Senior Queensland public servant at centre of nepotism claims
It's alleged the son of an executive at the Queensland public trustee - a uni student -received a position over an experienced employee, sparking claims of preferential treatment. A complaint to the state's corruption body was sent back to the public trustee to investigate, leaving the worker sceptical that there would be a fair outcome.
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00:00Caleb Edwards, a former bank worker with seven years' experience, took a casual contract
00:07at Queensland's public trustee.
00:09It seemed like valuable and worthwhile work, being able to support people that are otherwise
00:15unable to support themselves.
00:17Last year, Caleb applied for a permanent position, but missed out to the son of senior executive
00:24Clinton Miles.
00:25I was ropable because I'd been doing that substantive position for seven or eight months
00:31already.
00:32Clinton Miles, who is a relative of Queensland Premier Stephen Miles, has worked at the public
00:38trustee for 43 years. His son, a uni student, had a casual job there. Months later, he was
00:45promoted to the role of trust officer.
00:47A complaint to Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission alleged Clinton Miles' son had
00:52been given preferential treatment.
00:55The CCC said the allegation may constitute corrupt conduct, but instead of investigating,
01:00it referred the complaint back to the public trustee.
01:05Nepotism, if it's found to have occurred, is one of the beginnings of the slippery slope
01:10to much more serious forms of corruption. So it is a very, very serious issue.
01:15The ABC understands Clinton Miles is on long service leave and his son no longer works
01:21at the public trustee. The investigation has been going for a year now. The public
01:26trustee says its inquiry is well advanced, but wouldn't say when it would be completed.
01:32Caleb Edwards has little faith in the investigation.
01:35It doesn't seem sensible to have that organisation with that person at that level of seniority
01:40effectively investigating itself.
01:42In a press conference today, Queensland Premier Stephen Miles said Clinton Miles is a distant
01:48relative.
01:49I think he might be my dad's cousin or something.
01:51A spokesperson for Stephen Miles said the public trustee doesn't report to the Premier.
01:56Clinton Miles and the CCC would not comment on the case.