THE Queensland Opposition has called for a royal commission into inappropriate links between developers and the Bligh Government, accusing it of trying to "spin away" corruption concerns.
The call comes in the wake of stinging criticism of the Labor Party by former corruption fighter Tony Fitzgerald along with claims developers and lobbyists exerted improper influence over planning decisions.
Former premier Peter Beattie this morning hit back at claims by an aggrieved developer that one of the premier's staffers pressured him to give disgraced former government minister Merri Rose a job, and that he had been told to hire lobbyists to get access to ministers.
"That's bullshit," Mr Beattie told ABC Radio.
"No one on my staff would have said that to him."
Premier Anna Bligh has consistently defended her government's integrity, yesterday referring to the Crime and Misconduct Commission complaints about a rezoning decision favourable to a development company advised by former planning minister Terry Mackenroth.
But Opposition Leader John-Paul Langbroek today demanded a full inquiry or royal commission into a spate of "serious" allegations.
Government frontbenchers today insisted the CMC was effectively a "standing royal commission" equipped to investigate any such allegations. Deputy Premier Paul Lucas said the body could review any matters it wanted to.
Ms Bligh told ABC TV last night it was ironic the three states that had established corruption-fighting bodies were the ones where governments faced the most criticism, as corruption scandals may not see the light of day if the investigative bodies didn't exist.
Opposition spokeswoman Fiona Simpson said the government's dealings were shrouded in secrecy and deserved investigation.
"The whistle blowers are blowing the whistle, this government just wants to spin it away," she told ABC Radio.
"It's about mates getting special deals under this government."
Public Works Minister Robert Schwarten said: "I've got no problem with the CMC investigating any matter and any complaints."
The latest storm over alleged improper dealings were sparked by allegations made public today by Victorian-based developer David Marriner.
Mr Marriner, who was pushing to build an international airport at the Laguna Whitsundays Resort in north Queensland, said he missed out on support because he refused "play the game" by attending fundraising dinners and hiring lobbyists.
But Mr Beattie said today no one in the government would have told him he must employ lobbyists.
"If he's talking to the sort of people who would say that to him he'd be talking to drug-affected people in the Valley."
Mr Beattie also played down claims that one of his staffers had asked Mr Marriner to employ Ms Rose, who was ultimately jailed for blackmailing the former premier, saying the CMC had already investigated such matters.
"The CMC interviewed each one of my staff about any comments they made to anybody about Merri Rose," he told ABC Radio.
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