Stephanie Smail reported this story on Wednesday, November 14, 2012 18:30:00

MARK COLVIN: One of the Queensland Government's senior ministers has resigned amid accusations that he failed to disclose dealings with his lobbyist son. The Housing Minister Bruce Flegg's sacked media advisor levelled those claims - and more - in a press conference yesterday.



Dr Flegg made a teary resignation speech in the State Parliament this afternoon. He's the second Queensland minister to quit since the Newman Government won the election in March.



Stephanie Smail reports.



STEPHANIE SMAIL: It's been just over 24 hours since Bruce Flegg's sacked media advisor, Graham Hallet, called a press conference to declare the Housing Minister unfit for office. Mr Hallet accused him of failing to properly disclose dealings with his lobbyist son and listed other instances where records weren't correct and there was no attempt to fix them.



This afternoon Dr Flegg resigned from his Cabinet position.



BRUCE FLEGG: Madam Speaker, you might guess from my demeanour today that I am tendering my resignation to the Premier. I want everybody in this place to understand fully I am taking that action - the Premier has not asked me or approached me in any way about that.



STEPHANIE SMAIL: Dr Flegg told the Parliament he's taking responsibility for sloppy administration.



BRUCE FLEGG: If these matters happen under my watch, I will take responsibility for them. It doesn't have to be something that you have done yourself or even known about yourself - if you hold the office of a minister, you have a responsibility over those matters.



Not one of these matters involved any personal gain for any person. Not one of these matters had any impact on the life or wellbeing of even a single Queenslander.



STEPHANIE SMAIL: The Queensland Premier, Campbell Newman, says he accepted his resignation reluctantly.



CAMPBELL NEWMAN: I think he's acted with a great deal of courage and indeed integrity. His reason for doing that is to take responsibility for the administrative failures in his office and he is, as I said to the Parliament, shown what ministerial accountability under the Westminster system is all about.



STEPHANIE SMAIL: But Mr Newman denies there was any pressure on him to resign.



CAMPBELL NEWMAN: He pre-empted any further consideration by myself and made the decision, because he's done the right thing. And that's the ethos, that's the standard, that's what this Government is all about. It is about being open and accountable and it is about observing those Westminster principles.



STEPHANIE SMAIL: Dr Flegg is the second minister to resign since the Newman Government came to power in March. The police minister, David Gibson, resigned shortly after the election after a string of traffic offences were revealed. The Premier, Campbell Newman, says it shows his Government has integrity.



The State Opposition Leader, Annastacia Palaszczuk, says the Premier should have sacked Dr Flegg himself.



ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK: The Premier should have acted sooner. He is the leader of the LNP and what Queenslanders have been subject to over the last few days has been nothing less than a soap opera. Bruce Flegg has done the right thing in resigning today.



STEPHANIE SMAIL: Bruce Flegg will remain the elected representative in the Brisbane-based seat of Moggill, but it's his last day in the Newman Cabinet.



BRUCE FLEGG: I believe that at all times I've done the right thing, and I really appreciate the support I've had. Thank you very much.



MARK COLVIN: Dr Bruce Flegg ending Stephanie Smail's report.