Qld: Langbroek opens inbox for inquiry on billboard email affair

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2009
Qld: Langbroek opens inbox for inquiry on billboard email affair

By Gabrielle Dunlevy

BRISBANE, Aug 4 AAP - A row over taxpayer-funded billboards has escalated into Queensland's
own doctored email scandal, with the leader of the opposition bowing to pressure to open
his inbox for forensic examination.

John-Paul Langbroek's office on Monday released emails to the media that he said showed
the Ministerial Services Branch (MSB) approved taxpayer funding for billboards featuring
his image and a message about "strong alternative government".

But in state parliament on Tuesday, Mr Langbroek admitted the emails had been "annotated"

with the words "(approved for Billboards)" added to the subject line in the reply to his
office.

The government says the billboards, estimated to be worth $90,000, do not qualify for
taxpayer funding. It argues that with the admission the emails were changed, this amounts
to misconduct.

Premier Anna Bligh said Mr Langbroek was the Godwin Grech of Queensland - referring
to the federal treasury official who has admitted writing the fake email at the centre
of the OzCar affair.

"The addition of these words go to the very heart of the public debate on this matter
... they are central to whether or not these billboards were given approval. They were
relied upon by the leader of the opposition to justify his vanity board campaign," Ms
Bligh told reporters.

"The people of Queensland are not only paying for these billboards, they are paying
for them on the basis of a doctored email - this is scandalous."

Ms Bligh challenged Mr Langbroek to open his office's email accounts for forensic examination,
which he agreed to.

"These are annotations that are made for filing purposes," Mr Langbroek told reporters.

"It's the chief of staff who's done that and that's fine. I'm happy to have any investigation
of this matter."

Mr Langbroek said he found out a change had been made to the emails on Monday evening
and stood by his chief of staff, Paul Cormack.

In the emails, Mr Cormack sends artwork to the MSB to be used in advertisements in
various media and asks whether it needs to be submitted to the branch each time it is
used, if it is not changed.

It does not mention billboards.

MSB executive director Mike Goodman advises Mr Cormack should seek approval for every
ad before committing to expenditure, to avoid problems.

Ms Bligh says it is not the MSB's role to approve Mr Langbroek's advertising expenditure
but rather his staff's job, after first checking the ads are within the guidelines.

Those guidelines state: "Advertisements must have a clear nexus to the alternative
government's policies, must not be party political in nature and must not be designed
in a manner that significantly promotes the leader personally."

It is not yet clear who will foot the bill for the billboards with Ms Bligh seeking
to ensure taxpayers do not pay.

AAP gd/pjo/mmr/apm

KEYWORD: BILLBOARD WRAP

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