The Crime and Misconduct Commission has found no evidence that results of an online poll relating to the Traveston Crossing Dam were manipulated by public officials on 19 April 2007.
It was alleged that public officials had posted 175 votes to an online poll for political purposes. Later that day Deputy Premier Anna Bligh made a statement to parliament indicating that 85% of respondents to the poll were supportive of the dam.
The CMC investigated the complaint on the basis that it could be official misconduct if a public officer manipulated the poll results and then provided that information to the Deputy Premier knowing she would inadvertently mislead parliament about those results.
Contrary to the allegation, the evidence shows that only 54 votes were cast on the website that day. The balance was merely ‘hits’ or visits to the poll results.
Only 18 of the 54 votes were cast from known government computers prior to Ms Bligh making her statement in parliament. These computers were used by various ministerial advisers.
The CMC interviewed many people who cast votes from government computers on that day. Most say they voted, only because they believed it was necessary in order to view the online poll results.
The investigation found only two people attempted to vote more than once.
However, not all votes were included in the results tally displayed on that site due to security measures. A security feature prevents more than one vote from the same computer terminal.
The investigation also identified votes cast through the server of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet after Ms Bligh’s statement in parliament. Votes were also cast from the parliament house offices of two opposition frontbenchers.
This raises the issue of whether participation in such an online poll is a proper use of public resources. While it does not amount to official misconduct; the CMC will write to the Director-General of this department and bring it to his attention.
ENDS
