015.

Leisha Harvey

National Party minister sentenced to 12 months’ jail in 1990 on misappropriation charges arising from the Fitzgerald Inquiry into corruption.

Don Lane

National Party minister convicted of misappropriating public money following the Fitzgerald Inquiry. Sentenced to 12 months’ jail.

Geoff Muntz

National Party minister jailed for 12 months on 19 charges of misusing ministerial expenses arising from the Fitzgerald Inquiry.

These are the ones who got caught and there is good reaso0n to believe that the problem is far more extensive.

Queensland has a history of sleaze. One just has to look at the record of the Joh Bjelke-Petersen Coalition Government. There is systemic problem to be cleared up.

Whistleblowers are an important factor in this.