Premier Campbell Newman said he learned about David Gibson’s past three weeks ago and “immediately” referred the claims to the Clerk of the Parliament.
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Information regarding a court action from the Member for Gympie’s past was published by a former friend and branch member on Tuesday.
Mr Newman said clerk Neil Laurie’s response after viewing the material was it did “not provide sufficient evidence to create any suspicion of misconduct by Mr Gibson”.
“Further, the material did not raise any issues that would have disqualified Mr Gibson from being a candidate, or serving as a Member of Parliament,” Mr Newman said in a statement.
But Mr Newman said Mr Laurie “did raise concerns that the claims may have been an attempt to intimidate, or indeed blackmail, Mr Gibson”.
“I have referred those concerns to the Speaker, and to the Police Commissioner,” Mr Newman said.
Mr Gibson said he had received advice from the Clerk of the Parliament that an appropriate body should investigate whether a criminal offence to threaten or extort had been committed by Mr Gibson’s former friend and branch member Scott Elms.
“I have received further advice that the Police Commissioner has also received the material from the Clerk of the Parliament and established that a prima facie case exists for further investigation,” he said in a statement.
Mr Gibson stepped down as chair of the select ethics committee which had been charged with investigating whether Crime and Misconduct head, Ken Levy, had misled a parliamentary committee last year.
Mr Gibson will continue as a member of Parliament. Lockyer MP Ian Rickuss will take over as chair of the select ethics committee.
Mr Gibson said he stepped down to protect the “integrity” of the committee and ensure the recent media interest in his past would not colour its findings.
Mr Elms published information about Mr Gibson’s past which was protected by a statute of limitations on Tuesday, after the Rainbow Beach draft master plan was released.
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act prevents the publication of convictions 10 years after a court hands down its decision.
In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Gibson said he believed people would see the release of the information “for what it is – political blackmail and muckraking – the lowest form of politics which should rightly be condemned”.
