Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has confirmed taxpayers are paying some or all of the legal costs of former deputy premier Jackie Trad's court action to suppress a Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) report.
Yesterday, parts of a Supreme Court order were lifted, allowing the media to identify Ms Trad as the politician who launched legal action to have the report withheld from public release.
Legal indemnity guidelines are publicly available and apply to ministers and former ministers from any political party for actions relating to their ministerial duties.
Asked whether Ms Trad was accessing this, Ms Palaszczuk confirmed she was, but was unable to say how much.
"We can't say that at the moment, that is part of the legal indemnity guidelines," she said.
"Also too those costs aren't worked out until the end of the court case."
"As you can appreciate, there is a court case that has been confirmed now by the court — and I cannot comment on that court case."
Trad 'felt compelled' to take action
Deputy opposition leader Jarrod Bleijie used parliamentary privilege last month to name Ms Trad and her involvement in the CCC investigation, which he said related to the independent recruitment process of former under treasurer Frankie Carroll.
The matter was referred to the CCC by the LNP in May 2020.
It is not known whether the report makes any findings against Ms Trad.
She issued a statement last night saying she did not take "the course of action lightly".
"I can confirm that I have brought an application in the Queensland Supreme Court regarding a matter subject to a Court Order made available on the Court Register today," the statement read.
"This is a course of action I have not taken lightly but one I felt compelled to take.
"I deeply respect the process of the Supreme Court and will not be prejudicing the deliberations of the matter by making comments regarding my application before it has been heard and decided in full by the Court."
A spokesperson for Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman said: "Legal assistance was granted following advice of the Crown Solicitor as is the process outlined in the indemnity guidelines."
