Queensland government in ‘integrity crisis’ over alleged undisclosed affair between two ministers, opposition says | Queensland politics
The Queensland opposition accused the LNP government of being in an “integrity crisis” over an alleged undisclosed relationship between two ministers and called on the government to show how the pair had avoided conflicts of interest.
But a leading political commentator warned Labour’s attack strategy could backfire, saying the issue “won’t even make the list of things to test in the pub”.
Olympic Games minister Tim Mander and child safety minister Amanda Camm issued statements at the weekend giving a timeline of the “personal relationship”, which began in June 2023 while the LNP was in opposition and ended in May 2024. Both said they were “categorically not in a relationship” when they were sworn in as ministers following the LNP’s election to government in late 2024.
After separating from his wife in April 2025, Mander said he and Camm “reconnected” in June 2025 and “our relationship began.”
“I immediately sought the advice of the Integrity Commissioner and the Clerk of Parliament and made all necessary representations in line with that advice and the Ministerial Code of Conduct,” Mander said.
The law requires ministers to disclose personal relationships within one month of being sworn in or if their circumstances change “in a way that would give rise to a potential conflict of interest”.
But the timeline was called into question in media reports over the weekend, when Guardian Australia saw a letter sent by Mander’s sister-in-law to prime minister David Crisafulli claiming Mander and Camm had been in a relationship for at least the last two years.
This represents a period of around eight months during which Mander and Camm served as government ministers in an undisclosed relationship. During this time the Crisafulli government moved 2032 Olympic sailing from Brisbane’s Moreton Bay to the Whitsundays, or from Mander’s portfolio to Camm’s electorate.
The Australian who covered the story described the incident as the first major ministerial liability scandal to hit Crisafulli’s government.
Deputy opposition leader Cameron Dick described the timeline of Mander and Camm’s relationship on Monday as “a little too cute” and “a little too convenient”, likening it to the famous on-off relationship of an American sitcom.
“David Crisafulli’s integrity crisis turned from fire to wildfire yesterday,” he said.
“David Crisafulli wants Queenslanders to believe Tim Mander and Amanda Camm are the Ross and Rachel of his government.
“No one is buying any of this. This is not an episode of Friends. These are two ministers responsible for the expenditure of millions of dollars of taxpayers’ funds.”
Dick called on the prime minister to issue integrity advice and conflict of interest management plans for two of his ministers.
But Paul Williams, an associate professor at Griffith University and a long-time Queensland political commentator, said he felt Labor was “barking up the wrong opposition tree here”.
He said there “may have been a lack of procedure followed” in Mander and Camm’s relationship and that it was “not unreasonable” for questions to be raised about the shifting of the Olympic sailing race.
However, Williams said this would be a cabinet decision rather than a ministerial decision. And while voters “hate” scandals about their “hands in the gutter,” this one was “clearly not the case.”
He said most voters will either believe the Mander and Camm affair is a private matter or won’t care about it, focusing more on what the government is doing to solve the housing and cost of living crises.
“This is the attack that will be effective,” Williams said. “Not: ‘Let’s pick two LNP ministers who might fall in love’.”
